For an introduction to the Automation API, please see the Introduction to the Automation API.
Objects
The Automation API exposes a number of different objects. These are described in the table below.
| Object | Description |
|---|---|
| Merge.Application | Main application object. Other objects are accessed through this. |
| TextComparison | Represents a text file comparison window. |
| BinaryComparison | Represents a binary file comparison window. |
| ImageComparison | Represents a image file comparison window. |
| FolderComparison | Represents a folder comparison window. |
| Preferences | Provides access to the three Merge preferences objects, LongPreferences, DoublePreferences and StringPreferences. |
| LongPreferences | Provides access to Merge preferences that are represented by long integers. |
| DoublePreferences | Provides access to Merge preferences that are represented by doubles. |
| StringPreferences | Provides access to Merge preferences that are represented by strings. |
| ThreeWayMergeActions | Represents a collection of actions required to perform a manual three-way merge into a common ancestor file. |
| ThreeWayMergeAction | Represents a three-way merging action. |
| Filters | Represents a collection of file/folder filters. |
| Filter | Represents a file/folder filter. |
| FilterPattern | Represents a pattern for use in a file/folder filter. |
| Encodings | Represents a collection of encodings. |
| Encoding | Represents a character encoding, used to open and save files. |
Enumerations
| Enumeration | Description |
|---|---|
| ChangeStyle | Defines the various types of changes that can occur between two files. |
| ConfigDouble | Defines constants for the various preferences made available by the DoublePreferences Object. |
| ConfigLong | Defines constants for the various preferences made available by the LongPreferences Object. |
| ConfigString | Defines constants for the various preferences made available by the StringPreferences Object. |
| FileComparisonError | Defines the possible causes of errors when comparing files. |
| FileComparisonResult | Defines the possible outcomes of a file comparison. |
| FileType | Defines constants for types of file system item. |
| FileViewType | Defines constants for the various possible layouts of the file comparison window. |
| FolderComparisonResult | Defines constants for the various possible results of a folder comparison. |
| FolderComparisonThoroughness | Defines constants for file comparison thoroughness in folder comparisons. |
| FolderFileType | Defines constants for the various possible types of files in the results of a folder comparison. |
| LineEndingStyle | Defines constants for line ending styles |
| PageOrientation | Defines constants for printer page orientations. |
| Whitespace | Defines constants for whitespace significance in file comparisons. |
| ThreeWayMergeActionType | Defines constants for three-way merging actions. |
| FolderSortOrder | Defines constants for creating a custom sort order for folder comparison windows. |
| PatternFilter | Defines constants for the type (include/exclude) of a file/folder filter pattern. |
| PatternMatch | Defines constants for the type of item (files and/or folders) matched by a filter pattern. |
Virtual File System interfaces
The Automation API contains a number of interfaces that can be implemented by plugin components to add support for additional file systems to Merge. Examples of plugin file systems include the Win32 file system, SCM repository file systems, and potentially HTTP and FTP file systems. Please see the IFileSystem Interface topic for more information.
| Interface | Description |
|---|---|
| IContinueOperation | Implemented by Merge to enable lengthy operations to be cancelled by the user. |
| IFile | Implemented by components that represent a file within the file system. |
| IFileStream | Implemented by components that represent a stream of data within the file system. |
| IFileSystem | Implemented by components that provide a file system to Merge. |
| IFileSystemInit | Implemented by components that provide a file system to Merge. |
| IFileSystemItem | Implemented by components that represent a file or folder within the file system. |
| IFileSystemItemIcon | Implemented by components that represent a file or folder within the file system. |
| IFileSystemItemVersionInformation | Implemented by components that represent a file or folder within the file system. |
| IFileSystemItemComparableUrl | Implemented by components that represent a file or folder within the file system. |
| IFolder | Implemented by components that represent a folder within the file system. |
| IFolderContents | Implemented by components that represent the contents of a folder within the file system. |
| IHost | Implemented by Merge to provide services to plugin components. |
| IHostConfig | Implemented by Merge to provide configuration-storage services to plugin components. |
| IHostUI | Implemented by Merge to provide user-interface services to plugin components. |
| IUrlCollection | Implemented by components that represent a collection of URLs. |
Virtual File System enumerations
| Enumeration | Description |
|---|---|
| Capability | Defines constants for file system capabilities. |
| CapabilityLevel | Defines constants for levels of file system capability implementation quality. |