diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'NEWS')
| -rw-r--r-- | NEWS | 69 |
1 files changed, 66 insertions, 3 deletions
@@ -1,17 +1,80 @@ +Known problems: + +* The diffutils 2.7 documentation for `patch' is obsolete; this should be + fixed in diffutils 2.8. Until then, see `patch --help' or `man patch'. + +Changes in version 2.2: + +* Arbitrary limits removed (e.g. line length, file name length). + +* On POSIX.1-compliant hosts, you can now patch binary files using the output + of GNU `diff -a'. + +* New options: + --dry-run + --help + --verbose + -i FILE or --input=FILE + -y PREF or --basename-prefix=PREF + +* patch is now quieter by default; use --verbose for the old chatty behavior. + +* Patch now complies better with POSIX.2 if your host complies with POSIX.1. + + Therefore: + - By default, no backups are made. Set the VERSION_CONTROL environment + variable to "existing" if you prefer patch's traditional behavior. + - The simple backup file name for F defaults to F.orig + regardless of whether the file system supports long file names, + and F~ is used only if F.orig is too long for that particular file. + - Similarly for the reject file names F.rej and F#. + + Also: + - The pseudo-option `+' has been withdrawn. + - -b is equivalent to --version-control=simple; + `-z SUFF' has the meaning that `-b SUFF' used to. + - Names of files to be patched are taken first from *** line and then from + --- line of context diffs; then from Index: line; /dev/tty is + consulted if none of the above files exist. However, if the patch + appears to create a file, the file does not have to exist: instead, + the first name with the longest existing directory prefix is taken. + - Exit status 0 means success, 1 means hunks were rejected, 2 means trouble. + - `-l' ignores changes only in spaces and tabs, not in other white space. + - If no `-p' option is given, `-pINFINITY' is assumed, instead of trying + to guess the proper value. + - `-p' now requires an operand; use `-p 0' to get the effect of the old plain + `-p' option. + - `-p' treats two or more adjacent slashes as if it were one slash. + - The TERM signal is caught. + - New option `-i F' reads patch from F instead of stdin. + +* The `patch' options and build procedure conform to current GNU standards. + For example, the `--version' option now outputs copyright information. + +* When the patch is creating a file, but a nonempty file of that name already + exists, `patch' now asks for confirmation before patching. + +* RCS is used only if the version control method is `existing' + and there is already an RCS file. Similarly for SCCS. + +* Copyright notices have been clarified. Every file in this version of `patch' + can be distributed under the GNU General Public License. See README for + details. + Changes in version 2.1: * A few more portability bugs have been fixed. The version number has been changed from 2.0.12g11 to 2.1, because the name `patch-2.0.12g10' was too long for traditional Unix file systems. - + Versions 2.0.12g9 through 2.0.12g11 fix various portability bugs. - + Changes in version 2.0.12g8: * Start of the 12g series, with a GNU-style configure script and long-named options. * Added the -t --batch option, similar to -f. -* Improved detection of files that are locked under RCS or SCCS. +* Improved detection of files that are locked under RCS or SCCS. * Reinstate the -E option to remove output files that are empty after being patched. * Print the system error message when system calls fail. |