How to make svn diff produce file that patch would apply, when svn cp or svn mv was used?

Question

The scenario is:

1. svn cp or mv some file
2. modify that file
3. svn diff > mypatch

On other machine (same working copy, but no changes):

4. Try to apply mypatch.
5. Fail -> tries to modify unexistant file.

How can I make svn diff produce patch-appliable patch, or cleanly apply patch produced by svn diff in this case? I can't commit. I would like to preserve mergeinfo (because the obvious workaround is to add the file as totally new, without connection to the previous one).

Answer 1

With subversion, you can specify which diff binary to use, and parameters to pass to it. See the manual on svn diff.

You'd want to produce a regular patch file from a svn diff, so you'd want the svn diff to look like a normal diff. Try this:

svn diff --diff-cmd /usr/bin/diff -x "-i -b" > mypatch
...
patch -p0 < mypatch

Proof of concept:

echo "newline" >> README.txt
svn diff --diff-cmd /usr/bin/diff -x "-i -b" > mypatch
cp README.txt README.txt.patched
svn revert README.txt
patch -p0 < mypatch
diff README.txt README.txt.patched

No difference in the two files after patching.