Git diff: show ONLY changes not matching a pattern





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1















Is it possible to tell git diff to assume lines staring with some pattern as unchanged?



For example, consider the following:



$ git diff -U0
diff --git a/file_a.txt b/file_a.txt
index 26ed843..4071ff8 100644
--- a/file_a.txt
+++ b/file_a.txt
@@ -24 +24 @@
- * unimportant foo
+ * unimportant bar
diff --git a/file_b.txt b/file_b.txt
index c6d051e..4b3cf22 100644
--- a/file_b.txt
+++ b/file_b.txt
@@ -24 +24 @@
- * unimportant foo
+ * unimportant bar
@@ -48,0 +49 @@
+ this is important
@@ -56,0 +58 @@
+ this is also important


Lines starting with an asterisk (regex pattern "^[[:space:]]**.*") are not important and I would like to filter files that contain changes in such lines only from the output of git diff. In the example above, the output should report file_b.txt changes only. Is it possible?










share|improve this question





























    1















    Is it possible to tell git diff to assume lines staring with some pattern as unchanged?



    For example, consider the following:



    $ git diff -U0
    diff --git a/file_a.txt b/file_a.txt
    index 26ed843..4071ff8 100644
    --- a/file_a.txt
    +++ b/file_a.txt
    @@ -24 +24 @@
    - * unimportant foo
    + * unimportant bar
    diff --git a/file_b.txt b/file_b.txt
    index c6d051e..4b3cf22 100644
    --- a/file_b.txt
    +++ b/file_b.txt
    @@ -24 +24 @@
    - * unimportant foo
    + * unimportant bar
    @@ -48,0 +49 @@
    + this is important
    @@ -56,0 +58 @@
    + this is also important


    Lines starting with an asterisk (regex pattern "^[[:space:]]**.*") are not important and I would like to filter files that contain changes in such lines only from the output of git diff. In the example above, the output should report file_b.txt changes only. Is it possible?










    share|improve this question

























      1












      1








      1








      Is it possible to tell git diff to assume lines staring with some pattern as unchanged?



      For example, consider the following:



      $ git diff -U0
      diff --git a/file_a.txt b/file_a.txt
      index 26ed843..4071ff8 100644
      --- a/file_a.txt
      +++ b/file_a.txt
      @@ -24 +24 @@
      - * unimportant foo
      + * unimportant bar
      diff --git a/file_b.txt b/file_b.txt
      index c6d051e..4b3cf22 100644
      --- a/file_b.txt
      +++ b/file_b.txt
      @@ -24 +24 @@
      - * unimportant foo
      + * unimportant bar
      @@ -48,0 +49 @@
      + this is important
      @@ -56,0 +58 @@
      + this is also important


      Lines starting with an asterisk (regex pattern "^[[:space:]]**.*") are not important and I would like to filter files that contain changes in such lines only from the output of git diff. In the example above, the output should report file_b.txt changes only. Is it possible?










      share|improve this question














      Is it possible to tell git diff to assume lines staring with some pattern as unchanged?



      For example, consider the following:



      $ git diff -U0
      diff --git a/file_a.txt b/file_a.txt
      index 26ed843..4071ff8 100644
      --- a/file_a.txt
      +++ b/file_a.txt
      @@ -24 +24 @@
      - * unimportant foo
      + * unimportant bar
      diff --git a/file_b.txt b/file_b.txt
      index c6d051e..4b3cf22 100644
      --- a/file_b.txt
      +++ b/file_b.txt
      @@ -24 +24 @@
      - * unimportant foo
      + * unimportant bar
      @@ -48,0 +49 @@
      + this is important
      @@ -56,0 +58 @@
      + this is also important


      Lines starting with an asterisk (regex pattern "^[[:space:]]**.*") are not important and I would like to filter files that contain changes in such lines only from the output of git diff. In the example above, the output should report file_b.txt changes only. Is it possible?







      regex git git-diff






      share|improve this question













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      share|improve this question










      asked Nov 23 '18 at 16:31









      sergejsergej

      10.1k42460




      10.1k42460
























          1 Answer
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          active

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          4














          It's possible with the git diff -G flag and making inverting the regexp to match lines that the first character that is not space is neither a * nor space.



          -G '^[[:space:]]*[^[:space:]*]'


          Not very efficient because will backtrack but seems negative lookahead '^(?!s**)', possessive quantifier '^s*+[^*]' or atomic groups '^(?>s*)[^*]' are not supported.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 1





            This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

            – Mark Adelsberger
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:06











          • Thanks, that seems to work.

            – sergej
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:11












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          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes








          1 Answer
          1






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          4














          It's possible with the git diff -G flag and making inverting the regexp to match lines that the first character that is not space is neither a * nor space.



          -G '^[[:space:]]*[^[:space:]*]'


          Not very efficient because will backtrack but seems negative lookahead '^(?!s**)', possessive quantifier '^s*+[^*]' or atomic groups '^(?>s*)[^*]' are not supported.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 1





            This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

            – Mark Adelsberger
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:06











          • Thanks, that seems to work.

            – sergej
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:11
















          4














          It's possible with the git diff -G flag and making inverting the regexp to match lines that the first character that is not space is neither a * nor space.



          -G '^[[:space:]]*[^[:space:]*]'


          Not very efficient because will backtrack but seems negative lookahead '^(?!s**)', possessive quantifier '^s*+[^*]' or atomic groups '^(?>s*)[^*]' are not supported.






          share|improve this answer





















          • 1





            This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

            – Mark Adelsberger
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:06











          • Thanks, that seems to work.

            – sergej
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:11














          4












          4








          4







          It's possible with the git diff -G flag and making inverting the regexp to match lines that the first character that is not space is neither a * nor space.



          -G '^[[:space:]]*[^[:space:]*]'


          Not very efficient because will backtrack but seems negative lookahead '^(?!s**)', possessive quantifier '^s*+[^*]' or atomic groups '^(?>s*)[^*]' are not supported.






          share|improve this answer















          It's possible with the git diff -G flag and making inverting the regexp to match lines that the first character that is not space is neither a * nor space.



          -G '^[[:space:]]*[^[:space:]*]'


          Not very efficient because will backtrack but seems negative lookahead '^(?!s**)', possessive quantifier '^s*+[^*]' or atomic groups '^(?>s*)[^*]' are not supported.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited Nov 24 '18 at 7:58









          CodeWizard

          55.9k1271100




          55.9k1271100










          answered Nov 23 '18 at 16:57









          Nahuel FouilleulNahuel Fouilleul

          14.7k11727




          14.7k11727








          • 1





            This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

            – Mark Adelsberger
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:06











          • Thanks, that seems to work.

            – sergej
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:11














          • 1





            This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

            – Mark Adelsberger
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:06











          • Thanks, that seems to work.

            – sergej
            Nov 23 '18 at 17:11








          1




          1





          This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

          – Mark Adelsberger
          Nov 23 '18 at 17:06





          This may be about the best approach there is, but be aware of its limitations. The grep applies to the difference rather than the line, so unimportant changes adjacent to important changes will not (generally) be filtered out.

          – Mark Adelsberger
          Nov 23 '18 at 17:06













          Thanks, that seems to work.

          – sergej
          Nov 23 '18 at 17:11





          Thanks, that seems to work.

          – sergej
          Nov 23 '18 at 17:11




















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