Comparing configurations

You can compare configurations in the same project area to determine whether they contain different artifacts (identified by the URI or the name of an artifact), or different versions of the same artifacts. For example, partway through a project, you might compare a stream with its flow target to see which artifact versions are different. You can also compare collections of requirements. At the end of a project milestone, you might compare a stream with its baseline.

Before you begin

  • Ensure that you are familiar with project areas, components (if supported), baselines, streams, and change sets (if supported).
  • Ensure that you are logged in to a project.

About this task

For details about comparing configurations in the Engineering Test Management application, see Engineering Test Management application: comparing configurations.

Procedure

  1. Select a starting location and complete the associated steps:
    Option Description
    Toolbar

    Compare the current local configuration (shown in the Configuration Context section of the Current Configuration menu) to another local configuration.

    Note: If configuration management is not enabled, you can still compare baselines with each other or with the current state of the artifacts in your project by using this option.
    1. On the toolbar, click the current configuration name, and then click Compare Configuration.
    2. Select the configuration to compare with, and complete the steps in the wizard.
    Note: This is the only way to compare two baselines. Set the current configuration to a baseline; then, select another baseline to compare to.
    Configuration editor

    Compare the configuration that is open in the editor to another related configuration. Use this option to easily compare the current stream with other configurations in the project.

    1. From the Administration menu Administration menu, select Manage Components and Configurations and click a stream name.
    2. Select an icon near the upper right to compare the current stream to the baseline that it was created from, or to its flow target (destination stream).

    Open other configurations in the editor by clicking their names. If you open other streams in the editor, you can compare them to other configurations by using the Actions menu on the Streams and Baselines tabs.

    If the configuration is an initial stream:
    1. Complete step a above.
    2. On the Streams or Baselines tab, select the configuration to compare to the initial stream.
    3. In the Actions column, select the compare operation.
    Component overview page

    Use this page to compare only streams from the same component.

    1. From the Administration menu Administration menu, select Manage Components and Configurations.
    2. In the Actions column, select the check boxes for the two streams to compare.
    3. Near the upper right, click Compare the selected configurationsCompare the selected configurations.
    4. Complete the steps in the Compare Configurations wizard. Use the navigation icons in the upper right of the wizard pages to explore the differences in the configurations.
  2. Complete the steps in the Compare Configurations wizard. Use the navigation icons in the upper right of the wizard pages to explore the differences in the configurations.

What to do next

The comparison is specific to your session, and can't be shared. If other team members want to see the comparison, they must complete the preceding steps in their browser.