Re: patch to diff manpage - clarify "-x"

[Paul Eggert]

> From: Stepan Kasal <address@hidden>
> Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2002 08:27:33 +0200

> -Exclude files that match PAT.
> +When comparing directories, ignore files matching PAT.
> 
> -Exclude files that match any pattern in FILE.
> +Likewise, patterns are read from FILE.
> +Likewise, patterns are taken from FILE.

Sorry, I don't like that wording, since it loses the idea that a file
name is excluded if it matches _any_ pattern taken from FILE.

On further thought, I'm not sure that it's necessary to mention
directories at all.  in this context.  That block of help looks like
the following:

  -r  --recursive  Recursively compare any subdirectories found.
  -N  --new-file  Treat absent files as empty.
  --unidirectional-new-file  Treat absent first files as empty.
  -s  --report-identical-files  Report when two files are the same.
  -x PAT  --exclude=PAT  Exclude files that match PAT.
  -X FILE  --exclude-from=FILE  Exclude files that match any pattern in FILE.
  -S FILE  --starting-file=FILE  Start with FILE when comparing directories.
  --from-file=FILE1  Compare FILE1 to all operands.  FILE1 can be a directory.
  --to-file=FILE2  Compare all operands to FILE2.  FILE2 can be a directory.

and all the options here relate to recursive comparison, one way or
another.  So the context is directories already, to some extent.

Also, the diff --help output is already way too long.  I had been
thinking of shortening it, not lengthening it.