System Architect Compare compares two encyclopedias and generates a website displaying the results. All content, including HTML, XML, XSL and CSS files, are copied to a single folder, which can be published on your network, intranet, or the internet. Although System Architect Compare initially needs System Architect to create XML files to compare, when those files are created, System Architect Compare works as a standalone application.
In the browser, the comparison is displayed in two main frames. The browser tree on the left enables you to navigate through diagrams or definitions, and view either all encyclopedia objects, or only those with differences among them. The compare output is displayed on the right: it shows a property column, and one column each for the base and for the compare encyclopedias.
There are three general phases involved in creating and viewing comparisons of encyclopedias, described in detail below. To summarize, you use the System Architect Compare function in System Architect to generate an XML output file for each encyclopedia to be compared, then use System Architect Compare to specify compare and display choices and run the comparison, and finally view the comparison output which is provided in the form of a website.
A parameter set saves the settings you use to run a comparison, including the Compare filter sets filter (see ‘Compare filter sets’ on page 17) and Display filter sets filter (see ‘Compare filter sets’ on page 17). Because they are saved independently, Parameter sets can be used regardless of the encyclopedias being compared. You can add, save or remove your own parameter sets, but you cannot remove the default parameter set.
There are two filter sets that you work with in System Architect Compare. The Compare Filter set enables you to select the System Architect objects you want to compare. The Display Filter set enables you to select which objects, of those you chose to compare, you want to display in the generated website. This lets you generate different websites from the same data.