Choose the Element/File Differences... menu item to compare two files, two generations of elements, or a file and a generation of an element. If CMS finds differences, it creates a file that contains the lines that differ between them, and delivers a copy of the file to your current default directory. If the files are the same, CMS issues a message to that effect and does not create a differences file. If you have turned off the Differences Only button, CMS still creates a file, even if there are no differences.
1 – D p
The Primary Input region includes a Selected field, the Element/File field, and an optional Generation field. The Primary Input region is associated with information about the first file to be compared.
2 – D sf
If you click on an object or objects before choosing the Element/File Differences... menu item, the Selected field contains those objects. CMS performs the differences transaction on the selected objects.
3 – D pi
Fill in the Primary Input Element/File field with the name of the first file to be compared. CMS assumes that the file is an OpenVMS file specification. To specify an element, you must specify the exact generation number of the element by choosing the Generation button and filling in the Generation field.
4 – D pig
Choose the Primary Input Generation button to specify that the file in the Primary Input Element/File field is an element and not an OpenVMS file specification. By default, CMS uses the highest mainline generation (1+). To compare any other generation, you must supply the exact generation number.
5 – D sis
The Secondary Input region includes an Element/File field, and an optional Generation field. The Secondary Input region is associated with information about the second file to be compared. You must supply an object name in the Element/File field. You can optionally supply a generation number to indicate a particular element generation.
6 – D si
The Secondary Input Element/File field specifies the
second file to be compared. CMS assumes that the file
is an OpenVMS file specification. To specify an element, you
must specify the exact generation number of the element
by choosing the Generation button and filling in the
Generation field.
CMS follows these rules when you do not provide a second
file specification:
o If you direct CMS to take the Primary Input
Element/File from a location that is not a CMS
library, CMS uses the next lower file version in
the same directory as the Primary Input Element/File.
o If you direct CMS to take the Primary Input
Element/File from a CMS library (by specifying the
generation number) CMS uses the latest default
directory version of the Primary Input Element/File
as the Secondary Input File.
7 – D sig
Choose the Secondary Input Generation button to specify that the file in the Secondary Input Element/File field is an element and not an OpenVMS file specification. By default, CMS uses the highest mainline generation (1+). To compare any other generation, you must supply the exact generation number.
8 – D op
You can specify the following options on the differences
transaction:
o Whether to allow page breaks in the output file
o Whether the differing lines from the two files are
formatted vertically (side by side) instead of
horizontally (line by line)
o Whether just the differences are listed or not
o The width of the differences report
o Whether a list of generation differences should be
included
8.1 – D pbo
Click on the Page Breaks button to direct CMS to allow page breaks in the output file. Otherwise, page breaks are converted to the string "<PAGE>" in the output file.
8.2 – D po
Click on the Parallel button to control whether the differing lines from the two files are formatted side by side. The differences from the first file are displayed on the left and the differences from the second file are displayed on the right.
8.3 – D w
Click on the Width button to control the limit for the width of the differences report. The value can be from 48 to 511, inclusive. If you do not supply a width in the Width field, CMS uses 80 by default.
8.4 – D od
When this button is activated, CMS creates a file that contains only the lines that differ between the two files.
8.5 – D gd
Click on this button to direct CMS to include a list of generation differences in the output file. This option is only applicable if two generations are being compared in the differences transaction.
9 – D go tb
Fill in the Output File field with the name of a file to which CMS should write the differences output. If you do not specify a file name in the Output File field, CMS creates a file with the Primary Input Element/File name and the file type .DIF in your default directory. You can also choose the Appended option; this option appends the output to the existing file.
10 – D ab
Click on the Appended button to control whether CMS appends the differences output to an existing file or creates a new file. If you choose Appended and the output file does not exist, CMS creates a new file. If you do not provide an output file specification, CMS searches your default directory for a file with the Primary Input Element/File name and the file type .DIF.
