Semantic diff and automerge

One or more computer readable storage devices comprising computer executable instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause one or more processors to perform the following:

• for a structured data file which has both a generic structure and dialects built on top of the generic structure, for which conflicting changes have been made, and where an original version of the structured data, a first version of the structured data and a second version of the structured data exist, determining a dialect of the structured data, the determined dialect imposing semantic rules for determining differences in the structured data;
• and
• based on the determined dialect,
• performing a two-way diff comprising:
• determining a set of differences, diff1, between the original version of the structured data and the first version of the structured data,
• determining a second set of differences, diff2, between the original version of the structured data and the second version of the structured data, and
• performing a three-way diff comprising:
• traversing diff1 to:
• determine changes in diff1 which do not conflict with changes in diff2, and
• determine changes in diff1 which do conflict with changes in diff2, and
• traversing diff2 to:
• determine changes in diff2 which do not conflict with changes in diff1, and
• determine changes in diff2 which do conflict with changes in diff1;
• and
• performing a merge by:
• applying to the original version of the structured data non-conflicting changes in the differences between the original version and the first version and differences between the original version and the second version and
• resolving conflicts between the differences between the original version and the first version and differences between the original version and the second version.

In a computing environment, a system for resolving conflicting changes to structured data files, the system comprising:

• one or more computer processors;
• and
• computer readable memory having stored therein computer executable instructions which, when executed on the one or more processors, configures the system to instantiate:
• a file repository configured to store a latest version of a structured text data file and to check the latest version of the structured text data file out to users, wherein the latest version of the structured text data file is an authoritative version of the structured text data file;
• and
• a rules engine configured to:
• determine a dialect for the structured data file which has both a generic structure and a dialect built on top of the generic structure, the determined dialect imposing semantic rules for determining differences in the structured data;
• select a rules file from among a plurality of rules files for the determined dialect;
• and
• based on the determined dialect, performing at least one of merge or diff operations on an original version of the structured text data, the latest version of the structured text data, and a workspace version of the structured text data using the rules file, performing at least one of merge or diff comprising:
• determining a set of differences, diff1, between the original version of the structured data and the latest version of the structured data,
• determining a second set of differences, diff2, between the original version of the structured data and the workspace version of the structured data, and
• determining conflicts between the determined differences between the original version of the structured data and the latest version of the structured data and the determined differences between the original version of the structured data and the workspace version of the structured data by at least:
• traversing diff1 to:
• determine changes in diff1 which do not conflict with changes in diff2, and
• determine changes in diff1 which do conflict with changes in diff2, and
• traversing diff2 to:
• determine changes in diff2 which do not conflict with changes in diff1, and
• determine changes in diff2 which do conflict with changes in diff1.