The best way to do an XML compare
Finding a good way to compare XML files can be a real challenge with conventional file compare utilities. To identify meaningful XML changes requires a lot more sophistication than a typical brute force file compare.
Traditional compare utilities do a linear, systematic comparison between two files and identify all differences. When comparing XML files this creates many opportunities for false positives. The order of the XML objects may or may not be significant, the text literals of the attributes may not matter, and changes to comments, dates, times, "GUIDS" and a host of aspects of the internal XML structure may all be incorrectly flagged as differences even though they would not create any logical changes to the way the file was processed.
In addition, there is the danger that with so many XML changes identified a traditional compare utility could get completely out of sync during processing and simply mark all lines as different after a certain point.
Introducing VTXcompare - The Ultimate XML Compare tool.
VERTEX, Inc.’s VTXcompare utility is a web-based XML comparison tool that intelligently reviews two XML files via a data-driven compare engine. This XML compare engine is programmed to recognize key XML entities and then invoke a specific set of rules to identify only the changes that would result in "real", logical changes between the two XML files.
Text Literals of attributes and any other changes found when comparing XML files that are not specifically relevant can be ignored.
The VTXcompare utility can be configured to analyze any type of XML files and is currently being used to identify relevant changes within the ACORD PPfA (Product Profile for Annuity) XML file structure used extensively throughout the insurance industry.
The XML Difference is clear
Imagine the hours that could be saved if you could analyze only the "Meat" of your XML files and ignore all of the typical fluff that has no impact within your systems.
Imagine reports that presented you with a list of the business cases that are different between files rather than every irrelevant byte of every comment, GUID and Date/Timestamp that changed between tests.
As a tester, you could identify and focus your time on the exact aspects of your system that require your attention instead of spending countless hours plodding through change reports or reviewing parts of the system that logically have not been touched.
If you need to compare complex XML Data files, contact VERTEX Incorporated to schedule a demo and get more information on how our robust, business specific XML compare technology can save you time and money.
Contact VERTEX for more information or to schedule a demo: sales@vertexincorporated.com
