Tracking changes with change flags

The editor can insert change flags in specified areas of lines that you change in an edit session.

About this task

While editing a file, you can enable change flags. When you first open a file in the editor, change flags are disabled. After you enable them and set the flagging options, the editor inserts a flag into the area configured for change flags. The editor includes several menu options for controlling change flags during an edit session. When you close the file's edit session, these options are reset to their initial state.

For more information about configuring change flags, see the related topics.

Procedure

  • To enable change flags, right-click in the editor and click Start Flagging Changed Lines.
    The Change Flag Insertion window opens. Use this window to set a 3-to-8-character change flag and to choose a language profile. For more information, see Start flagging changed lines.
  • To disable change flags, right-click in the editor and click Change Flag > Stop Flagging Changed Lines.
  • When flagging is enabled, you can choose these actions from the Change Flag menu:
    • Change Base Flag or Profile: Specify a different change flag or choose a different language profile. This menu item opens the Change Flag Insertion window. For more information, see Modifying the base autocomment.
    • Insert Flag on Current Line or Ctrl+Shift+I: Place a change flag on the line where the cursor is. For more information, see Forcing autocomment insertion.
    • Remove Flag from Current Line or Ctrl+Shift+C: Remove the change flag from the line where the cursor is. For more information, see Removing autocomments from changed lines.
    • Force Flag on Last Line Changed: Add a flag to the last line that you changed. For more information, see Forcing autocomment insertion.
    • Start or Stop Displaying Information Messages: Enable or disable information messages that explain why changed lines are not flagged. In the Preferences window, you can define conditions under which changes are flagged, for example, by disabling flags on blank lines. If you add a blank line when flagging blank lines is disabled, the editor displays the message Line ## is Blank. No Autocomment Placed..
      Note: Although the COBOL and PL/I Editors provide this menu item, it has no effect because these editors do not contain an information area.