

                               VMERGE

                             Version 1.26

                      Visual Diff / Merge Program



           1. Overview
           -----------

        VMERGE is an easy to use program designed to help people in
     merging files.

        Those who have tried once to combine two similar versions of
     a program know how difficult it is. There are always some lines
     which get forgotten or misplaced. 

        There are some utilities for comparing files and producing 
     list of differences between them, but these programs will 
     often scarcely help, because one should still perform a merge
     manually, cutting lines alternately from the files. On the other
     hand, there are programs that can create a third file based on 
     two version, but they are either too primitive or too complex for
     everyday use. 

        VMERGE makes file merging much easier by letting you to choose
     between the differing portions by a single mouse click. Its 
     intuitive interface and other features allow you to minimize manual 
     postprocessing thus saving your time.

        The program comes in two versions - 16 bit and 32 bit. The former
     is limited to files shorter than 64 K and is destined for Windows 3.1.
     The latter has no size limits, supports long file names and may be run
     on Windows NT, Windows 95 or Windows 3.1 with Win32s installed
     (Win32s is freely distributed by Microsoft and may be downloaded from 
     ftp.microsoft.com).

        I hope it will be as helpful for you as it is for me.



        2. Software license
        -------------------

        VMERGE 1.26 is not a Public Domain and is not a Freeware.
     VMERGE 1.26 is copyright (c) 1994, 1995 by Olga Golosovker.
     Users are granted the right to reproduce, distribute and use
     evaluation copies of VMERGE 1.26 without any charge , subject to the
     following limitations, provided that all the supplied files should be
     hold intact. VMERGE 1.26 or any of the accompanying files may not be
     modified in any respect, including disassembling or patching, without
     explicit permission from the author. Registered version of the program
     may be used on only a single personal computer or workstation which is
     not used as a server. Site registration grants to the licensing company
     the right to use the program on any computer inside the company.

        The author hereby disclaims all  warranties  relating to this
     software, whether expressed or implied, including without
     limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness
     for a  particular  purpose.  The author will not be liable for
     any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or similar
     damages due to loss of data or any other reason. This includes,
     but is not limited to, computer hardware, computer software,
     operating systems, and any computer or computing accessories.
     The person using the software bears all risk as to the quality
     and performance of the software.

        The author is in no way obligated to support VMERGE, or
     to provide future versions of VMERGE 1.26 unless the user
     explicitly registers for them (see registration information).



        3. Registration information
        ---------------------------


        To become a registered user of VMERGE, please complete and return
     this form along with the indicated license fee.  The license fee should
     be paid by check in U.S. dollars. Once you register for the program, you
     will be sent the the program either by e-mail or by regular mail,
     depending on your choice. In the latter case you should add postal fee
     as requested below.
        If you register for updates you will be sent the most recent version
     and notified of all the future releases of the program. You will be able
     to receive them by e-mail with no charge or by mail for postal fee only.


     Remit to:      Olga and Victor Golosovker,
                    Havacelet 16/10,
                    Nesher,
                    Israel.


     ====================    ORDER     FORM   ==========================


        Name: ___________________________________________________

     Company: ___________________________________________________

     Address: ___________________________________________________

              ___________________________________________________


     Please accept this registration fee for VMERGE v1.26.

     Please send me (check the box) :

        [ ]  Diskette with the program by mail.
            [ ] Please, send me 3 1/2" diskette
            [ ] Please, send me 5 1/4" diskette

        [ ]  The program by e-mail (address attached).
              Internet E-mail: ___________________________________________


     ________________________________________     _______________
                     SIGNED                             DATE


     Registration fee - Choose one or more of the following options:


____  VMERGE v1.26 registration.......................$ 20.00     $ _______
      (Does not include disk).

____  VMERGE v1.26 and future updates registration....$ 25.00     $ _______


____  VMERGE v1.26 site license.......................$ 120.00    $ _______
      (Does not include disk).

____  VMERGE v1.26 and future updates site license....$ 150.00    $ _______


____  Postage + media.................................$  5.00     $ _______


                                                      TOTAL      $ _______



        4. Using VMERGE
        ----------------

             a) Merging files
             ----------------

     1) Open files to be merged. The files will be displayed in file panes.
        If "Line Numbers" option is selected the lines will be
        enumerated.

