Comparing XML Files

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When the XML Diff Tool is selected, the application will attempt to open the files as XML documents and use the XML Differencing Engine to compare them.

If the files are not valid XML Documents, the Text Diff Tool will automatically be selected, and the Text Differencing Engine will be used.

Ignore Comments

Selecting 'Ignore Comments' from the Options menu or Toolbar will tell the XML Differencing Engine to ignore any text changes within XML Comment blocks in the XML documents. E.g.

This can be useful if you are only interested in changes to the element and attribute values.

Ignore Whitespace

Selecting 'Ignore Whitespace' from the Options menu or Toolbar will tell the XML Differencing Engine to ignore any changes to whitespace characters such as spaces and tabs in the XML documents. This can be very useful as XML documents often use different whitespace to indent the elements.

Ignore XML Declarations

Selecting 'Ignore XML Declarations' from the Options menu or Toolbar will tell the XML Differencing Engine to ignore any text changes within XML Declaration blocks in the XML documents. E.g.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Ignore Preprocessor Instructions

Selecting 'Ignore XML Declarations' from the Options menu or Toolbar will tell the XML Differencing Engine to ignore any text changes within XML Preprocessor Instruction blocks in the XML documents. E.g.

<?pi test?>

Ignore DTD

Selecting 'Ignore DTD' from the Options menu or Toolbar will tell the XML Differencing Engine to ignore any text changes within DTD blocks in the XML documents. E.g.

<!DOCTYPE note SYSTEM "Rules.dtd">

XML Difference Language (XDL) Diffgram

XDL Diffgram is a Microsoft defined format for describing changes to an XML document.

You can save an XDL Diffgram file from the menu item File->Save Diffgram.

Example XDL Diffgram File:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xd:xmldiff version="1.0"
            srcDocHash="7638575221661232741"
            options="None"
            fragments="no"
            xmlns:xd="http://schemas.microsoft.com/xmltools/2002/xmldiff">
    <xd:change match="2">
        <!-- Created with Liquid Studio (https://www.liquid-technologies.com) -->
    </xd:change>
    <xd:node match="3">
        <xd:node match="1">
            <xd:change match="@price">7.99</xd:change>
            <xd:node match="1" />
            <xd:add match="/3/1/3" opid="1" />
            <xd:remove match="3" opid="1" />
        </xd:node>
        <xd:remove match="2" />
    </xd:node>
    <xd:descriptor opid="1" type="move" />
</xd:xmldiff>