Diff Directories and Diff File should include meta information about how it was performed

[tatra603]

Hello,

I would like to ask You to add meta information about how comparison was performed into export to HTML, YAML, JSON, XML output file. In case HTML, these meta information should be foldable (show/hide it).

Meta information should include complete set of Options used for performing both Diff Directories and Diff Files (of course without Navigation and Appearance ones). But it should contain Options like Compare files by, Look inside archives, complete set of relevant File comparison options. Also in case Diff Directories there should be values of used Include files, Exclude files and Exclude folders. Timestamp of start of diff and end of diff would be nice.

The rationale for all of the above is simple. The reader of the protocol needs to know how, by what parameters the comparison was made and when.

Thank You for understanding, Stepan

P. S. These meta information should be also included in case comparison is run by oXygen Scripting tool.

[teo]

Hello Stepan,

We have had discussions related to the topics you mentioned above within our team as well.
So, we will definitely reconsider adding meta information to the diff reports to provide details on how the comparison was performed.

Regards,
Teo

[teo]

Hi Stepan,

Your feature request has been addressed in the recently released version 28 of Oxygen.
Diff, Scripting: Comparison reports now include a section that lists all the options used in the comparison process (a meta tag whose name attribute value is comparisonOptions). In the case of HTML reports, the options are also visually presented in the web browser, in a collapsible section.

Kind regards,
Teo

[tatra603]

Hi, Teo,

the implementation of this RFE about exporting diff meta information to HTML (XML, JSON...) is exactly as I asked. At least for HTML export, because I do not have Scripting license yet now. Also HTML report has reasonable size relatively to the size of compared directories due its XHTML code. There are all information, clearly visible, foldable...

The only one thing, which I would like to have among meta information in future versions, are timestamps of start diff and end diff for whole DiffDirs run (so only 2 timestamps in the whole report) and also user (System Property %USERNAME%), who run the diff. Because for example when You have (94.013 Files in 61.509 Folders) times 2, the DiffDirs takes some time and it would be nice to have information, especially for XML and JSON report, when DiffDirs started and ended, and user tells about the rights for files.

Anyway, current implementation is very useful for me and thank You once again. Stepan

[teo]

Hi Stepan,

First of all, thank you for your appreciation.
Secondly, I will log your request regarding timestamps and user data to be added to the meta information.

Kind regards,
Teo