Compare snapshots from the same or different applications

Use the Config Data Analyzer tool to find similarities and differences between two snapshots from the same or different applications.

Before you begin

Important:

Starting with the Washington D.C. release, DevOps Config is being prepared for future deprecation. It will be hidden and no longer activated on new instances but will continue to be supported.

Role required: cdm_viewer, cdm_editor, or cdm_admin

About this task

You can compare and contrast snapshots from any deployable of the same or different applications.

To see the changes between two snapshots from the same deployables, see Compare two snapshots of a deployable.

Procedure

1. While viewing an application, select Compare config data.
   The Compare config data tab opens. The current application is the target application, and its name is pre-populated in the Target application.

   

2. Select the Snapshot option in the Compare type field.
3. Select an application and then their snapshots to compare.

   Option	Description
   Reference application	Application to compare with the target application. The field lists the latest committed data for all applications including the target application.
   Reference snapshot	Snapshot of the reference application to compare.
   Target snapshot	Snapshot of the target application against which the reference snapshot is compared.

4. Optional: If you've the cdm_secrets role, you can select View encrypted data to view encrypted values in clear text in the comparison results.
   Note:

   The check box is inactive for users who don’t have the cdm_secrets role. When the values in the target and reference differ, the comparison results indicate that the values differ, but the data itself still appears as ********.
5. Select Compare.
   The Config data differences section displays the comparison results. It shows the differences between the selected reference and target snapshots.

   Important:

   If you commit changes to a reference application while the Compare config data tab is open: When you return to the Compare config data tab and select Compare, the system uses the most recent committed changeset, performs the comparison again, and then displays the new results in the results section.

   The letters in the following illustration identify the tools that you can use to analyze the data.

   

   A: Navigation panel

   The navigation panel displays the node structure of the applications.

   • Nodes that include changed CDIs (either directly or in descendent nodes) are annotated with Different.
   • Nodes that include newly added CDIs (either directly or in descendent nodes) are annotated with the identity of the application changeset that includes the new data, either Reference or Target.

   You can search for a node name in the Search field. Select a node to view its contents in the Differences panel.

   B: Differences panel

   The CDIs and variables tab displays changes to individual CDIs for the node that is selected in the navigation panel.

   • By default, the root node is selected and the data panel includes all CDIs for both changesets. Select a node in the navigation panel to display data for only that node and its descendents.
   • When Diff only is selected, the number of CDIs that differ appears after the node path.
   • Node paths are displayed in gray. Use the expansion icon () to view CDIs in a folder.

   Table 1. CDIs and variables tab

   Column	Description
   Differences	Indicator to show where the differences are. Target: The CDI appears only in the target changeset. Reference: The CDI appears only in the reference changeset. Different: For the specified CDI, the values in the target and reference changesets differ.
   Description	Statement of how the changesets differ. For example, the text might indicate that a CDI appears only in the reference changeset or that the values for a variable differ between the changesets. See Types of differences between CDM applications for the full list of difference types and their causes.
   Name	Name of the CDI.
   Reference (R)	Value of the CDI in the reference changeset.
   Target (T)	Value of the CDI in the target changeset.
   Source level (R/T)	The node level in the code at which the CDI is defined. Direct: The CDI is defined in the selected node. Include: The value of the CDI is obtained from a node that is included in the selected node. Override: The value of the CDI in an included node is overridden by a value that is specified in the including node. Values appear in the following formats: <reference level / target level> when a value appears in both target and reference. <reference level> when a value appears in only the reference changeset. <target level> when a value appears in only the target changeset. For example, when a CDI is defined in the reference changeset with the value true and the CDI doesn’t appear in the target changeset, then the last three columns in the CDIs and variables tab will have the following values: Reference (R): true Target (T): [Empty] Source level (R/T): Direct

   If a file node is selected in the tree, the File information tab displays its metadata.

   Table 2. File information tab - List columns

   Column	Description
   Differences	Indicator to show where the differences are. Target: The file node is available only in the target changeset. Reference: The file node is available only in the reference changeset. Different: The file node data differs in the target and reference changesets.
   File metadata	Metadata of the file attached to the file node. File name: Name of the attached file in the file node. Content type: Content type of the file. Content: Content of the attached file. Preview is not available on the list, but you can download the file to preview it. File URL: Folder path where the file exists.
   Reference (R)	Details of the file present in the reference changeset.
   Target (T)	Details of the file present in the target changeset.