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Tool Window Compare Models

You can use the Compare Models tool window for comparing an element from the current model with another element from the same model or from a different model. You can use filters to make the evaluation easier to read.

Purpose

The Compare Models tool window shows the differences between two elements.

You sometimes need to know the differences between two elements or model branches e.g. if a model was copied and you need to determine what has changed since this copy has been made.

The root elements to be compared need to have the same element type for them to be able to be compared. You can use the tool window for comparing an element from the current model with another element from the same model or from a different model. The two elements and their subelements are always compared.

Note:

Use the Merge Innovator tool for comparing configuration profiles.

Features

Structure

There are essentially two areas:

The respective ribbon tab is always the main focus if the actual tool window becomes the active window.

The actual tool window is split into a top selection area and bottom evaluation area.

Selection Area

The selection area in the tool window's header shows both elements to be compared with each other. The model which contains the element is shown at the top; the stereotype icon and the name of the element to be compared are shown below this.

The left element can only come from the model which the tool window belongs to. The right element can also be from another model.

There is also normally a selection box which contains all models below the system models. This selection box is not available for the right element until you have logged-in to the right model.

An Only models button may also appear instead of the drop-down lists so that you can switch back to the drop-down lists. Buttons are always shown if the selected element is not in the drop-down list. You can select other elements using drag-and-drop, e.g. drag elements from the model structure tree and drop them where the selected element is shown.

Evaluation Area

The bottom evaluation area contains information once you carry out the comparison with the Compare>Compare>Compare models command.

The evaluation area is split into a left and right column: the hierarchy area and the properties area.

Hierarchy Area

The left-hand column is the hierarchy area and contains a tree. The root nodes always represent both elements being compared. The subnodes are therefore the respective subelements.

If the left and right subelements were determined as being the same then two elements are then represented by a node.

If they were not recognized as being the same then each element gets its own node. The nodes then get given an icon.

The Equal by drop-down list sets the conditions for recognizing whether two elements are the same. You can also mark two elements as being the same at a later stage using the context menu. If two elements which are shown as being the same have different names then the node shows both these names. An icon before the name then shows which name belongs to the left and which to the right element. Apart from stereotype icons, all other icons have a tool tip which appears when you hover over them with the mouse pointer.

Properties Area

The right column contains three tabs with detailed information about the node selected in the hierarchy area.

How to proceed

If you want to compare various elements from one model you can use the mouse to drag these (e.g. from the model structure) to the left or right root element's selection area.

If you want to compare elements from different models, log-in to these models as you would normally. Open the comparison tool window in one of the models. Drag the element to be compared in another model using the model's tab (at the bottom of the document area) which the tool window is shown in. Hover over the tab. This jumps to this model and you can drop the element into the right root element's selection area.

 

 

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