     2) Select Diff from File menu. The program will color the differing
        sections of both files in 2 colors - green and yellow. Yellow lines
        are blank lines that should be added to the file to match segment in
        the second file. Lines are colored green if the matching lines
        of second file either differ or are missing at all (in this case
        lines of the second file are yellow).

     3) For each of the differing segments select one of the files by
        clicking left mouse button over the colored text. Selected segments
        will change their color to blue.

     4) Select "Write" from the File menu and choose the output file name.
        The results will be written to the file.

        NOTE : If the file already exists it will be overridden. The original
               file will be saved under the name <name>.bak to prevent data
               loss.


             b) Menus
             -----------

        VMERGE main window contain two file panes and menu. There are 3
     items in the menu:    File, Search, Select, Options and About.

     File menu entries are:
         File 1 - for choosing the first file name
         File 2 - for choosing the second file name
         Diff   - displays files differences
         Write  - writes the results 
         Print  - prints the merged version
         Quit   - just this.

     Search menu contains items:
         Next      - go to the next differing segment
         Previous  - go to the previous differing segment
         First     - go to the first differing segment
         Last      - go to the last differing segment
         Beginning - go to the first line
         End       - go to the last line

     Select menu:
         From Left    - chooses all the unresolved differences from the 
                        left file
         From Right   - unresolved segments are taken from the right file
         Unselect All - dismiss all the choices made so far

     Options opens a submenu with the following items:
         Compress spaces - instructs to consider a sequence of white 
                           spaces as a single space
         Line Numbers - displays line numbers along with text
         Tab size     - sets new tab size
         Font         - selects font
         Title Font   - selects title font


     There is also a quick menu available in the file panes. It's opened
     by pressing the right mouse button. The menu contains the following
     items:
         Next      
         Previous  
         First     
         Last      
         Beginning 
         End       
         From Left 
         From Right
         Unselect All
     These entries have the same meaning as those in main manu.



          c) Keyboard shortcuts
          ---------------------

     Ctrl+F1 - load left file
     Ctrl+F2 - load right file
     Ctrl+D  - display files differences
     Ctrl+W  - write out the results.
     Ctrl+N  - Next differing section
     Ctrl+P  - Previous differing section
     Ctrl+F  - Font selection box
     Ctrl+T  - Tab size selection
     PgDown  - Next screen
     PgUp    - Previous screen
     Ctrl+PgDown  - Jump to the file end
     Ctrl+PgUp    - Jump to the file beginning
         


          d) Warning messages
          -------------------

    1) "You have unresolved differences" - there are differing segments
       where none of the files was selected.

    2) "Files have not been compared yet" - You can not print nor save
       unless differences have been calculated already



        5. Requirements
        ---------------

    16 bit version:
      1) 80286+ Processor

      2) Windows(3.1, NT or 95)

    32 bit version:
      1) 80386+ Processor

      2) Windows NT, Windows 95 or Windows 3.1 + Win32s



        6. Known Bugs and Features
        --------------------------

    *  16 bit VMERGE is unable to handle files larger than 64k.

    *  Evaluation version limits size of file to save to 200 lines




        7.  What is new in this version(relative to v1.25)
        --------------------------------------------------

    *  Title font selection

    *  Printout of the merged version

    *  32 bit version without file size limit added

    *  closed bug that caused program to skip blocks in Previous/Next

    *  improved algorithm

    *  Jump to the beginning/end of file imlemented

    *  Jump to the first/last differing segment

    *  Most of the memory and resource leaks closed

    *  Help added




        8. Next version features .
        ---------------------------------

    *  Remember directories from the last run

    *  Compare directories feature

    *  User-defined file filters in file open/save dialog



        9. Address
        ----------

    stdmail:

        Olga and Victor Golosovker,
        16/10 Havacelet,
        Nesher,
        Israel, 36731

    e-mail:

        victor@topaz.technion.ac.il


     I will be thankful for any comments and bug reports.
