Comparing DBs with Windiff

I scripted two versions of a database and then compared the text files using
WinDiff. There were major differences in the two files but Windiff said
they were the same "except for blanks." Has anyone else had such a problem
with WinDiff?
Are there any good (free or cheap) file comparison programs around that
work?
Thanks,
G
GaryB wrote:
> I scripted two versions of a database and then compared the text
> files using WinDiff. There were major differences in the two files
> but Windiff said they were the same "except for blanks." Has anyone
> else had such a problem with WinDiff?
> Are there any good (free or cheap) file comparison programs around
> that work?
> Thanks,
> G
Have you tried the command-line "fc.exe" that is bult into Windows. It
should be in the path, but on my XP system is located in the
WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder.
David Gugick
Imceda Software
www.imceda.com
|||Not with Windiff, but I've observed the problem with RedGate SQL Compare
where database objects show as the same but manual examination reveals
significant differences.
Michael D. Long
"GaryB" <gb@.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:ubOAitAoEHA.2804@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>I scripted two versions of a database and then compared the text files
>using
> WinDiff. There were major differences in the two files but Windiff said
> they were the same "except for blanks." Has anyone else had such a
> problem
> with WinDiff?
> Are there any good (free or cheap) file comparison programs around that
> work?
> Thanks,
> G
>
|||Would you be able to post some segments of text that aren't comparing
properly? I'm very surprised -- and disturbed -- to hear that Windiff isn't
reliable; it's quite an old product at this point, and I use it extensively
to compare source code. So I'd really like to know if it has deficiencies.
"GaryB" <gb@.nospam.com> wrote in message
news:ubOAitAoEHA.2804@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> I scripted two versions of a database and then compared the text files
using
> WinDiff. There were major differences in the two files but Windiff said
> they were the same "except for blanks." Has anyone else had such a
problem
> with WinDiff?
> Are there any good (free or cheap) file comparison programs around that
> work?
> Thanks,
> G
>
|||GaryB wrote:
> I scripted two versions of a database and then compared the text
> files using WinDiff. There were major differences in the two files
> but Windiff said they were the same "except for blanks." Has anyone
> else had such a problem with WinDiff?
> Are there any good (free or cheap) file comparison programs around
> that work?
> Thanks,
> G
I think the problem is that WinDiff is not designed for use with binary
files. It's an ASCII comparison tool. I would use fc.exe instead.
See this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;159214
David Gugick
Imceda Software
www.imceda.com
|||"David Gugick" <davidg-nospam@.imceda.com> wrote in message
news:esqkY7FoEHA.1152@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> I think the problem is that WinDiff is not designed for use with binary
> files. It's an ASCII comparison tool. I would use fc.exe instead.
Last time I checked, SQL Scripts are just text files. But I guess the
OP could have had them Unicode encoded?
Anyway, if you want a better diff/merge program than WinDiff, I highly
recommend Beyond Compare... fc.exe is rather ancient and difficult to use in
this age of Graphical User Interfaces...
http://www.scootersoftware.com/moreinfo.html
|||Adam Machanic wrote:
> "David Gugick" <davidg-nospam@.imceda.com> wrote in message
> news:esqkY7FoEHA.1152@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Last time I checked, SQL Scripts are just text files. But I
> guess the OP could have had them Unicode encoded?
> Anyway, if you want a better diff/merge program than WinDiff, I
> highly recommend Beyond Compare... fc.exe is rather ancient and
> difficult to use in this age of Graphical User Interfaces...
> http://www.scootersoftware.com/moreinfo.html
I misread the OP. I thought he was comparing data files.
On another note, I use Beyond Compare as well and think it's a great
tool although I do find myself using FC.EXE on occasion for quick
comparisons.
David Gugick
Imceda Software
www.imceda.com
|||..sql files are text script files.
G
"David Gugick" <davidg-nospam@.imceda.com> wrote in message
news:esqkY7FoEHA.1152@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> GaryB wrote:
> I think the problem is that WinDiff is not designed for use with binary
> files. It's an ASCII comparison tool. I would use fc.exe instead.
> See this article:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;159214
>
> --
> David Gugick
> Imceda Software
> www.imceda.com
>
|||Sorry but it is a script of our entire database that is propritary. one
data base had many tables missing, views missing, some column differences,
and stored procedures missing. WinDiff just pops up a dialog saying
difference in blanks only. I'm using WinDiff 5.1. I'll try tht Beyond
Compare.
G
"Adam Machanic" <amachanic@.hotmail._removetoemail_.com> wrote in message
news:uxnwyoEoEHA.3628@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Would you be able to post some segments of text that aren't comparing
> properly? I'm very surprised -- and disturbed -- to hear that Windiff
> isn't
> reliable; it's quite an old product at this point, and I use it
> extensively
> to compare source code. So I'd really like to know if it has
> deficiencies.
>
> "GaryB" <gb@.nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:ubOAitAoEHA.2804@.TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> using
> problem
>
sqlsql