Select Objects and Properties to Compare

You compare objects at the Database level, Physical level, Logical level, or Logical and Physical level. Your choice of level is then set for the entire compare process. Select the objects and properties at the model level, entity (or table) level, or attribute (or column) level. When you resolve differences, the model level differences display, followed by the entity level differences, and then the attribute level differences.

This procedure explains the selection of objects and properties with examples that address the following common comparison requirements:

• Model level comparison: Author, name of the model, theme that is applied, and the target database
• Entity level comparison: Entity name, order of entities, comments on entities, and relationships
• Attribute level comparison: Attribute names, logical data types, comments on attributes, the null option, and type of attribute
• Table level comparison: Table name, order of columns in the model, order of columns in the database, comments on tables, and the schema
• Column level comparison: Comment, column name, the null option, and the physical data type

Follow these steps:

1. On the Complete Compare Type Selection pane, complete the following steps to compare the model level objects and properties--Author, Name, Theme, Type:
   1. Select Logical Level, Physical Level, or both for Compare Level.

      Note: The Logical, Physical, and Database check boxes are enabled depending on the type of left and right models that you select.

   2. Select Standard Default Option Set.
   3. Click the Model check box twice to clear the default selections.
   4. Expand Model, Properties, and select the following options:

      Author

      Compare the value in the Author field of the Model Properties editor.

      Name

      Compare the name of the model.

      Target Server

      Compare the target databases for which the models are created. This option is displayed when you select Physical Level or Database Level.

      Theme

      Compare the theme that is applied to the model.

2. On the Complete Compare Type Selection pane, complete the following steps to compare the entity level objects and properties�Entity names, order of entities, comments on entities, relationships:
   1. Select Logical Level for Compare Level.
   2. Select Standard Default Option Set.
   3. Click the Model check box twice to clear the default selections.
   4. Expand Model, Entity, Properties, and select the following options:

      Attribute Order

      Compare the order in which attributes appear in the model.

      Definition

      Compare the definitions that are entered for entities.

      Name

      Compare the names of entities.

   5. Expand Relationship, Properties, and select the following options:

      Name

      Compare the name of the relationship.

      Type

      Compare the type of relationship�identifying or non-identifying. Select Entity or Table to view the comparison details of relationships.

3. On the Complete Compare Type Selection pane, complete the following steps to compare the attribute level objects and properties�attribute names, logical data types, comments on attributes, null option, attribute type:
   1. Select Logical Level for Compare Level.
   2. Select Standard Default Option Set.
   3. Click the Model check box twice to clear the default selections.
   4. Expand Model, Entity, Attribute, Properties, and select the following options:

      Definition

      Compare the comments that are entered for attributes.

      Logical Data Type

      Compare the data type selected for attributes in the Logical model.

      Name

      Compare the names of attributes.

      Null Option

      Compare the value of the Null Option. Displays whether the attribute is null or not null, and displays if the value is calculated.

      Type

      Compare the type of the attribute�primary key or non-primary key.

4. On the Complete Compare Type Selection pane, complete the following steps to compare table level objects and properties�table name, order of columns in the model, order of columns in the database, comments on tables, schema:
   1. Select Physical Level for Compare Level.
   2. Select Standard Default Option Set.
   3. Click the Model check box twice to clear the default selections.
   4. Expand Model, Table, Properties, and select the following options:

      Comment

      Compare the comments that are entered for tables.

      Column Order

      Compare the order in which columns are displayed in the model.

      Database Column Order

      Compare the order in which columns are created in the model.

      Physical Name

      Compare the column names in the physical model.

      Schema

      Compare the names of the schemas that are attached to the tables.

5. On the Complete Compare Type Selection pane, complete the following steps to compare column level objects and properties�Column name, data source, null option, data type:
   1. Select Physical Level for Compare Level.
   2. Select Standard Default Option Set.
   3. Click the Model check box twice to clear the default selections.
   4. Expand Table, Column, Properties, and select the following options:

      Comment

      Compare the comments for columns.

      Null Option

      Compare the value for Null Option�null or not null.

      Physical Data Type

      Compare the data types selected in the physical model.

      Physical Name

      Compare the column names.

   5. Expand Relationship, Properties, and select Physical Name.
6. Click Next.

   The type selection is saved and the Left Model Object Selection pane appears.

The objects and properties are selected for comparison.

Note: You can also select Logical and Physical and select both Entities/Attributes and Table/Column Properties, provided you are comparing two Logical/Physical models.

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