Detailed Description

Merge functionality.

NOTE: this functionality is available in IDA Teams (not IDA Pro)
There are 3 databases involved in merging: base_idb, local_db, and remote_idb.
* base_idb: the common base ancestor of 'local_db' and 'remote_db'. in the UI this database is located in the middle.
* local_idb: local database that will contain the result of the merging. in the UI this database is located on the left.
* remote_idb: remote database that will merge into local_idb. It may reside locally on the current computer, despite its name. in the UI this database is located on the right. base_idb and remote_idb are opened for reading only. base_idb may be absent, in this case a 2-way merging is performed.

Conflicts can be resolved automatically or interactively. The automatic resolving scores the conflicting blocks and takes the better one. The interactive resolving displays the full rendered contents side by side, and expects the user to select the better side for each conflict.
Since IDB files contain various kinds of information, there are many merging phases. The entire list can be found in merge.cpp. Below are just some selected examples:
* merge global database settings (inf and other global vars)
* merge segmentation and changes to the database bytes
* merge various lists: exports, imports, loaded tils, etc
* merge names, functions, function frames
* merge debugger settings, breakpoints
* merge struct/enum views
* merge local type libraries
* merge the disassembly items (i.e. the segment contents) this includes operand types, code/data separation, etc
* merge plugin specific info like decompiler types, dwarf mappings, etc

To unify UI elements of each merge phase, we use merger views:
* A view that consists of 2 or 3 panes: left (local_idb) and right (remote_idb). The common base is in the middle, if present.
* Rendering of the panes depends on the phase, different phases show different contents.
* The conflicts are highlighted by a colored background. Also, the detail pane can be consulted for additional info.
* The user can select a conflict (or a bunch of conflicts) and say "use this block".
* The user can browse the panes as he wishes. He will not be forced to handle conflicts in any particular order. However, once he finishes working with a merge handler and proceeds to the next one, he cannot go back.
* Scrolling the left pane will synchronously scroll the right pane and vice versa.
* There are the navigation commands like "go to the prev/next conflict"
* The number of remaining conflicts to resolve is printed in the "Progress" chooser.
* The user may manually modify local database inside the merger view. For that he may use the regular hotkeys. However, editing the database may lead to new conflicts, so we better restrict the available actions to some reasonable minimum. Currently, this is not implemented.

IDA works in a new "merge" mode during merging. In this mode most events are not generated. We forbid them to reduce the risk that a rogue third-party plugin that is not aware of the "merge" mode would spoil something.
For example, normally renaming a function causes a cascade of events and may lead to other database modifications. Some of them may be desired, some - not. Since there are some undesired events, it is better to stop generating them. However, some events are required to render the disassembly listing. For example, ev_ana_insn, av_out_insn. This is why some events are still generated in the "merge" mode.
To let processor modules and plugins merge their data, we introduce a new event: ev_create_merge_handlers. It is generated immediately after opening all three idbs. The interested modules should react to this event by creating new merge handlers, if they need them.
While the kernel can create arbitrary merge handlers, modules can create only the standard ones returned by:
create_nodeval_merge_handler() create_nodeval_merge_handlers() create_std_modmerge_handlers()
We do not document merge_handler_t because once a merge handler is created, it is used exclusively by the kernel.
See mergemod.hpp for more information about the merge mode for modules.

Classes
class	item_block_locator_t

class	merge_data_t

class	merge_handler_params_t

class	merge_node_helper_t

class	merge_node_info_t

class	moddata_diff_helper_t

Functions
bool	is_diff_merge_mode ()

'merge_handler_t *'	create_nodeval_merge_handler ('merge_handler_params_t' mhp, str label, str nodename, 'uchar' tag, int nds_flags, 'merge_node_helper_t' node_helper=None, bool skip_empty_nodes=True)

None	create_nodeval_merge_handlers ('merge_handlers_t *' out, 'merge_handler_params_t' mhp, str nodename, 'merge_node_info_t' valdesc, bool skip_empty_nodes=True)

