
                       Visual File Compare
                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                           Version 1.0

                       (c) 2000 HPC, Ltd.

Content
~~~~~~~
 1. Introduction
 2. License
 3. Rights
 4. Command line options
 5. Keyboard definitions
 6. Plans
 7. How to get last version
 8. How to call authors
 9. Trade marks


1. Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visual File Compare  (or VFC) is  the small utility  for two files
comparing in visual mode that represents results of compare in two
windows on screen side-by-side or up down where parts that matches
and part that differs shown on different colors.  Comparing can be
text where files represents as text  line by line  or binary where
dump  representation  of  information  used.   This utility is for
DOS32, Win32 (Windows 9x, Windows NT or Windows 2000 console mode)
or  OS/2  (  version  2.11  or  later  VIO  or  FullScreen   mode)
environments.  There are two modules VFC.EXE for DOS32 and OS/2  (
DOS mode needs dpmi server  like CWSDPMI ) and VFCW.EXE  for DOS32
and Win32 ( DOS mode need  32rtm dpmi server from Inprise).   This
utility  is  an  excellent  tool  for  comparing  source  files of
programs  in  Assembler, C, HTML, Pascal  etc.,  or  reports  form
databases  to   search  differences   between  versions   and  for
correction  aids.    For  example  the  task of search differences
between config.sys  and config.bak  after install  process to some
product  to  understand  modifications  this  setup  makes to your
system.   Lot criteria   of comparing  ( case  sense, white spaces
elimination, sync length and more ) makes compare very  effective.
Some file managers can use this utility inside, we know this about
XtreeGold and ZtreeBold, because  both of them have  internal file
compare command that calls external utility.


2. License
~~~~~~~~~~

This program is NOT  free.  You are  granted a limited license  to
evaluate the product for 31 days  from the date of first use.   To
continue  using  this  version  after  31 days, you MUST register.
Each subsequent release of this product will allow a full 31  days
evaluation  from  time  of  installation.    By  registering  this
product, your support allows you unlimited use of this and  future
versions.


