Fossil Forum
Post: Timeline mouse usage to compare 2 files out of any 1 or 2 check-in/s
My use case:
In many of my check-ins on many of different (but similar) branches I use the same filename (or a different one).
I use the timeline and check the box "Files", so I can identify the check-ins where the two files to compare are in.
My wish:
Each of the files are identified with a Dot symbol in front of the filepath and filename ...
I would like to check two dots with the mouse to open a file comparison of the two ... like is possible with the square boxes in the branch-check-ins to compare two checkins.
(The checkin-comparison compares all contained files ... much more than what I need.)
I also would like to compare two files of two checkins which have even different file names by just using the mouse in this way.
And if this feature would become enabled maybe also two files out of a single checkin could be compared with each other (useful for similar configuration files of just different names).
My Question:
Is there an easy way to do what I am looking for? Or do I have to search first for the file hashes and then to edit the URL in the browser line ?
Additional info:
Fossil version 2.27 [99675884a9] 2025-09-30 is what I am currently using. The repository's age is already 11 years and 5 months (without any problem).
Compression rate: 47:10 and repository size of 34 MB. Last rebuilt 2020-07-08 with Fossil 2.12 [ea4010d58a] as of 2020-07-02
Reply: Timeline mouse usage to compare 2 files out of any 1 or 2 check-in/s
Is there an easy way to do what I am looking for?
To the very best of my fallible recollection, there currently is not.
Or do I have to search first for the file hashes and then to edit the URL in the browser line ?
Right.
It might make sense to have a new diff view which takes any two arbitrary hashes and performs a diff of those. The results would of course be senseless when comparing a file to a wiki page or a checkin record, but garbage in, garbage out. Edit: with that in place, adding buttons to select files in the timeline would be the next step.
Before cluttering the UI with such many buttons for such a special case, I recommend checking if there's any possible adaptations to the OPs work-flows that are already available:
- Reevaluate file naming conventions
- Make use of the /finfo web UI page and/or the
finfocommand - Make use of
fossil xdiff --browserto view diffs of arbitrary files in the browser, maybe assisted by some custom script to select the files - ...
The hint about /finfo is not bad ... as long as the path/filename is the same in all branches the comparison seems to be possible by square boxes.
But for different filenames I have to learn how to use it - if possible.
About "too many links cluttering the view" could be avoided by one general checkbox in the Advanced section: with or without additional links... just like Unhide and Files boxes and only visible when the Files checkbox is checked (otherwise it does not make sense).
- ...
- Maybe you could work with two (or more) parallel check-outs, with some custom file picker scripts to select files for diffs.
- Or you could adjust your project structure to be more SCM-friendly, i.e. make sure commits become the relevant/interesting units for comparison, etc.
I fear the cluttering and bending down of the Fossil UI for yet another exotic special case.