Ignore new line between PHP tags

[John Alan]

Hi,

I've installed the PHP file type config which is getting me half-way to where I want. Example differences I wan to ignore are: -

<?php
/*================ Software Name ================
  = (c)2003-2017 My Co. Ltd.                    =
  = All Rights Reserved                         =
  = Redistribution of this file is prohibited.  =
  = http://www.mysite.com/                      =
  ==============================================*/
?><?php

vs

<?php
/*================ Software Name ================
  = (c)2003-2018 My Co. Ltd.                    =
  = All Rights Reserved                         =
  = Redistribution of this file is prohibited.  =
  = http://www.mysite.com/                      =
  ==============================================*/
?>
<?php

The year difference in the comments is ignored, but note the new line between the closing PHP tag and the opening PHP tag - I'd like this to be ignored as well. If all there is is whitespace and / or new lines between these, they can be safely ignored as well.

How do I add that to the file type settings?

Also - how do I automatically check the contents when opening folders for comparison? I get the quick check results, but I'd rather get a full rules based comparison by default.

Thanks in advance!

[Aaron]

Hello,

The quick answer is to use HTML Tidied additional file format to reformat the files with normalized whitespace, which you can download here:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/downl..._moreformatsv4

Line breaks (or resorted lines) are always considered different, but the external conversion can reformat the files. Please note, any Save would save in the new format with the new line breaks. If this cannot be allowed, please also edit the File Format to prevent editing under the Tools menu -> File Formats, select format, Conversion tab, and in the Loading section enable "Disable editing".

The file format can use any conversion utility, documentation and example here:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo...rnalconversion

To automatically apply this scan when loading folders, edit that folder's Session Settings (or the global defaults for all future Folder Compare sessions) to enable Rules-based comparison. In the Folder Compare's Session menu -> Session Settings, Comparison tab, leave the defaults enabled (timestamp, size, override) and also enable Content Compare: Rules-based.
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo...ferentthensame

[John Alan]

Thanks for the answers.

I often edit these files and save one of them, so disabling editing wouldn't be good, but I'm afraid I wouldn't 100% trust the conversion utility to keep things correct.

Is there no way to simply treat: -

?><?php

and

?>
<?php

as a minor difference? It's always this, not any and all line breaks, that I want to treat as minor. For some reason the author of the software I'm comparing decided at some point to insert the line break, and it's making comparison a nightmare.

[Aaron]

I'm afraid not; the line break is always important. You can have both File Formats installed, and in the Tools menu -> File Formats dialog, move the new HTML Tidied to be lower in the list than the default HTML format. This way, HTML is used by default (being the topmost associated with your files), and then you can manually pick the conversion utility when needed to compare, and switch back for edits.

Note that switching formats can be done per pane (clicking the Format's name in the Left or Right upper status bars) or for both pane's (clicking the dropdown arrow next to the Format button in the top toolbar).

[John Alan]

Thanks Aaron. I'll try what you suggest, I do appreciate your help but in practice it is a bit of a convoluted work-around.

I see from some fairly old posts that adding the option to treat line breaks as minor has been planned for some time - has that idea now been shelved?

[Aaron]

Hello,

Not shelved, but a very large project with various hurdles that are difficult to solve. I'll add your notes/example to the wishlist entry on the subject. In the meantime, if you can find a trustworthy utility (or test HTML Tidy for comfort), normalizing the whitespace/line breaks between files is the best solution for the comparison.