Compare and merge versions in Oxygen

While developing content in Inspire using the Oxygen XML Editor, you can compare the original content with other content. You can compare the original component to an older version contained in snapshots. You can also merge any content from the version you're comparing back into the original component you're editing. You can save your changes to the current version or as a new file.

Tips and tricks

  • When you compare the original version with its historical snapshots in Oxygen, you can only select a snapshot where there are content changes.
    • To know if there are content changes, after you select Compare with... and History, look in the Content Changed column.

    • If you select a snapshot where there were no content changes, you won't be able to click the Select button.
  • You can only move content from a snapshot, branch or comparison component into the original version.
  • You can't move content from the original version to the snapshot, branch, or component you're comparing. Any component you compare to the original version remains unchanged, even if you click Merge.
  • When you compare the original version with its historical snapshots, you can use the ones taken by Inspire or Create a snapshot on demand.
  • Other ways to compare components:

These instructions are for use while editing a component in the Oxygen editor. If necessary, follow the steps in Open a component for editing.

To compare and merge versions in Oxygen:

  1. Select the type of component you want to do a comparison with.

    Choose from:

    • History - opens a list of related snapshots so you can select an older version to compare to the component you're currently editing.

      You can only select a historical snapshot where Content Changed is Yes.

    • Branch - opens a screen to find branches related to the component you're currently editing.
    • Component - opens a screen so you can select an unrelated component to compare to the one you're currently editing.
  2. Use the Merge screen to compare the components.

    Tips

    • Topic mode ﹘ by default, you see content in both the left and right panes with Full Tags with Attributes.
      • You can use the view option at the top of the screen to change the display to any of the following options:
        • Full Tags with Attributes
        • Full Tags (no attributes)
        • Block Tags
        • Inline Tags
        • Partial Tags
        • No Tags
    • Left pane ﹘ first you see the original version of the component in the left pane. You can see the name of the component above it.
    • Right pane ﹘ in the second pane you see the version of the component that you chose to Compare with... You can see the date of the version above it.
      • If you choose a snapshot-on-demand to Compare with..., the name of the component also appears before the date. For steps on taking this type of snapshot, follow the steps in Create a snapshot on demand.
    • Highlights ﹘ you see differences in blocks highlighted in blue.
      • In the left pane, you can select text. You see it highlighted in yellow.