Semanticdiff tool?

[JEP]

It would be great if SemanticMerge's feature to analyze the actual structure of the code could be used as a diff tool, rather than only for merges. Often I want to just see the difference between a file and its previous version, or the differences between to divergent files, without trying to compare it to a base file or created the merge output. It's a shame that it seems like the technology in SM are going to waste in situations like this.

[calbzam]

Hi,

Plastic SCM includes built-in Semantic Diff:

https://www.plasticscm.com/features/semantic-version-control

Regards,

Carlos.

[JEP]

Huh. It took me running a "Diff with previous" about three time before I noticed the "Semantic diff" in the bottom-right of the "Differences" window. I thought it was the same Differences window I had in Plastic before I installed.

In fact, the more I look at it, the more it seems that installing SemanticMerge set my diff tool to LESS semantic.

If I use the external tools setting that - now correct me if I'm wrong on this - semantic diff added to my Plastic configuration, it opens in an external window, and the Text/Semantic diff buttons are "sticky". So at some point I must have clicked the "Text diff" button on one when first trying it out, and then later forgot that and thought I was still using the built-in Plastic diff and there was no semantic diff.

I just spend about 10 minutes trying to understand all this (not a good sign for how clear it is to potential customers). It seems like semantic DIFF is included in Plastic, but semantic MERGE is not (even though SemanticMerge can do both, so you don't really need the semantic DIFF if you have Plastic). And if you install SM, it seems to mess with your Plastic settings for diff in a way that I would call unhelpful (but reversible).

I would still like the ability to configure the internal diff tool to always default to SEMANTIC diff instead of TEXT diff, though.

Thanks for the help.

[calbzam]

HI JEP,

Quote

 

I just spend about 10 minutes trying to understand all this (not a good sign for how clear it is to potential customers). It seems like semantic DIFF is included in Plastic, but semantic MERGE is not (even though SemanticMerge can do both, so you don't really need the semantic DIFF if you have Plastic). And if you install SM, it seems to mess with your Plastic settings for diff in a way that I would call unhelpful (but reversible).

I would still like the ability to configure the internal diff tool to always default to SEMANTIC diff instead of TEXT diff, though.

 

SematicMerge is a different product. You can integrate it with Plastic but also with other SCMs (git...): http://www.semanticmerge.com/

We used the technology from Semantic Merge to provide semantic diff features inside Plastic (with no extra cost). You can switch from "Text diff" to "Semantic diff" based on your needs from the Plastic diff view. You have some examples of the feature in the previous link: https://www.plasticscm.com/features/semantic-version-control

Regards,

Carlos.