The Compare Diagrams feature lets you to simulate the passage of time for diagrams with symbols defined by definitions that contain time variable properties. The simulation mechanism is the time dimension slider (see Using the time dimension slider). It displays a time frame. When you move the slider left or right, symbols might be shown or hidden, according to the values in their time variable properties.

Time variable properties set the dates when artifacts go into effect or the date up to when they remain in effect. Definitions with these properties span across methodologies and are usually actionable or deployable. Examples include Process, Application, Technology, Organizational Units and Location definitions. You can also add the properties to existing definitions, including those you can create through the extensibility file: see Customizing the Repository Metamodel -- SAPROPS.CFG and USRPROPS.TXT.

The time variable properties recognized by the Compare Diagrams feature are "Effective Date" and "In Service Date." Definitions contain one or the other of these properties, but not both. The "Effective Date" property represents the date in which a particular definition goes into effect. The "In Service Date" represents the date up to when a particular definition is in service.