Model comparison

The model comparison shows changes in earlier versions of a diagram in a clear and visual way. For example, you can compare your local workspace with the published version of the selected diagram. You can also compare two archived versions of the same diagram.

There are different options for user roles when using the model comparison:

• Reader: As a Reader, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Publication stage if you have been given access permission. Otherwise, you can only compare the diagram with its direct previous archive.

• Reviewer: As a Reviewer, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Preview and Publication stages.

• Author, Editor and Administrator: As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you can view and compare changes to diagrams in all stages.

Depending on your user role, you can also add or remove objects from a previous version or from the current working state. You can also apply attribute values of an object from previous diagram versions to the current working state.

Where can I find the model comparison?

To use the model comparison, first open the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Depending on your user role, the diagrams are shown in different stages. Select the diagram you want to open the diagram view. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar. There you will find the Version changes option.

When you click the Version changes option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically.

Tip

As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you will also find the Version changes option in the Options panel when you check out a diagram.

How can I compare diagram versions?

To compare diagram versions, first open the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Depending on your user role, the diagrams are shown in different stages:

• Reader: As a Reader, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Publication stage if you have been given access permission. Otherwise, you can only compare the diagram with its direct predecessor.

• Reviewer: As a Reviewer, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Preview and Publication stages.

• Author, Editor and Administrator: As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you can view and compare changes to diagrams in all stages.

Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar. There you will find the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. You can change these selections if needed. You can also select a version from the archive to see the changes in that version.

When you compare a version from another stage, you can select the Latest version option. This option is only available if you are not in the current stage. In the current stage, the Latest version option is disabled because it is the active version.

After you select the stage and the version to compare, a list of all objects is shown. These objects are either not included in the displayed diagram compared with the active version, appear only in the displayed diagram, or have different attribute values.

The list is divided into three sections:

• Not included in displayed version: The object does not exist in the active diagram version, but only in the selected diagram version.

• Only included in displayed version: The object exists only in the active diagram version.

• Different attribute value: The object has different attribute values in the active and selected diagram versions.

The list shows the object names in your content language. If there are differences in other languages, an information banner is shown below the selected version. This banner lists the affected languages as language codes, for example DE, PL, ES, FR, IT. To see the differences in one of these languages, you must change your content language to that language.

If you check out a diagram and then check it in again after only rearranging objects, this version is also saved in the archive as a comparison version. However, when you compare this version with the active version, the system shows that no changes were made.

Hint

Please note that for objects that contain other objects in relationship or assignment attributes, changes to these contained objects will not automatically create a new diagram version. If you only made such changes, they will appear in the most recently existing diagram version.

How can I highlight an object in color?

When you use the model comparison, you can highlight changes in the diagram with colors. To do this, first open the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Depending on your user role, the diagrams are shown in different stages:

• Reader: As a Reader, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Publication stage if you have been given access permission. Otherwise, you can only compare the diagram with its direct predecessor.

• Reviewer: As a Reviewer, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Preview and Publication stages.

• Author, Editor and Administrator: As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you can view and compare changes to diagrams in all stages.

Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar. There you will find the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. The changes are then shown in a list. You can change the stage or version if needed.

To highlight the changes of the selected version in the diagram compared with the active version, click the objects in the list.

After you click an object in the list, the object is highlighted in color in both the list and the diagram. The colors have different meanings:

• A green highlight shows objects that are only included in the displayed version.

• A yellow highlight shows that the object has different attribute values between the active version and the selected version.

Note

Objects that are not included in the displayed version cannot be highlighted in color or shown in the diagram. These objects can only be found in the list.

How can I add or remove objects from the active version?

To add or remove objects from another diagram version to the active diagram version, you must have the Author, Editor, or Administrator user role. First, click the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view and check out the diagram. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar and click the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. The changes are then shown in a list. You can change the stage or version if needed.

Add object to the active version:

When you move the mouse over the Not included in displayed version section, the Add to diagram button appears. This lets you add the object to the diagram that exists in the selected diagram version but not in the active diagram version.

Remove object from the active version:

When you move the mouse over the Only included in displayed version section, the Remove from diagram button appears. This lets you remove the object from the diagram that exists only in the active diagram version but not in the selected diagram version.

