Compare and update

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The Compare and Update tool allows you to compare two diagrams and update specific elements.

 

Compare

This is useful if a section of a map has been worked on off-line, or if there are two projects being worked on at the same time. It is also useful to show the differences between a draft and master map, or between a master map and a scenario.

 

Update

Data in a target map can be updated from a source map following a comparison report. The following information can be updated:

 

•Non-visual data - feedback, change requests and keywords

 

•Document control data - author, owner, version number and diagram date

 

•Access rights - diagram and print access rights

 

•Assigned users - authorizers, acknowledgers, reviewers and subscriptions

 

 

To compare and update two diagrams:

 

1.From the Tools menu choose Compare and Update.

 

2.Next to the Source Diagram box click Select to select the source diagram that you want to compare to.

 

3.Next to the Target Diagram box click Select to select the target diagram.

 

Note: The target diagram is the diagram that will be updated with the differences from the source diagram.

 

4.In the Comparison Includes panel, select or deselect any options that you want to compare the two diagrams against.

 

Objects will highlight any changes to visual drawing objects such as activities, flow lines, resources, free text, note bubbles, file links, drill down arrows, hint text, signpost links, etc.

Title will highlight any differences in the titles.

Author and Owner will highlight changes in authors and owners.

Version Number will highlight updates to the diagram version numbers.

Object Display Order will highlight changes made to the order of objects displayed on the screen (the Z order). For example, if an activity box is sent behind another activity so that the overlap is in a different location, this will be flagged if this option is selected.

Assigned Templates will highlight any changes in the template name.

Non-visual Data will highlight feedback, change requests and keywords.

Assigned Users will highlight changes in authorizers, acknowledgers, reviewers and subscriptions.

 

Advanced Tab

Force list window to stay on top of TIBCO Nimbus allows you to work outside of the compare and update tool whilst keeping the comparison window open. If this option is not selected then when you click outside of the window, for example to access a drill down, the window will be lost.

Ignore costing update changes will ignore any changes to activity costs, volumes and durations.

Allow for link redirection changes will treat all diagram links as the same. For example, if diagram 1.4 in the source map is linked to diagram 1.8.2 in the source map, this will be considered the same if the diagram 1.4 in the target is linked to diagram 1.8.2 in the target map.

 

5.Click OK.

 

 

Comparison Report

 

Once you have run the compare and update tool you will be presented with a report, highlighting the differences between the source and target diagrams. The source diagram(s) are presented on the left, the target diagram(s) on the right and the differences are displayed in the middle. Diagrams that are the same are displayed in black with the status OK and diagrams that differ are displayed in red with the status Changed. If corresponding diagrams cannot be found in either the source or target then these diagrams will be highlighted in blue.

 

The source's corresponding target diagrams are based on the level number, for example:

 

Source Map

Target Map

Level 1

Level 1

Level 1.1

Level 1.1

Level 1.4

Level 1.4

Level 1.4.1

Level 1.4.1

 

However, if the starting levels of the source and target maps are different, the corresponding levels will be based on the last level, for example if the target is an exported drill down from a larger map.

 

Source Map

Target Map

Level 1.3.8

Level 1

Level 1.3.8.1

Level 1.1

Level 1.3.8.4

Level 1.4

Level 1.3.8.4.1

Level 1.4.1

 

 

Note: If any of the source or target diagrams have been restructured then the comparison report will be unable to find and match the corresponding diagrams, for example if the level numbers have changed due to a change to the activity ID numbers.

 

 

Export to Excel

Save the report as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. From the File menu choose Export to MS Excel.

 

 

To view and update the differences between two diagrams:

 

Any differences may be due to more objects in the target diagram, for example if a new activity has been added, or it could be more detailed, for example if the fill settings or shadow colors of any activities have changed. Internal word-processed and image attachments will also be compared and highlighted if any changes are present.

 

There are a number of options available to view differences between maps (highlighted in red).

 

1.Right-click the row and choose one of the following options:

 

Go to source will navigate to the source diagram.

Go to target will navigate to the target diagram.

Side By Side View will display both the source and target diagrams side by side to allow you to physically view the changes.

Difference Log will display a list of changes between the source and target diagrams.

Update will allow you to update the target diagram (see below for details).

 

Updating

 

When you choose to update target diagrams you have a number of options. You can update non-visual data, document control data, access rights and assigned user information (see above for details). The following update options are available:

 

Keep target's data will not change the information in the target diagram.

Overwrite target's data will update the information in the target diagram with the differences from the source diagram.

Merge data will add new information from the source diagram to the target diagram.

 

You can update specific information for all areas by clicking Show Advanced Options and selecting or deselecting the various options within each tab and choosing an update option.