I recently needed a merge tool and found that KDiff3 has a feature set no other FOSS Linux tool has. Among the most important ones is the editor, so I don't just need to select either source or destination line.
However, and maybe this is an issue because I have Gnome desktop, but it seems like I can't use KDiff3 without needing the mouse all the time. This is how I use it to merge largish directories of source code:
Open the directories,
Select with the mouse the file to merge, (*)
Double-click the selected file, (*),
Select Merge->Merge this file, (*)
Click the output window, (*),
Select source or destination with Ctrl+1 or Ctrl+2 (I have set KDiff3 to move automatically to next unresolved conflict),
After I have resolved everything in this file, I hit Ctrl+S,
Then I select the next file with the mouse and start the process again. (*)
I can select Merge with Alt+R and <down> but setting a shortcut doesn't seem to work (it works for a few times and then stops working).
Maybe I'm just unfamiliar with the SW, but is there a way I can do my process without touching the mouse (doing that for an hour really hurts my arm!).
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to switch the focus back to the directory tree view: Use Alt-Left or Alt-Right arrow to switch the focus between the different input areas. If Ctrl-Tab is not used by the system it might also work. Note that when the focus is in the directory tree this is almost not visible. But up/down keys have an effect.
to start a merge. There is indeed no default shortcut. Try Alt+RM. To set the shortcut permanently open only one instance of kdiff3, set the shortcut and close KDiff3.
Check the file ~/.kde4/share/apps/kdiff3/kdiff3_shell.rc. Your shortcut should be at the bottom.
e.g. here it would be CTRL-M:
...
</ToolBar>
<ActionProperties scheme="Default" >
<Action shortcut="Ctrl+M" name="merge_current" />
</ActionProperties>
</kpartgui>
Joachim
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Note: Alt-RM is meant as replacement for Alt+R and <down>. Both will probably only work for KDiff3 in English because they are shortcuts for keyboard navigation in the menu. For other languages check which letters are underlined in the menu.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
I recently needed a merge tool and found that KDiff3 has a feature set no other FOSS Linux tool has. Among the most important ones is the editor, so I don't just need to select either source or destination line.
However, and maybe this is an issue because I have Gnome desktop, but it seems like I can't use KDiff3 without needing the mouse all the time. This is how I use it to merge largish directories of source code:
I can select Merge with Alt+R and <down> but setting a shortcut doesn't seem to work (it works for a few times and then stops working).
Maybe I'm just unfamiliar with the SW, but is there a way I can do my process without touching the mouse (doing that for an hour really hurts my arm!).
As I understand there are two problems:
Check the file ~/.kde4/share/apps/kdiff3/kdiff3_shell.rc. Your shortcut should be at the bottom.
e.g. here it would be CTRL-M:
...
</ToolBar>
<ActionProperties scheme="Default" >
<Action shortcut="Ctrl+M" name="merge_current" />
</ActionProperties>
</kpartgui>
Joachim
Note: Alt-RM is meant as replacement for Alt+R and <down>. Both will probably only work for KDiff3 in English because they are shortcuts for keyboard navigation in the menu. For other languages check which letters are underlined in the menu.