11 – D op pb
Click on the Options button to bring up a dialog box,
allowing you to specify the following options in the
library:
o Characters to be ignored during the comparison
o Lines of text to be ignored during the comparison
o Whether the output is formatted, and the type
of formatting
11.1 – D odi
The Ignore options allow you to choose a keyword that specifies the type of character to be ignored during the comparison. You can choose one or more of the following keywords: o Case o Formfeeds o Spacing o Leading blanks o Trailing blanks o History o Notes
11.1.1 – D ic
Click on the Case button to direct CMS to ignore case-sensitivity (A through Z, a through z) during the differences comparison.
11.1.2 – D ifo
Click on the Formfeeds button to direct CMS to ignore formfeed characters as it compares records from the two files. The formfeeds remain in the output file, but are disregarded for the differences comparison.
11.1.3 – D is
Click on the Spacing button to direct CMS to compress multiple blanks and tabs into a single space as it compares records from the two files. The blanks and tabs remain in the output file, but are disregarded for the differences comparison.
11.1.4 – D ilb
Click on the Leading Blanks button to direct CMS to ignore leading blanks and tabs as it compares records from the two files. The blanks and tabs remain in the output file, but are disregarded for the differences comparison.
11.1.5 – D itb
Click on the Trailing Blanks button to direct CMS to ignore trailing blanks and tabs as it compares records from the two files. The blanks and tabs remain in the output file, but are disregarded for the differences comparison.
11.1.6 – D iho
Click on the History button to direct CMS to ignore element generation history as it compares a file with a generation. At least one of the files must be an element generation with the History attribute enabled. The history text is ignored for the differences comparison and is removed from the output file.
11.1.7 – D ino
Click on the Notes button to direct CMS to ignore notes as it compares a file with a generation. At least one of the files must be an element generation with the notes attribute enabled. The notes text is ignored for the differences comparison and is removed from the output file.
11.2 – D sk
Click on the Skip lines button to indicate the number of lines at the beginning of each file (or generation) that are to be ignored during the comparison of both files. You must specify a nonnegative integer value indicating the number of lines to be ignored.
11.3 – D skt
The Skip text delimited by option allows you to specify a pair of strings used to delimit a section of text to be ignored during the comparison of both files. The delimiters cannot exceed 256 characters each, and must be unique. Any text between and including the delimiters is treated as if it did not exist. Sentinel strings may contain any characters, but if you include spaces or tabs, the entire string must be enclosed in quotation marks.
11.4 – Dof
The Output Format options control whether the history and source file listing is formatted. You must specify the type of formatting and data partition. The formatting types include: o ASCII o Decimal o Hexadecimal o Octal
11.4.1 – Das
Click on the ASCII button to specify that each byte of data be displayed as an ASCII character. ASCII is most useful when files contain textual data.
11.4.2 – Dcf
Click on the Decimal button to specify that each value be displayed as a decimal numeral. If you specify decimal output, you cannot also specify Records as an Output Partition. By default, data is partitioned into longwords.
11.4.3 – Dhf
Click on the Hexadecimal button to specify that each value be displayed as a hexadecimal numeral. If you specify hexadecimal output, you cannot also specify Records as an Output Partition. By default, data is partitioned into longwords.
11.4.4 – Doff
Click on the Octal button to specify that each value be displayed as an octal numeral. If you specify Octal output, you cannot also specify Records as an Output Partition. By default, data is partitioned into longwords.
11.5 – Dop
The Output Partition options control whether the history and source file listing is formatted. You must specify the type of formatting and data partition. The data partition types include: o Records o Byte o Word o Long
11.5.1 – Dro
Click on the Records button to specify that no further partitioning of data is to occur beyond the record partitioning already in the file. This partitioning is most useful when the files contain textual data. You can only specify Records by itself or in conjunction with the ASCII Output Format.
11.5.2 – Dpo
Click on the Byte button to specify that the data displayed is to be partitioned into bytes.
11.5.3 – Dwp
Click on the Word button to specify that the data displayed is to be partitioned into word values.
11.5.4 – Dlp
Click on the Long button to specify that the data displayed is to be partitioned into longword values. This is the default partitioning for Decimal, Hexadecimal, and Octal Output Formats.