[Dubious]

LemmyM:

Re: "save differences" option. The purpose of the comparison is to see the differences. Once a choice is made as to which one to "keep", repeated as necessary for all the components which are different, the desired end result is a single file containing all the unchanged components and the selected components with "differences" from either file. Compare, select, merge. Save it with a different extension such as ".new" so we can switch back to or compare with the old Version if needed. A more desireable variation would allow selection down to the specific parameter within the component, so only the selected parameter would replace the same parameter (or add or delete it depending upon the choice) to the component in the OTHER file.

Re: why would you want such a file. Such a file is exactly the desired goal, and you are overlooking the fact that normally someone already has a functioning set of files which already incorporate the necessary "additions" in the related files (that is: a mod). What they are typically needing to do is include the changes introduced in the patches, or more precisely to examine and selectively include those changes.

More elaborately, and I acknowledge a much more daunting task, is to be able to merge two or more different MODS together. That would definately require examining each parameter and determining if it required an element from a related file, and then checking within that file to see the element existed and if not to perform a similar comparison of that file. (This might be simpler if performed only after the differences had been identified, as only they would require this checking only if the parameters which differed had such a relationship.) But we get ahead of ourselves. That is for much further down the road (if ever).

(BTW: I like your signature line. I've shot lines like that.)

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"All sources are dubious until their reliabilty has been repeatedly proven. Even then their information should be independently verified." - The unwritten "spooks handbook"