Clicking the button runs the action immediately, and the change will no longer appear in the list. You can only undo the action by discarding the local changes or by clicking the Undo button in the editor, or using CTRL+Z.

Hint

Please note that undoing a change does not restore earlier connections between objects.

How can I see which attributes of an object have been changed?

To view the changed attribute values of an object, first open the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Depending on your user role, the diagrams are shown in different stages:

• Reader: As a Reader, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Publication stage if you have been given access permission. Otherwise, you can only compare the diagram with its direct predecessor.

• Reviewer: As a Reviewer, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Preview and Publication stages.

• Author, Editor and Administrator: As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you can view and compare changes to diagrams in all stages.

Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar. There you will find the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. The differences between the two versions are then shown in a list. You can change the stage or version if needed.

Note

The Show changes button appears only for objects that already have changes. If an object was added or deleted, the button is not shown.

Note

Changes in external function allocation diagrams are not shown. Only changes in internal allocation diagrams are taken into account.

After you click the Show changes button, a table appears. This table clearly shows the differences between the listed attributes. The left column lists the attribute names that were changed. The middle and right columns let you compare the differences between the active version (middle column) and the selected version (right column) in detail. To close the table, click the Close button.

Hint

Please note that when you compare the current diagram version with an archived version, the system attributes are also shown if they have been changed.

How can I view changes in relationship and assignment attributes?

To compare changes to parent objects that are contained in the relationship or assignment attributes of other objects, first open the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Depending on your user role, the diagrams are shown in different stages:

• Reader: As a Reader, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Publication stage if you have been given access permission. Otherwise, you can only compare the diagram with its direct predecessor.

• Reviewer: As a Reviewer, you can only view and compare changes to diagrams in the Preview and Publication stages.

• Author, Editor and Administrator: As an Author, Editor, or Administrator, you can view and compare changes to diagrams in all stages.

Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar. There you will find the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. The differences between the two versions are then shown in a list. You can change the stage or version if needed.

If changes were made to the relationship or assignment attributes of a parent object that refer to other objects, these changes appear in the Different attribute values section. The name of the referenced object is shown in the content language or, if it is not available there, in the alternative language. The attribute type name is shown in the browser language, followed by the name and type of the parent object.

You can then click the Show changes button to open a table that clearly shows the differences between the listed attributes.

Hint

Please note that changes to relationship or assignment attributes contained in other objects are shown in the Different attribute values section only if a diagram version already exists. If no earlier diagram version exists and only changes were made to the relationship or assignment attributes of another object, no new diagram version is created. Therefore, the changes cannot be shown.

By clicking the Go to occurrence button, you can view the details of the parent object and its position in the diagram, as long as the parent object exists in the diagram. If the parent object is not in the diagram, only its detail view opens.

Relationship and assignment attributes are shown in all sections of the model comparison. For these attributes, the Go to occurrence button is also available in all sections. This lets you go directly to the matching occurrence in the diagram.

After you click the button, the Details panel opens in the right sidebar. It shows all information about the parent object, and the selected object is highlighted. To return to the model comparison, close the panel by clicking the X button in the upper-left corner.

How can I apply attribute values from other diagram versions?

To apply attribute values from another diagram version to the active version, you must have the Author, Editor, or Administrator user role. First, click the Diagrams menu item in the left menu bar. Open the diagram you want to use to go to the diagram view and check out the diagram. Then switch to the Options panel in the right sidebar and click the Version changes option.

When you click the option, the current stage and the latest version before the active version are selected automatically. You can change the stage or version if needed. The differences between the two versions are then shown in a list.

When you move the mouse over the Different attribute values section, the Show changes button appears. Click this button to view the changes. A table opens and shows the differences between the listed attributes. The left column shows the attribute names that were changed. The middle and right columns let you compare the differences between the active version (middle column) and the selected version (right column) in detail. To close the table, click the Close button.

Hint

Please note that when you compare the current diagram version with an archived version, the system attributes are also shown if they have been changed.

In the middle column, the Update option appears next to the listed changes. You can use this option to apply the attribute value from the selected version to the current version. Then click the Confirm button to complete the change.

If you clicked the Update option for the wrong attribute value, you can undo it with the Undo update option. This option appears automatically after you click the Update option. To discard all changes, click the Cancel button.