3. Rights
~~~~~~~~~
Author rights:
HPC, ltd. owns author right on this utility.

WARRANTY:

The  product  has  no  warranty  of  any kind, express or implied,
including without  limitation, any  warranties of  merchantability
and/or fitness for  a particular purpose.  HPC, ltd.,  or anybody,
shall not  be liable  for any  damages, whether  direct, indirect,
special or consequential arising from a failure of this program to
operate in the manner  desired by the user.   Authors will not  be
liable for  any damage  to data  or property  which may  be caused
directly or indirectly by  use of the program.   IN NO EVENT  WILL
HPC, ltd.  BE  LIABLE TO YOU FOR  ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY  LOST
PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
ARISING OUT OF YOUR  USE OR INABILITY TO  USE THE PROGRAM, OR  FOR
ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY.

However, creation  this  utility  is  based on authors 10-Th. year
programming practice in HPC, ltd. to gain useful and pretty tool.


4. Command line options
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    VFC [-options] [Path1]File1 [Path2][File2]

[] optional parameter

Path1 : First file path
File1 : Any filename of existing file.   If operation  environment
        supports long file names like OS/2 does and name  includes
        blanks it has to be enclosed in quotes.   No masks can  be
        used here.

Path2 : Second file path
File2 : Second file name.  If the path and file name omitted  path
        and name of first file  with extension .BAK will be  used.
        If path used but name  is omitted name of first  file will
        be used with  this path.   Asterisk symbol can  be used in
        the  name   and  extension  of  the   file  to  substitute
        corresponding component form first file name.

Examples:

 Command line                    | Compares file   | with file
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 VFC c:\config.sys               | c:\config.sys   | c:\config.bak
 VFC c:\config.sys  c:\backup    | c:\config.sys   | c:\backup (1)
                                 |                 | c:\backup\config.sys
 VFC c:\config.sys  *.old        | c:\config.sys   | c:\config.old
 VFC c:\config.sys  d:\tmp\*.old | c:\config.sys   | d:\tmp\config.old
 VFC autoexec.bat   4start.*     | autoexec.bat    | 4start.bat
 VFC auto.bat       *exec.*      | auto.bat        | autoexec.bat
 VFC "File N 1" "File N 2"       | "File N 1"      | "File N 2"

(1): If file c:\backup exists, else c:\backup\config.sys
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Options:

-1,-2,-3  ..  -9  :  Sync length. If given number lines matches
  than parts of files assumed synchronous ( identical ).

-b:  Batch mode.  Compare two files echo on screen one of messages
  ("The files are identical" or "The files are not identical") and
  give exit next codes:
  0: files are identical
  1: files are differs
  2: one of files if not exist or can't be opened
  3: memory shortage.
  This option is for  use  VFC  in command files (.BAT, .CMD), for
  example to automatically reserve really changed files.

-c: Case insensitive comparing. By default upper and lower letters  *
  VFC means different. There are some kind of national letters
  support - see below.

-d: Recoloring differs symbols in  differs lines. In differs lines
  symbols that are matches  and symbols  that are  differs will be
  in different colors.

-h: Split screen horizontally. By default screen splits vertically
  on two windows side-by-side.

-m:  Mask  symbols.  Only  symbols with codes  20h-7fh includes in
  comparing process all other symbols  assumed to be equal.   This
  may be useful for  comparing files includes parts  that contains
  messages differs national symbols codes.

-n:  No line numbers on result screen.  This gives more place  for
  file line in window.

-r:  Ruler. Show line with position marks on screen.

-s:  Enhance  area for search  sync from 100  to 500 lines.   This  *
  helps  compare  files  differs  from  each other big line blocks
  insertion, but is slows compare.

-w:   White space  elimination.   All sequences  of more  than one
  space will be replaced by only one space and all spaces at start
  line and  at end  line eliminated  before lines  compare.   This
  helps compare files differs in horizontal positions of text,  or
  in space at line ends remaining after some editors.

-x:  Heximal mode. This means binary comparing of files. Length of  *
  hex line in this mode depends form -n and -h.

Option  marked  by  asterisk  at  right  edge  available  only  in
registered version of the VFC.


5. Keyboard definitions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cursor navigation keys used to look contents of comparing files in
both windows concurrently.

[+],[Space] - go to next block of differences.

[-] - go to previous block of differences.

[1], [2] .. [9]  - set sync length - like options -1..-9

[c] - Toggle case sense mode on/off.                                *

[d] - Toggle different symbols highlighting on/off

[h] - Toggle screen split horizontally/vertically

[m] - Toggle mask mode on/off.

[n] - Toggle line numbers on/off.

[p] - Toggle file compare polarity i.e. compare first with  second
  or second with first.

[r] - Toggle ruler on/off.

[s] - Toggle size of sync search area 100/500 lines                 *

[t] -  Switches national  symbol sets.   These  sets defines  case  *
  conversion  rules  and  encoding  rule  for  show information on
  screen.   This feature  only available  if tables  with national
  codes exists.  Name of current  table shown at left side on  top
  line of screen.  Table files have name of the following format:

          VFC-TTTT.CC
                country code
               code table code

  For example, file VFC-KOI8.RU  contains table for lowercase  and
  conversion symbols from KOI8-r to table 866.  If your files  are
  mainly in  some special  code table  and you  want to  load code
  table automatically at  entry in VFC  - you can  mark table file
  you need to  load as HIDDEN  this will result  in automatic load
  first marked table at start of VFC.  Files with code tables  you
  need must be in the same place where program located.

[w] - Toggle white spaces elimination on/off.

[x] - Toggle heximal mode of file comparing on/off.                 *

[F2], [F3] - Call editor program for the first and for second file  *
  correspondingly. Editor program may be or may not be text editor
  that  defined  by  environment  variable  EDITOR,  like that SET
  EDITOR=C:\UTIL\EDIT.EXE

[Alt+F2], [Alt+F3] - "CALL TO KEDIT" special call to KEdit.exe (or  *
  KeditW.exe in  Win32) for  loading both  files with  same screen
  split as in  VFC and in  same positions as  in VFC with  tagging
  differs lines by means of  Kedit TAG command from compare  place
  forward two  screens and  define key  alt-PgUp and  alt-PgDn for
  KEdit to  move  both  files  concurrently  page  up or page down
  correspondingly.    KEdit  will  be  searched in your PATH, your
  DEFPROFILE place and MACROPATH.

[F1] - Keys definition help.

[Esc] - Exit with exitcode 1.

[Enter] - Exit with exitcode 0.

Key marked by asterisk at right edge available only in registered
version VFC.


6. Plans
~~~~~~~~
  - internal text editor for comparing files

  - internal HEX-editor for comparing files


7. How to get last version
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last versions you can find at  www.private.peterlink.ru/simnas-su,
but it is unregistered version. Normally  registered versions will
be send to registered users directly from authors  each  time new
version is issued.


8. How to call authors
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Web:        http://www.private.peterlink.ru/simnas-su

E-Mail:     simnas@peterlink.ru
            shirinsky@mail.ru


9. Trade marks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Windows"   (tm) is a registered trade mark of Microsoft,Inc.
"OS/2"      (tm) is a registered trade mark of IBM,      Inc.
"XTreeGold" (tm) is a registered trade mark of Symantec, Inc.
"ZTreeBold" (tm) is a registered trade mark of Zedtek,   Inc.
"KEDIT"     (tm) is a registered trade mark of Mansfield Software Group, Inc.

