Compare Process Apps Mode

This mode is used to compare two process apps. For an overview about this functionality and for use cases, see Compare and Merge.

This mode is entered after you select Compare from the Composer menu and then select a process app to compare with the open process app. There are three windows: at the top, a comparison report that textually describes the differences; on the left, the open process app; and on the right, the comparison process app. This is the default layout.

You can move and resize each window and store the arrangement as a custom layout. This is useful when you have multiple monitors, because you can maximize use of the available screen space. For example, you could move the compared process app window to its own screen. The next time you enter comparison mode, you can quickly restore this custom layout. You can also have it automatically applied each time you enter comparison mode, or reset the default layout. For more information, see the "Layout" row in the following table.

Differences are marked by highlight colors. This provides a quick, visual way to determine items that are in one process app but not the other, and items that are in both process apps but that differ. These indicators cover a wide range of detail. For example, if a state in the application workflow in one process app has an additional outgoing transition, the workflow name in App Explorer will be highlighted, as well as the transition in the workflow editor. If a field option is different in one process app, the option will be highlighted in the field Property Editor.

After you examine the differences between the two process apps, you could merge some or all of the changes. You can copy items from the comparison process app into the open process app, and make manual changes in the open process app. For instructions, see Comparing and Merging Process Apps.

Element	Description
Comparison Report	This window includes an App Explorer-like navigation pane and a summary pane. When you click an item in the navigation pane, details about it are described in the summary pane. Annotations and colors indicate the differences between the items in the two process apps. Clicking an item in the navigation pane also opens the relevant Property Editor or editor in both the open and comparison process apps.
Options	Shows or hides items that were dismissed or that are identical to items in the other process app. Ignore localizable properties: Do not display differences for strings that can be translated into other languages. These strings include labels, names, end-user help text, display text, values for Binary/Trinary fields, and so on. If this check box is not selected, all translated strings will show up as differences when you compare with a new, unlocalized version of the process app. Show dismissed items: Display items that were dismissed. These items are crossed out and in a lighter shade. This option must be selected if you want to restore individual dismissed items. Show unchanged items in collections: Display all items, even those that are the same in the other process app.
Legend	Defines the meaning of the highlight colors used in the editor to denote differences. To change the colors, see Comparison Options.
Refresh	Refreshes the comparison after you copy an item from the comparison process app to the open process app, or change something else in the open process app. You can also click the link to the left of this button to refresh the comparison.
Export	Exports the comparison report to a folder on the file system of your computer.
Options (menu)	Show Dismissed Items and Show Unchanged Items in Collections shows or hides items that were dismissed or that are identical to items in the other process app, as described above. Restore Dismissed Differences restores all dismissed items, even if they are not shown.
Layout	The comparison mode elements can be resized and moved to create a custom layout. The following options are available: Store Layout: Store the current layout as a custom layout. Restore Layout: Arranges the windows using the stored custom layout. Reset Layout: Arrange the windows using the default layout, in which the comparison report is at the top, the open process app is on the left, and the comparison process app is on the right. Auto Restore: Arranges the windows using the stored custom layout every time you enter comparison mode. After this option is clicked, a check mark appears next to it. The option remains selected in subsequent sessions until you clear the check box.
Close Comparison	Closes the comparison view and restores the normal view of the open process app.
Open process app	By default, the open process app is displayed on the left side, below the Comparison Report.
Comparison process app	By default, the comparison process app is displayed on the right, next to the open process app. This process app is read-only.