8.3 Generating the Merged Output Directly

With the `-m' or `--merge' option, diff3 outputs the merged file directly. This is more efficient than using ed to generate it, and works even with non-text files that ed would reject. If you specify `-m' without an ed script option, `-A' (`--show-all') is assumed.

For example, the command `diff3 -m lao tzu tao' (see section 7.1 A Third Sample Input File for a copy of the input files) would output the following:

<<<<<<< tzu ======= The Way that can be told of is not the eternal Way; The name that can be named is not the eternal name. >>>>>>> tao The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; The Named is the mother of all things. Therefore let there always be non-being, so we may see their subtlety, And let there always be being, so we may see their result. The two are the same, But after they are produced, they have different names. <<<<<<< lao ||||||| tzu They both may be called deep and profound. Deeper and more profound, The door of all subtleties! ======= -- The Way of Lao-Tzu, tr. Wing-tsit Chan >>>>>>> tao