---
name: "fixcvsdiff"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "patchutils"
version: "0.4.5-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fixcvsdiff"
---

# fixcvsdiff(1)

fix problematic diff files

## NAME

fixcvsdiff - fix problematic diff files

## SYNOPSIS

**fixcvsdiff** \[-p\] \[-b\] \[*file*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

fixcvsdiff modifies diff files created from the **cvs diff** command, where files have been added or removed. CVS tends to create diff files that [**patch**(1)](/patch/1.md) mis-interprets. The diff file must retain the lines beginning with “Index:” in order for the correction to work.

## OPTIONS

- **-b**

  Keep a .bak backup file.

- **-p**

  Print out the **cvs add** and **cvs remove** commands that must be made after applying the diff, but before running **cvs commit**.

## SEE ALSO

[**diff**(1)](/diff/1.md), [**patch**(1)](/patch/1.md), [**cvs**(1)](/cvs/1.md)

## AUTHORS

**Tim Waugh** \<twaugh@redhat.com\>

Package maintainer

**Amir Karger** \<karger@post.harvard.edu\>

Author of the original perl script and man page

**John Levon** \<moz@compsoc.man.ac.uk\>

Author of the original perl script and man page