FactoryTalk AssetCentre Compare Engines frequently asked questions

What is the Compare Engines option?
The Compare Engines option was introduced in FactoryTalk AssetCentre version 4.10 and it allows users to specify the compare software to be used for different file types when using the RA Compare functionality. The Compare Engine settings are associated with the FactoryTalk AssetCentre server, so when you set this up on one client computer it is available to all clients connected to the server. The user can add, remove, duplicate, import, and export Compare Engines.
Does the Compare Engines option require a license?
The Compare Engines option does not require a license. Any third-party software application used in the Compare Engine might require a license.
How are the Compare Engines option accessed?
The Compare Engines option can be accessed within the FactoryTalk AssetCentre desktop client under the
Tools > Options
 menu.
What is the Enable for DR Compare option?
Turn on the
Enable for DR Compare
 option to select the current compare engine for the compare operations of Generic FTP or Remote Computer files. When this option is turned on, the selected compare engine will be listed under the Generic FTP Device or Remote Computer disaster recovery schedule compare configuration property. If this option is selected, the Timeout (seconds) and Report Location fields will be available, and the Extensions field and Fallback checkbox will be disabled.
What are the Compare Engines configuration options?
  • Description: name for the compare engine. This is the name shown when selecting a comparison software from a RA compare or Generic FTP custom compare list.
  • Application: comparison software application used during a compare operation.
  • Parameters: command line parameters used to run the selected comparison software. For the correct syntax, see the third-party compare software documentation.
  • Timeout (seconds): this field is disabled by default. Selecting
    Enable for DR Compare
     checkbox will turn on this option. The default value is 180 seconds. Specify an integer from 0 to 3600 to set the maximum duration (in seconds) allowed for completing a compare operation on Generic FTP or Remote Computer files. If an operation exceeds the configured time, it will be forcibly ended and the schedule will proceed. An entry of 0 seconds indicates no timeout.
  • Report Location: this field is disabled by default. Selecting
    Enable for DR Compare
     checkbox will turn on this option. This is the directory where FactoryTalk AssetCentre will save the most recent compare report for a compare operation of Generic FTP or Remote Computer files. Use the browse button to choose a directory.
  • Extensions: these are the file extensions associated with the compare engine to be used by the comparison software during a RA compare. This field is disabled if the
    Enable for DR Compare
     option is selected.
What is the Fallback option?
The
Fallback
option is disabled if the
Enable for DR Compare
 option is enabled. Clearing the
Enable for DR Compare
 option will enable the
Fallback
option. Enable this option if you want the selected compare engine to be used when a Rockwell Automation Compare is run on a file type that does not have a compare engine assigned to it.
What's the yellow checkmark icon next to a compare engine?
The yellow checkmark icon indicates that the compare engine is specified as fallback.
Which command line parameters can be used for comparison software?
The following table describes some of the parameters that may be used in the parameters configuration properties.
Parameter
Description
%Left.Target%
Full path to the first item to compare. Includes the file name when comparing a file.
%Left.Name%
Name of the first compare item. For a file, it is the file name. For a folder, it is the last folder name (in alphabetical order).
%Left.AssetDescription%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the description (as provided in the asset's properties) for the first asset to compare.
%Left.AssetPath%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the full path to the asset in the asset tree, beginning with the top FactoryTalk AssetCentre node in the tree.
%Left.AssetVersion%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the version number of the first asset to compare.
%Right.Target%
Full path to the second item to compare. Includes the file name when comparing a file.
%Right.Name%
Name of the second compare item. For a file, it is the file name. For a folder, it is the last folder name (in alphabetical order).
%Right.AssetDescription%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the description (as provided in the asset's properties) for the second asset to compare.
%Right.AssetPath%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the full path to the asset in the asset tree, beginning with the top FactoryTalk AssetCentre node in the tree.
%Right.AssetVersion%
Used only if comparing FactoryTalk AssetCentre assets. This is the version number on the second asset to compare.
%ReportFilePath%
Full path to save the compare report of Generic FTP files.
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