Default Command Line Settings

Comparing and Merging › External Compare or Merge Tools › Default Command Line Settings

Default Command Line Settings

Default command lines for supported external tools are provided in the list of external tools that follows. All external tools require file names to be specified on the command line.

The following parameters define only file names and not complete file paths:

$(File1), $(File2): Defines files displayed in the left and right panes of the comparison tool.
$(TrunkFile), $(BranchFile), $(ResultsFile): Defines files displayed in the left and right panes of the merge tool and the results file for two-way and three-way merge.
$(AncestorFile): Defines common ancestor file for three-way merge only.
$(Version1), $(Version2): Defines the path to the files displayed in the left and right panes of the compare tool.

Some external tools require full path names and file names to be specified on the command line. For this case, the following corresponding parameters are defined:

$(FilePath1), $(FilePath2), $(TrunkFilePath), $(BranchFilePath), $(AncestorFilePath), $(ResultsFilePath)

Default commands for external tools are defined in the following list; the tools differ with regard to which parameters need to be replaced in command syntax:

Note: For help with additional parameters you can set for a tool, see the help for that tool.

Araxis Merge Professional Default Command Lines
Use the following compare or merge commands for the Araxis tool.

The compare command has the following format:
```
Compare.exe /wait /max /2 $(File1) $(File2)
```
The two-way merge command has the following format:
```
Compare.exe /wait /max /2 $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
The three-way merge command has the following format:
```
Compare.exe /wait /max /3 /a3 $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(AncestorFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
/anumber
Specifies which file in a sequence of files on the command line is the common ancestor file.

The ancestor file displays in the center of the Merge screen.

For example, in the following command /a3 specifies that the third file listed is the ancestor:
```
Compare.exe /wait /3 /a3 $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(AncestorFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
For example, in the following command /a1 specifies that the first file listed is the ancestor:
```
Compare.exe /wait /3 /a1 $(AncestorFile) $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
The two-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
Compare.exe /wait /max /2 $(File1) $(File2) /title1:$(Version1) /title2:$(Version2)
```
The three-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
Compare.exe /wait /max /3 /a3 $(File1) $(File2) $(AncestorFile) /title1:$(Version1) /title2:$(Version2) /title3:$(Version3)
```
Beyond Compare Default Command Lines
The compare command has the following format:
```
BComp.exe /readonly $(File1) $(File2) /title1=$(Version1) /title2=$(Version2)
```
/readonly

Specifies that editing the files is not allowed.

/title1

Specifies a text version of the first file name without the path; file name(version) displays in the compare pane.

/title2

Specifies a text version of the second file name without the path; file name(version) displays in the compare pane.

The two-way merge command has the following format:
```
BComp.exe /rightreadonly $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) /mergeoutput=$(ResultsFile) /title1=$(TrunkFile) /title2=$(BranchFile)
```
The /rightreadonly option enables editing only in the trunk pane.

The three-way merge command has the following format:
```
BComp.exe $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(AncestorFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
The two-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
BComp.exe /rightreadonly $(File1) $(File2) /title1=$(Version1) /title2=$(Version2)
```
The three-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
BComp.exe /rightreadonly $(File1) $(File2)  $(AncestorFile) $(File1) /title1=$(Version1) /title2=$(Version2) /title3=$(Version3)
```
Diff Doc Default Command Lines
Diff Doc can compare Microsoft Word documents (.doc or .rtf) with formatting intact. Merging is not supported. Diff Doc requires full path and file names to be entered in the command line.

The compare command has the following format:
```
DiffDoc.exe /m$(FilePath1) /s$(FilePath2)
```
The /m option lets you specify the original file. The /s option lets you specify the modified file.
Guiffy Default Command Lines
The compare command has the following format:
```
Guiffy.exe -gm $(File1) $(File2)
```
–gm

Suppresses file merge (compare only).

The two-way merge command has the following format:
```
Guiffy.exe -m $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
–m

Specifies two-way merge.

The three-way merge command has the following format:
```
Guiffy.exe -s $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(AncestorFile) $(ResultsFile)
```
–s

Specifies three-way merge.

The two-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
Guiffy.exe -m $(File1) $(File2) $(File1) -h1$(Version1) -h2$(Version2)
```
The three-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
Guiffy.exe -s $(File1) $(File2)  $(AncestorFile) $(File1) -h1$(Version1) -h2$(Version2) -hm(Merge_Result)
```
-h1

Represents the header for the first file.

-h2

Represents the header for the second file.

-hm

Represents the header for the merged file.
WinMerge Default Command Lines
The compare command has the following format:
```
Winmergeu.exe $(File1) $(File2) /dl $(File1) /dr $(File2)
```
/dl

Specifies a text description of the left-hand file without the path; file name (version) displays in the compare pane.

/dr

Specifies a text description of the right-hand file without the path; file name (version) displays in the compare pane.

The two-way merge command has the following format:
```
Winmergeu.exe $(TrunkFile) $(BranchFile) $(ResultsFile) /dl $(TrunkFile) /dr $(BranchFile)
```
WinMerge does not support three-way merge; the three-way Merge command line should be left empty.

The two-way compare command from Workspace has the following format:
```
Winmergeu.exe $(File1) $(File2) /dl $(Version1) /dr $(Version2) /wr
```
Note: WinMerge does not support three-way compare for Workspace.