need a tool to compare java source files

[alan jeeves]

Hi,

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?

It would be prefered if it does actually compare the code and not be based
on just plain text - hope you know what i mean.

Thanks,
Alan.

 

[Michael Borgwardt]

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?

It would be prefered if it does actually compare the code and not be based
on just plain text - hope you know what i mean.

What kind of "comparison" do you want? Syntactical identity? In that case,
a combination of a code formatter and a simple diff should do fine.

If you meant semantical identity, I don't think that's feasible.

 

[alan jeeves]

I'm managing to do it with a simple text comparsion app,

but thanks

 

[Michael Borgwardt]

I'm managing to do it with a simple text comparsion app,

That's what I meant with "simple diff". Combining it with a code
formatter would offer the advantage of ignoring differences in
formatting and whitespace. Beyond that, I don't see how any
big improvement could be made.

 

[Mickey Segal]

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?

Microsoft's WinDiff.exe:
http://www.tburke.net/info/suptools/topics/windiff.htm
which came with Visual J++ 6.0 and various Windows support and resource
kits, does such a comparison. If it is already on your computer it is worth
trying.

 

[Thomas Weidenfeller]

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?

Yes, I wrote a Unix diff clone in Java, just for fun. Of course, the
real diff programs will do just fine, too.

It would be prefered if it does actually compare the code and not be based
on just plain text

Nop. And definitely not my little diff (it can ignore whitespace, but
that's it).

If you can't find anything, I would suggest some pre-processing. Remove
comments, all whitespace, etc.. Than run it through any diff command of
your choice.

/Thomas

 

[Jon A. Cruz]

Hi,

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?

It would be prefered if it does actually compare the code and not be based
on just plain text - hope you know what i mean.

I usually use either tkdiff (with tkcvs) or Eclipse. The latter has a
very niced styled diff viewer with sliding comparison areas like Sun's
CM tool used to.

 

[Jon A. Cruz]

Nop. And definitely not my little diff (it can ignore whitespace, but
that's it).

If you can't find anything, I would suggest some pre-processing. Remove
comments, all whitespace, etc.. Than run it through any diff command of
your choice.

Try tkdiff (grab tkcvs) and give it the option to ignore whitespace
(might be in the gui) -b

And sometimes you want --ignore-all-space.

 

[Thomas Weidenfeller]

Try tkdiff (grab tkcvs) and give it the option to ignore whitespace
(might be in the gui) -b

And sometimes you want --ignore-all-space.

Space "folding" and completely ignoring spaces is implemented in my
little diff (and all Unix diff versions I am aware of since Unix Version
7). So any diff should be a good start. However, I assumed that this is
not enough for the OP. For me it sounded he also wants to ignore
comments and line breaks (anything ignored by the compiler, too). I
don't know any tool which does this.

/Thomas

 

[Krystan Honour]

Thought you might like to take a look here

http://keithdevens.com/downloads/

 

[James D. Veale]

I need a tool to compare java source files - does any one know of any?
It would be prefered if it does actually compare the code and not be based
on just plain text - hope you know what i mean.

You may want to look at the Complite File Comparison Family at
http://world.std.com/~jdveale

These utilities perform a true word-by-word comparison where words
may be separated not only by white-space but by common programming
language delimiters. This avoids many issues with code formating.

In addition the keyword processing capabilites can be configured
to ignore most comments, or other application specific requirements.

Demonstration versions and contact information is on the web page.

Jim Veale