patchfile

[Peter Arremann]

On Friday 31 December 2004 00:01, Globe Trotter wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am wondering how does one go about reading a patchfile? I guess figuring
> this out is crucial to writing one so I decided to start there....
>
> --- temp.org date and time
> +++ temp  date and time
> @@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
> ......blah-blah....
>
> I understand the first two lines, bit what do the
>
> -1.3 +1,4 mean?
>
> Or this one?
>
> @@ -47,11 +54,80 @@
> ....
> ....
>
> Thanks and best wishes!

This should answer your question about the file format

http://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/manual/html_node/Unified-Format.html

but you don't really write patch files - you create them with diff (see man 
diff, especially the -u option).

Peter