How to exclude text from compared output

[rob3770]

We have a nice script which compares our Windows servers services berfore and after implementations.
Some services are known to us to be safely ignored, i remember i think that certain text can be added to an Exclude list??

Help!!

Cheers

Rob

[rob3770]

Anyone know how to exclude text from being compared?

[Aaron]

Yes. You can define grammar items, mark them as unimportant, and then hide all unimportant differences. We have a kb article and video here:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo..._unimportantv3

Let us know if you have any questions.

[rob3770]

Hi, thanks for the link but im running BC 2 and using the command line, the link is for BC 3 and the GUI.

Cheers

Rob

[Aaron]

Hello,

Sorry! I didn't notice which forum you had originally posted in.

For BC2, you will follow similar steps:
Use the Tools menu -> Options dialog, Rules section. Edit or define a new rule associated with your file extension.
In the Importance tab you can define elements as either "Unimportant" or "Strings" (Important).

You will want to set it up in the graphical interface first, and as the default; that way when you double click and view the files they immediately set what you expect as unimportant.

If the defaults are setup correctly and the script runs as the same Windows User account, the script will also use the defaults and treat the text as unimportant for rules-based comparison scans, reports, etc.

I recommend viewing/setting up your files in the graphical interface first. This way you can see if your definitions are marking the text as blue (unimportant) appropriately. Once that is done, it is easier to setup a script that performs the same actions as you have already tested in the graphical interface.

[rob3770]

We don't have the gui version installed only the command line one. Do we need to install it?

Cheers

Rob

[Aaron]

Hello,

You should have an install of BC2 located on your machine. What is your current command line call? Calling BC2.exe should invoke the graphical interface.

[rob3770]

hi,

The compare command is...

bc2.exe @C:\sysman\Scripts\Service_Check\commands.txt /silent

The command file is...

file-report layout:side-by-side options:display-mismatches output-to:"c:\sysman\scripts\service_check\amalgamated\di ffs\isma-org_Services_Diff.html" output-options:html-color "c:\sysman\scripts\service_check\amalgamated\i sma-org_services_before.txt" "c:\sysman\scripts\service_check\amalgamated\i sma-org_services_after.txt"

[Aaron]

Hello,

You should be able to boot BC2 by double clicking on the BC2.exe located on your harddrive. If you create a new rule associated with *.txt you can mark specific text as unimportant and test it first in the graphical interface to make sure it is marked as blue. Once it is setup as blue in the interface, the script "ignore-unimportant" report option would then consider the blue text as if it were equal (black). The same as toggling Ignore Unimportant Differences in the toolbar in the graphical interface.

How does that work for you?

[rob3770]

I still need the service entries displayed if the running state changes, the issue is that BC2 highlights the whole line if it is found in another location in the list.

Our support guys are not concerned about that as Windows services can somtimes move in the output list as the system stops and starts them when required.

Cheers

Rob

[Aaron]

Hello,

So the difference to be ignored is a series of lines in a log file, but the log file lines are in potentially different orders?

If you can email us a pair of sample files to [email protected], along with a link back to this forum post for reference, we can take a look at them in more detail.

In general, if lines are in different orders on both sides, the method we use to compare them is to Sort them first. If your log files are 1 line apiece, BC3 can use the built in Windows Sort method to sort all of the files. Sorted is one of the default file formats.

Another example is presented in this KB article, which goes into detail on using a Custom external conversion solution:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo...rnalconversion

[rob3770]

Hi,

I have clicked within BC2.exe GUI after loading a before and after file- Tools | Edit Current Rules | Importance

Added within the String Literals field the service name that i want to mark as Unimportant and clicked OK

The script file should use the new rule? It doesn't when tested

Please advise as our output is full of lines of text that we have to remember to ignore.

Cheers

[Aaron]

Hello,

First, is it being ignored in the graphical interface? If you added the definition to the Strings section (and not the Unimportant section) then it would always be important, which is the opposite of what you want, correct?

I believe you want the definition in the Unimportant section, and when you double click your files, it should show up as Blue text. Blue text can then be ignored by toggling on the Ignore Unimportant Differences button in the toolbar.

Next, script would need to be run as the same user account as used in the graphical interface. Settings are stored on a per user basis, so if a new user is running the script/command line, they would not have the same settings. If you need to run as a different script user, you should run/setup the graphical interface as them, or run BC2 in a single-directory (all settings shared between all users) mode. It is the same type of install used for USB devices, setup instructions found here:
http://www.scootersoftware.com/suppo...removablemedia