None	destroy_moddata_merge_handlers (int data_id)

str	get_ea_diffpos_name (ida_idaapi.ea_t ea)

Variables
	MERGE_KIND_NETNODE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NETNODE

	MERGE_KIND_AUTOQ = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_AUTOQ

	MERGE_KIND_INF = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_INF

	MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS

	MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS2 = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS2

	MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS2 = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS2

	MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS

	MERGE_KIND_CUSTDATA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_CUSTDATA

	MERGE_KIND_ENUMS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENUMS

	MERGE_KIND_STRUCTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRUCTS

	MERGE_KIND_TILS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TILS

	MERGE_KIND_TINFO = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TINFO

	MERGE_KIND_STRMEM = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRMEM

	MERGE_KIND_UDTMEM = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_UDTMEM

	MERGE_KIND_GHSTRCMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_GHSTRCMT

	MERGE_KIND_STRMEMCMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRMEMCMT

	MERGE_KIND_SELECTORS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SELECTORS

	MERGE_KIND_STT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STT

	MERGE_KIND_SEGMENTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGMENTS

	MERGE_KIND_SEGGRPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGGRPS

	MERGE_KIND_SEGREGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGREGS

	MERGE_KIND_ORPHANS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ORPHANS

	MERGE_KIND_BYTEVAL = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BYTEVAL

	MERGE_KIND_FIXUPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FIXUPS

	MERGE_KIND_MAPPING = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_MAPPING

	MERGE_KIND_EXPORTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_EXPORTS

	MERGE_KIND_IMPORTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_IMPORTS

	MERGE_KIND_PATCHES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_PATCHES

	MERGE_KIND_FLAGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FLAGS

	MERGE_KIND_EXTRACMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_EXTRACMT

	MERGE_KIND_AFLAGS_EA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_AFLAGS_EA

	MERGE_KIND_IGNOREMICRO = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_IGNOREMICRO

	MERGE_KIND_FILEREGIONS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FILEREGIONS

	MERGE_KIND_HIDDENRANGES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_HIDDENRANGES

	MERGE_KIND_SOURCEFILES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SOURCEFILES

	MERGE_KIND_FUNC = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FUNC

	MERGE_KIND_FRAMEMGR = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FRAMEMGR

	MERGE_KIND_FRAME = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FRAME

	MERGE_KIND_STKPNTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STKPNTS

	MERGE_KIND_FLOWS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FLOWS

	MERGE_KIND_CREFS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_CREFS

	MERGE_KIND_DREFS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DREFS

	MERGE_KIND_BPTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BPTS

	MERGE_KIND_WATCHPOINTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_WATCHPOINTS

	MERGE_KIND_BOOKMARKS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BOOKMARKS

	MERGE_KIND_TRYBLKS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TRYBLKS

	MERGE_KIND_DIRTREE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DIRTREE

	MERGE_KIND_VFTABLES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_VFTABLES

	MERGE_KIND_SIGNATURES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SIGNATURES

	MERGE_KIND_PROBLEMS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_PROBLEMS

	MERGE_KIND_UI = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_UI

	MERGE_KIND_DEKSTOPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DEKSTOPS

	MERGE_KIND_NOTEPAD = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NOTEPAD

	MERGE_KIND_LOADER = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LOADER

	MERGE_KIND_DEBUGGER = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DEBUGGER

	MERGE_KIND_DBG_MEMREGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DBG_MEMREGS

	MERGE_KIND_LUMINA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LUMINA

	MERGE_KIND_LAST = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LAST

	MERGE_KIND_END = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_END

	MERGE_KIND_NONE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NONE

	MH_LISTEN = _ida_merge.MH_LISTEN

	MH_TERSE = _ida_merge.MH_TERSE

	MH_UI_NODETAILS = _ida_merge.MH_UI_NODETAILS

	MH_UI_COMPLEX = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COMPLEX

	MH_UI_DP_NOLINEDIFF = _ida_merge.MH_UI_DP_NOLINEDIFF

	MH_UI_DP_SHORTNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_DP_SHORTNAME

