this:
@example
-#ifdef NEW /* variant A */
-difference region from buffer A
-#else /* variant B */
-difference region from buffer B
-#endif /* NEW */
+<<<<<<< variant A
+the difference region from buffer A
+>>>>>>> variant B
+the difference region from buffer B
+####### Ancestor
+the difference region from the ancestor buffer, if available
+======= end
@end example
+The above is the default template for the combined region. The user can
+customize this template using the variable
+@code{ediff-combination-pattern}.
+
@vindex ediff-combination-pattern
-The actual strings that separate the regions copied from buffer A and B
-are controlled by the variable @code{ediff-combination-pattern}. Its
-value should be a list of three strings. The first is inserted before
-the difference region of buffer A; the second string goes between the
-regions; the third goes after region B, as shown in the above example.
+The variable @code{ediff-combination-pattern} specifies the template that
+determines how the combined merged region looks like. The template is
+represented as a list of the form @code{(STRING1 Symbol1 STRING2 Symbol2
+STRING3 Symbol3 STRING4)}. The symbols here must be atoms of the form
+@code{A}, @code{B}, or @code{Ancestor}. They determine the order in which
+the corresponding difference regions (from buffers A, B, and the ancestor
+buffer) are displayed in the merged region of buffer C. The strings in the
+template determine the text that separates the aforesaid regions. The
+default template is
+
+@example
+("<<<<<<< variant A" A ">>>>>>> variant B" B "####### Ancestor" Ancestor "======= end")
+@end example
+
+and the corresponding combined region is shown above. The order in which
+the regions are shown (and the separator strings) can be changed by
+changing the above template. It is even possible to add or delete region
+specifiers in this template (although the only possibly useful such
+modification seems to be the deletion of the ancestor).
In addition to the state of the difference, Ediff displays the state of the
merge for each region. If a difference came from buffer A by default