Comparison plugin (convenient/soft diff usage)

[BlackCatDevel0per]

• I'm the package's author and/or maintainer.
• I have have read the docs.
• I have tagged a release with a semver version number.
• My package repo has a description and a README describing what it's for and how to use it.
• My package doesn't add context menu entries. * (Can hide from settings)
• My package doesn't add key bindings. **
• Any commands are available via the command palette.
• Preferences and keybindings (if any) are listed in the menu and the command palette, and open in split view.
• If my package is a syntax it doesn't also add a color scheme. ***
• If my package is a syntax it is named after the language it supports (without suffixes like "syntax" or "highlighting").
• I use .gitattributes to exclude files from the package: images, test files, sublime-project/workspace.

My package is a fork of the existing "Compare Side-By-Side" package for convenient file comparison using diff, but fixing a bug with themes and color schemes for new versions of sublime text 4+ and showing tabs in new group types. I also refactored the code a bit and changed the python version to 3.8 and plan to further develop and improve the plugin (it's just that the author rarely updates it, and I often come across a comparison of different code, and similar plugins are poorly ported or they have poor support for new versions of sublime text above 3)

There are no packages like it in Package Control.

My package is similar to Compare Side-By-Side However it should still be added because the author rarely updates it and still doesn't have proper st4+ support

[deathaxe]

Did you try to contribute to the original plugin or ask for overtaking maintenance?

Authors may abandon their plugins for various reasons. So tranfering ownership or maintenance is not too uncommon.

If the original author does not respond, it would also be possible to replace the repository by another one.

Side-By-Side compare is a rather popular package, thus adding another one may not be sufficient fix for most users, despite having forked packages not being desireable - just to ship some fixes.

[packagecontrol-bot]

Automated testing result: SUCCESS

Repo link: Cat Compare

Packages added:
  - Cat Compare

Processing package "Cat Compare"
  - All checks passed

[BlackCatDevel0per]

Did you try to contribute to the original plugin or ask for overtaking maintenance?

Authors may abandon their plugins for various reasons. So tranfering ownership or maintenance is not too uncommon.

If the original author does not respond, it would also be possible to replace the repository by another one.

Side-By-Side compare is a rather popular package, thus adding another one may not be sufficient fix for most users, despite having forked packages not being desireable - just to ship some fixes.

Hi, I have not personally tried to contribute to the Bitbucket repository, but others have tried and they still waiting for a response. It seems that the author doesn't review these pull requests and doesn't merge changes from them.

I think that the author may not be able to develop this plugin at a faster pace or devote more time to it than now. However, there are many people who are eager for an easy way to compare code in the new st4, including myself. I'm willing to refactor this plugin and improve it from its previous state.

Current plugins rely on separate third-party software, which can sometimes be cumbersome and complex. Therefore, I think it would be beneficial to create a simple and fast version for st4. The current plugin requires not only improvements and bug fixes, but additional features to improve its performance and user experience.

I do not want to simply copy the plugin and make a few fixes, I want to specifically rewrite it and make it better both in terms of code and for the end user.

[deathaxe]

We just want to avoid having more or less duplicated packages with nearly the same functionality.

Overtaking maintenance of an existing package (with agreement of the original author) doesn't mean to be limited to some fixes nor does it rule out any functional or structureal improvements.

It is also ok to move a repository to another location (repo or hoster).

It just should keep its original name, so all users already using it (and not being aware of new ones) can benefit from new changes and ongoing development. Otherwise your plugin is likely to be ignored by majority of users as Side-by-Side Compare is more popluar and more descriptive name or it creates confusion about which one to use.

The major point (and desired way) would be to:

1. ask original author, whether it's ok to overtake the package, if he or she is no longer interested in it.
2. if BitBucket is not yours, rename your repo/package to Side-by-Side-Compare and replace existing package link in your repo.

So development of Side-By-Side compare just goes on with another maintainer and repo, but without breaking users experiences.

[BlackCatDevel0per]

The major point (and desired way) would be to:

1. ask original author, whether it's ok to overtake the package, if he or she is no longer interested in it.

So development of Side-By-Side compare just goes on with another maintainer and repo, but without breaking users experiences.

Okay, I'll discuss this with the author, but I don't think I can get a response from the developer quickly..
If I make my new plugin from scratch, but with the same basic task (comparing files with diff as in Side-By-Side), will it be added to the repository?

It's just that in this case it will be possible to avoid duplicating an existing plugin and, as I originally wanted, I can write a plugin for comparing text files based on diff

[braver]

It's ok if you reimplement the package. The main thing is that for users it should be transparent. Especially for a popular package like this, users will expect the package to provide a certain functionality and you need to be careful around breakage of any of that. Being just "similar" is not enough here, it should basically be a drop-in replacement, or a clear improvement, ie. "major release".

If you don't get any response from the current maintainer (we usually "time out" after 2 weeks), feel free to move forward with a fork.

[braver]

We just merged a drop in replacement. I believe your intention is to do some more development and make changes to the package. You can now either contribute to the new comparison package, or we simply add your package as an alternative option.