Comments on: Diffing files on the web

By: Segmentation Fault » Blog Archive » New Editor tool finally landed on AMO

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:56:58 +0000

[…] made a post several months ago about an diffing zippy files on the web. While that stuff landed, it was difficult to use because I deferred actually showing […]

By: Recent URLs tagged Winmerge - Urlrecorder

Recent URLs tagged Winmerge - Urlrecorder — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 02:46:46 +0000

[…] recorded first by jaylichtenberger on 2008-09-09→ Diffing files on the web […]

By: Gerv

Gerv — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:24:05 +0000

Bugzilla also has a web-based diff viewer tool (examples: viewing a patch, interdiffing two patches on the same bug). You may want to look into that too.

By: dafi

dafi — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:26:40 +0000

@Daniel
I’ve started the development of VisualDiffer an extension for Komodo editor (but it’s easy to move to Firefox), it is strong inspired to BC2.
I would add the ability to compare using FTP and SCP.
I what to make VisualDiffer a standalone application using XulRunner

@Cesar your work is cool and can dramatically improve the code comparison experience not only for editors but for AMO user if they can diff between extension source code

By: Shawn Wilsher

Shawn Wilsher — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:47:40 +0000

This should absolutely be done for AMO. You should consider working on bug 430638!

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:29:59 +0000

MXR has a web diff feature, in case you want to steal some code:

http://hg.mozilla.org/webtools/mxr/index.cgi/file/df34452c5c07/diff

Dave

By: CAFxX

CAFxX — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:30:31 +0000

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=430638

By: skierpage

skierpage — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:27:28 +0000

Did you consider the diff part of http://www.review-board.org/ , with its syntax highlighting in diffs?
Or just use Review Board in its entirety if you’re doing code reviews.

Also Google for “web-based diff”.

By: Cesar

Cesar — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:05:55 +0000

@ Mossop : Yes, you are right. I should have made clear that I am only speaking for myself in this post. I didn’t actually think of a scenario where an exploit could be generated by removing lines from one version to another. It’s crafty I must say, and totally possible :)

@ Daniel : I was thinking about 1 at a time. Great suggestion on the toggle idea.

By: Daniel Einspanjer

Daniel Einspanjer — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:04:38 +0000

So is this program going to provide diffing of all the files in the xpi at once or just one at a time?

I think it might have promise being an open source mechanism. I feel that ignoring removed lines is a bit dangerous. It makes it easier for someone to slip a vulnerability or exploit into the code without a reviewer catching it. I believe it should be a toggle to indicate whether you want to look at adds, removes, or changes.

I have to say that any time the topic of diffing comes up, I have to plug one of the best named programs I’ve ever seen, Beyond Compare from Scooter Software.
With their new version, Beyond Compare 3, they have a Windows and a Linux version (I’m begging for a Mac, but they have to update all their Delphi stuff first. :/). It is commercial, but it is reasonably priced. The latest version supports very easy diffing inside of zips and even through SFTP or http://FTP. It is a completely invaluable tool even as version three is approaching the end of beta. As a developer and general hacker, I find a use for it almost every day.