sdiff

Merge two files interactively. (Show differences) with output to outfile.

SYNTAX
      sdiff -o outfile [options] from-file to-file

Options

   Multiple single letter options (unless they take an argument)
   can be combined into a single command line argument.

       -a     Treat all files as text and compare them line-by-line,
              even if they do not appear to be text.

       -b     Ignore changes in amount of white space.

       -B     Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank
              lines.

       -d     Change the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set
              of changes. This makes sdiff slower (sometimes
              much slower).

       -H     Use heuristics to speed handling of large files
              that have numerous scattered small changes.

       --expand-tabs

              Expand tabs to spaces in the output, to preserve
              the alignment of tabs in the input files.

       -i     Ignore changes in case; consider upper- and  lower-
              case to be the same.

       -I regexp
              Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines
              that match regexp.

       --ignore-all-space
              Ignore white space when comparing lines.

       --ignore-blank-lines

              Ignore changes that just insert or delete blank
              lines.

       --ignore-case
              Ignore  changes in case; consider upper- and lower-
              case to be the same.

       --ignore-matching-lines=regexp
              Ignore changes that just insert or delete lines
              that match regexp.

       --ignore-space-change
              Ignore changes in amount of white space.

       -l

       --left-column
              Print only the left column of two common lines.

       --minimal
              Change  the algorithm to perhaps find a smaller set
              of changes.  This  makes  sdiff  slower  (sometimes
              much slower).

       -o file
       --output=file

              Put  merged  output  into  file. This option is
              required for merging.

       -s
       --suppress-common-lines
              Do not print common lines.

       --speed-large-files
              Use heuristics to speed  handling  of  large  files
              that have numerous scattered small changes.

       -t     Expand  tabs  to  spaces in the output, to preserve
              the alignment of tabs in the input files.

       --text Treat all files as text and compare  them  line-by-
              line, even if they do not appear to be text.

       -v

       --version
              Output the version number of sdiff.

       -w columns
       --width=columns
              Use an output width of columns.  Note that for his-
              torical reasons, this option is -W in diff,  -w  in
              sdiff.

       -W     Ignore horizontal white space when comparing lines.
              Note that for historical reasons, this option is -w

              in diff, -W in sdiff.  

Notes
Long named options can be abbreviated to any unique prefix of their name.

If from-file is a directory and to-file is not, sdiff compares the file in from-file whose file name is that of to-file, and vice versa. from-file and to-file may not both be directories.

sdiff options begin with -, so normally from-file and to-file may not begin with -. However, -- as an argument by itself treats the remaining arguments as file names even if they begin with -.

You may not use - as an input file.

sdiff without -o (or --output) produces a side-by-side difference. This usage is obsolete; use diff --side-by-side instead.

An exit status of 0 means no differences were found, 1 means some differences were found, and 2 means trouble.

"The more the merrier" - John Heywood

Related commands:

cmp - Compare two files
comm(1)
diff - Display the differences between two files
diff3 - Show differences among three files

Equivalent BASH command:

sdiff - Merge two files interactively