	MH_UI_INDENT = _ida_merge.MH_UI_INDENT

	MH_UI_SPLITNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_SPLITNAME

	MH_UI_CHAR_MASK = _ida_merge.MH_UI_CHAR_MASK

	MH_UI_COMMANAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COMMANAME

	MH_UI_COLONNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COLONNAME

	NDS_IS_BOOL = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_BOOL

	NDS_IS_EA = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_EA

	NDS_IS_RELATIVE = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_RELATIVE

	NDS_IS_STR = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_STR

	NDS_SUPVAL = _ida_merge.NDS_SUPVAL

	NDS_BLOB = _ida_merge.NDS_BLOB

	NDS_EV_RANGE = _ida_merge.NDS_EV_RANGE

	NDS_EV_FUNC = _ida_merge.NDS_EV_FUNC

	NDS_MAP_IDX = _ida_merge.NDS_MAP_IDX

	NDS_MAP_VAL = _ida_merge.NDS_MAP_VAL

	NDS_VAL8 = _ida_merge.NDS_VAL8

	NDS_INC = _ida_merge.NDS_INC

	NDS_UI_ND = _ida_merge.NDS_UI_ND

Function Documentation

◆ create_nodeval_merge_handler()

'merge_handler_t *' create_nodeval_merge_handler	(	'merge_handler_params_t'	mhp,
		str	label,
		str	nodename,
		'uchar'	tag,
		int	nds_flags,
		'merge_node_helper_t'	node_helper = None,
		bool	skip_empty_nodes = True )

Create a merge handler for netnode scalar/string values 
    
@param mhp: merging parameters
@param label: handler short name (to be be appended to mhp.label)
@param nodename: netnode name
@param tag: a tag used to access values in the netnode
@param nds_flags: netnode value attributes (a combination of nds_flags_t)
@param skip_empty_nodes: do not create handler in case of empty netnode
@returns diff source object (normally should be attahced to a merge handler)

◆ create_nodeval_merge_handlers()

None create_nodeval_merge_handlers	(	'merge_handlers_t *'	out,
		'merge_handler_params_t'	mhp,
		str	nodename,
		'merge_node_info_t'	valdesc,
		bool	skip_empty_nodes = True )

Create a serie of merge handlers for netnode scalar/string values (call create_nodeval_merge_handler() for each member of VALDESC) 
    
@param out: [out] created handlers will be placed here
@param mhp: merging parameters
@param nodename: netnode name
@param valdesc: array of handler descriptions
@param skip_empty_nodes: do not create handlers for empty netnodes
@returns diff source object (normally should be attahced to a merge handler)

◆ destroy_moddata_merge_handlers()

None destroy_moddata_merge_handlers ( int data_id )

◆ get_ea_diffpos_name()

str get_ea_diffpos_name ( ida_idaapi.ea_t ea )

Get nice name for EA diffpos 
    
@param ea: diffpos

◆ is_diff_merge_mode()

bool is_diff_merge_mode ( )

Return TRUE if IDA is running in diff mode (MERGE_POLICY_MDIFF/MERGE_POLICY_VDIFF)

Variable Documentation

◆ MERGE_KIND_AFLAGS_EA

MERGE_KIND_AFLAGS_EA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_AFLAGS_EA

◆ MERGE_KIND_AUTOQ

MERGE_KIND_AUTOQ = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_AUTOQ

◆ MERGE_KIND_BOOKMARKS

MERGE_KIND_BOOKMARKS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BOOKMARKS

◆ MERGE_KIND_BPTS

MERGE_KIND_BPTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BPTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_BYTEVAL

MERGE_KIND_BYTEVAL = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_BYTEVAL

