Tab Compare

Launching the Tab Compare Tool

The Tab Compare Tool provides users a method of depicting differences in the content of application tabs.  To compare two application tabs, either right click in one of several open tabs, or launch the Tab Compare Tool from Tools Menu (Tools->Compare->Tab Compare) and choose two tabs out of the list of tabs. If the Tab Compare Tool is launched from the Tools Menu, it is possible to choose tabs that are not immediately visible in the application window, but are open.

When the comparison is being performed it runs in a background thread so that other operations in Aqua Data Studio can be performed.

Comparison Results

The results of a comparison display as a split-pane with line numbering down the center and connecting splines for identifying where the deletions, changes and additions occur. Each tab in a comparison takes up half of the comparison results window and each can be vertically scrolled independently of the other. At the top, between the two tabs above the line numbering, digits separated by a / indicate the difference selected out of total number of differences discovered (i.e. 9/27). The large up and down arrows at the top right of the comparison results allow navigating through the differences one at a time. Comparisons show the character differences in a modified line with bolding and background color highlights indicate modified blocks.

A refresh compare button allows running the comparison again, if edits have been made in either tab. To right of the refresh button, save button and preview results as html button is a search button (a flashlight icon), useful for quickly finding and highlighting content in the comparison results.

Annotation Bar

The annotation bar provides a bird's eye view of all of the differences detected in a comparison. When differences are found, their corresponding highlight colors appear in the annotation bar on the right side of the results and can be used to quickly navigate to them. If a marker in the annotation bar is used to navigate to a particular difference by left clicking, a tick mark overlay shows which difference currently has focus.

Saving Comparison Results as HTML

The results of a comparison can be saved as HTML for viewing later or for sharing with others. The "Save As HTML" button at the top left of the comparison window prompts for file destination and font selection. If the "Preview in Browser" icon is clicked the user is prompted to first "Save as HTML" for launching a web browser. If the comparison has already been saved as HTML, clicking "Preview in Browser" launches a browser with the stored HTML.