History diff opens in modal window - Bug? Feature request?

[tim_k]

When a history diff is run, either from the backup history or from a source control history, the diff window is modal. This is bad (imho).
My use case (verilog, vhdl, systemVerilog): I have a file (File A) that creates a component that is instantiated in another file (file B). The component file (A) has changed, and I need to incorporate the changes into the instantiating file (B). What I would like to do is diff the current version of file A against its previous version, and with the diff window open make edits in File B that reflect the changes. Because the history diff window is modal, I can't get to the editor to make changes.

Can you make that window normal (like a regular diff), and not modal? It seems like it should work just like any other file diff.

-Tim

[Dan]

This is on the to do list, but won't make this version.

You can make changes in the backup history.

My fear was that the file in memory would get changed "underneath", but I need to find a way to get this to work.

[tim_k]

Not sure what you mean by "You can make changes in the backup history" - If I diff from the backup history (view file in history diff) I can't make changes in any editor window. I can make changes within the diff window itself, but that's not what I want to do.

It seems like you could handle it the same way as when diffing a current buffer against another file - the current buffer is locked out of editing while the diff is open. You can change other buffers, but not the one currently being diff'd. Within the diff window, you can make changes to the buffer.

-Tim