◆ MERGE_KIND_CREFS

MERGE_KIND_CREFS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_CREFS

◆ MERGE_KIND_CUSTDATA

MERGE_KIND_CUSTDATA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_CUSTDATA

◆ MERGE_KIND_DBG_MEMREGS

MERGE_KIND_DBG_MEMREGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DBG_MEMREGS

◆ MERGE_KIND_DEBUGGER

MERGE_KIND_DEBUGGER = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DEBUGGER

◆ MERGE_KIND_DEKSTOPS

MERGE_KIND_DEKSTOPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DEKSTOPS

◆ MERGE_KIND_DIRTREE

MERGE_KIND_DIRTREE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DIRTREE

◆ MERGE_KIND_DREFS

MERGE_KIND_DREFS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_DREFS

◆ MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS

MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS

◆ MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS2

MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS2 = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENCODINGS2

◆ MERGE_KIND_END

MERGE_KIND_END = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_END

◆ MERGE_KIND_ENUMS

MERGE_KIND_ENUMS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ENUMS

◆ MERGE_KIND_EXPORTS

MERGE_KIND_EXPORTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_EXPORTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_EXTRACMT

MERGE_KIND_EXTRACMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_EXTRACMT

◆ MERGE_KIND_FILEREGIONS

MERGE_KIND_FILEREGIONS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FILEREGIONS

◆ MERGE_KIND_FIXUPS

MERGE_KIND_FIXUPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FIXUPS

◆ MERGE_KIND_FLAGS

MERGE_KIND_FLAGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FLAGS

◆ MERGE_KIND_FLOWS

MERGE_KIND_FLOWS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FLOWS

◆ MERGE_KIND_FRAME

MERGE_KIND_FRAME = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FRAME

◆ MERGE_KIND_FRAMEMGR

MERGE_KIND_FRAMEMGR = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FRAMEMGR

◆ MERGE_KIND_FUNC

MERGE_KIND_FUNC = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_FUNC

◆ MERGE_KIND_GHSTRCMT

MERGE_KIND_GHSTRCMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_GHSTRCMT

◆ MERGE_KIND_HIDDENRANGES

MERGE_KIND_HIDDENRANGES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_HIDDENRANGES

◆ MERGE_KIND_IGNOREMICRO

MERGE_KIND_IGNOREMICRO = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_IGNOREMICRO

◆ MERGE_KIND_IMPORTS

MERGE_KIND_IMPORTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_IMPORTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_INF

MERGE_KIND_INF = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_INF

◆ MERGE_KIND_LAST

MERGE_KIND_LAST = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LAST

◆ MERGE_KIND_LOADER

MERGE_KIND_LOADER = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LOADER

◆ MERGE_KIND_LUMINA

MERGE_KIND_LUMINA = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_LUMINA

◆ MERGE_KIND_MAPPING

MERGE_KIND_MAPPING = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_MAPPING

◆ MERGE_KIND_NETNODE

MERGE_KIND_NETNODE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NETNODE

◆ MERGE_KIND_NONE

MERGE_KIND_NONE = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NONE

◆ MERGE_KIND_NOTEPAD

MERGE_KIND_NOTEPAD = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_NOTEPAD

◆ MERGE_KIND_ORPHANS

MERGE_KIND_ORPHANS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_ORPHANS

◆ MERGE_KIND_PATCHES

MERGE_KIND_PATCHES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_PATCHES

◆ MERGE_KIND_PROBLEMS

MERGE_KIND_PROBLEMS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_PROBLEMS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS

MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS2

MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS2 = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SCRIPTS2

◆ MERGE_KIND_SEGGRPS

MERGE_KIND_SEGGRPS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGGRPS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SEGMENTS

MERGE_KIND_SEGMENTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGMENTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SEGREGS

MERGE_KIND_SEGREGS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SEGREGS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SELECTORS

MERGE_KIND_SELECTORS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SELECTORS

◆ MERGE_KIND_SIGNATURES

MERGE_KIND_SIGNATURES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SIGNATURES

