NAME

       git-annex-diffdriver - git diff driver

SYNOPSIS

       git annex diffdriver [--get,--text] [-- --diffopts --]

       git annex diffdriver -- cmd --cmdopts --

DESCRIPTION

       Normally,  git  diff  when  run  on  annexed  files displays the changes that are staged in git, eg annex
       symlinks and pointers. This command allows git diff to diff the content of annexed files instead.

       This command can be used either as a simple text differ, or as a shim that  runs  an  external  git  diff
       driver.

       If  some  of  your  annexed  files  are textual in form, and can be usefully diffed with diff(1), you can
       configure git to use this command to diff  them,  by  configuring  .gitattributes  to  contain  eg  *.txt
       diff=annextextdiff and setting git config diff.annextextdiff.command "git annex diffdriver --text".

       If your annexed files are not textual in form, you will need an external diff driver program that is able
       to  diff the file format(s) you use.  See git's documentation of GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF and gitattributes(5)'s
       documentation of external diff drivers.

       Normally, when using git diff with an external diff driver, it will  not  see  the  contents  of  annexed
       files,  since  git  passes  to  it the git-annex symlinks or pointer files. This command works around the
       problem, by running the real external diff driver, and passing it  the  paths  to  the  annexed  content.
       Configure  git  to  use "git-annex diffdriver -- cmd params --" as the external diff driver, where cmd is
       the external diff driver you want it to run, and params are any extra parameters to pass to it. Note  the
       trailing "--", which is required.

       For  example,  to  use the j-c-diff program as the external diff driver, set GIT_EXTERNAL_DIFF="git-annex
       diffdriver -- j-c-diff --"

OPTIONS

       To get the contents of annexed files from remotes when they  are  not  already  present,  use  the  --get
       option. The file contents will remain in the repository for later use until dropped in the usual ways.

       To  diff  text  files with diff(1), use the --text option.  To pass additional options to diff(1), use eg
       "--text -- --color --"

       To use an external diff driver command, the options must start with "--"  followed  by  the  diff  driver
       command, its options, and another "--"

       Also the git-annex-common-options(1) can be used.

SEE ALSO

       git-annex(1)

AUTHOR

       Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>

                                                                                         git-annex-diffdriver(1)