Excel WorkSheet comparison

[Aaron]

Hello,

Does it fail for all Excel files or only specific ones? Would you be able to email us a pair of sample files? Please also include in the email to [email protected]
1) Your Support.zip (Help menu -> Support; Export)
2) A link back to this forum post

[schwabeg]

Excel compare: BC3 vs Excel

Hi,

I have a problem when I try to compare two excel files:

If I compare two revisions of a SVN controlled Exel file it works without any problems. I have used this settings in TortoiseSVN:
"C:\Program Files\Beyond Compare 3\BCompare.exe" %base %mine /title1=%bname /title2=%yname /leftreadonly
Both XLS files are opened on the fly side by side in MS Excel 2007 and compared. Only cells with differences get red. Great, that is what I want.
see screenshot Excel_Compare_1.gif

BUT if I try to compare them directly with BC3 Excel is not opened but a text view shows some differences. see screenshot Excel_Compare_2.gif

I did already try all the additional BC3 plug-ins. But none opened MS Excel for comparison of the files. (There are only some formulas but no VB code inside the XLS)

Thanks in advance
Dominik

[Aaron]

Hello,

First, you will want to setup your source control using our guide here, and using BComp.exe instead of Bcompare.exe
http://www.scootersoftware.com/support.php?zz=kb_vcs

Next, it looks like you are using the Text Compare to compare your .xls files. This is not the default behavior; did you install any of our additional File Formats from our website? As is, the text compare will mark the entire background as red and the different text as a red foreground color. You can go to the Tools menu -> File Formats; the topmost, enabled file format is the one that is used automatically.

The Data Compare is normally what is used for .xls comparisons. This will still mark the entire row as a red background color if a difference is found on it, but only the different cells will have red foreground coloring. You can use the Next Difference command to jump to them.

Let us know if you have any questions,

[schwabeg]

Hi,

Right I've installed: XLS_to_CSV_Formulas.vbs, XLS_to_XML.vbs, XLS_to_CSV.vbs which all do a conversion to txt or csv.

If I select "Data compare" in the explorer context menu it openes a comparison/merge window which is similar to that what I want but far not as good as the Excel comparison. (see screen shot)

The SVN triggered XLS Comparison does more. It compares cells by cell and mark them red if unequal. And I can compare all slides inside of the XLS.

Thanks
Dominik

[Aaron]

Hello,

By default, the Data Compare sets the first column to be a Key column. This should be a unique number or identifier that is used for the alignment of the rows. Normally an ID number or multiple columns (First Name, Last Name). If your data does not have a Key, you could want to disable this behavior. Form your screenshot, it looks like you have multiple "1b" values, so the first column is not a key column by itself. You can change this in the Session Settings, or by right clicking the column header and switching it to Std.

Once two rows are aligned, the data is compared cell by cell. The entire background is marked as red to make it easier to find a difference that is offscreen, but only the different text is marked as red. This is also customizable in the Tools menu -> Options, File Views -> Compare Colors. In the upper right, drag the vertical bar to the bottom (or otherwise move the bars around) to change how differences are represented.

If you have any questions, please let us know.

[schwabeg]

its working now. Thanks