◆ MERGE_KIND_SOURCEFILES

MERGE_KIND_SOURCEFILES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_SOURCEFILES

◆ MERGE_KIND_STKPNTS

MERGE_KIND_STKPNTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STKPNTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_STRMEM

MERGE_KIND_STRMEM = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRMEM

◆ MERGE_KIND_STRMEMCMT

MERGE_KIND_STRMEMCMT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRMEMCMT

◆ MERGE_KIND_STRUCTS

MERGE_KIND_STRUCTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STRUCTS

◆ MERGE_KIND_STT

MERGE_KIND_STT = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_STT

◆ MERGE_KIND_TILS

MERGE_KIND_TILS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TILS

◆ MERGE_KIND_TINFO

MERGE_KIND_TINFO = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TINFO

◆ MERGE_KIND_TRYBLKS

MERGE_KIND_TRYBLKS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_TRYBLKS

◆ MERGE_KIND_UDTMEM

MERGE_KIND_UDTMEM = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_UDTMEM

◆ MERGE_KIND_UI

MERGE_KIND_UI = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_UI

◆ MERGE_KIND_VFTABLES

MERGE_KIND_VFTABLES = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_VFTABLES

◆ MERGE_KIND_WATCHPOINTS

MERGE_KIND_WATCHPOINTS = _ida_merge.MERGE_KIND_WATCHPOINTS

◆ MH_LISTEN

MH_LISTEN = _ida_merge.MH_LISTEN

◆ MH_TERSE

MH_TERSE = _ida_merge.MH_TERSE

◆ MH_UI_CHAR_MASK

MH_UI_CHAR_MASK = _ida_merge.MH_UI_CHAR_MASK

◆ MH_UI_COLONNAME

MH_UI_COLONNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COLONNAME

◆ MH_UI_COMMANAME

MH_UI_COMMANAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COMMANAME

◆ MH_UI_COMPLEX

MH_UI_COMPLEX = _ida_merge.MH_UI_COMPLEX

◆ MH_UI_DP_NOLINEDIFF

MH_UI_DP_NOLINEDIFF = _ida_merge.MH_UI_DP_NOLINEDIFF

◆ MH_UI_DP_SHORTNAME

MH_UI_DP_SHORTNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_DP_SHORTNAME

◆ MH_UI_INDENT

MH_UI_INDENT = _ida_merge.MH_UI_INDENT

◆ MH_UI_NODETAILS

MH_UI_NODETAILS = _ida_merge.MH_UI_NODETAILS

◆ MH_UI_SPLITNAME

MH_UI_SPLITNAME = _ida_merge.MH_UI_SPLITNAME

◆ NDS_BLOB

NDS_BLOB = _ida_merge.NDS_BLOB

◆ NDS_EV_FUNC

NDS_EV_FUNC = _ida_merge.NDS_EV_FUNC

◆ NDS_EV_RANGE

NDS_EV_RANGE = _ida_merge.NDS_EV_RANGE

◆ NDS_INC

NDS_INC = _ida_merge.NDS_INC

◆ NDS_IS_BOOL

NDS_IS_BOOL = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_BOOL

◆ NDS_IS_EA

NDS_IS_EA = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_EA

◆ NDS_IS_RELATIVE

NDS_IS_RELATIVE = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_RELATIVE

◆ NDS_IS_STR

NDS_IS_STR = _ida_merge.NDS_IS_STR

◆ NDS_MAP_IDX

NDS_MAP_IDX = _ida_merge.NDS_MAP_IDX

◆ NDS_MAP_VAL

NDS_MAP_VAL = _ida_merge.NDS_MAP_VAL

◆ NDS_SUPVAL

NDS_SUPVAL = _ida_merge.NDS_SUPVAL

◆ NDS_UI_ND

NDS_UI_ND = _ida_merge.NDS_UI_ND

◆ NDS_VAL8

NDS_VAL8 = _ida_merge.NDS_VAL8