Re: Version Control of XML data

On 07/09/05, Ryan Schmidt <subversion-2005@ryandesign.com> wrote:

> > For example, many XML tools like to sort attributes. Two documents
> > with identical content will be determined to have many differences
> > by traditional tools because the atttributes have been reordered.
>
> You could build functionality into your wrapper script to normalize
> your XML files into a predictable format. If the tools you use like
> to write entries in an unpredictable order, for example, then your
> wrapper could sort the entries before doing anything. That would make
> the diff make sense again, and show only real differences.
Except for whitespace handling in XML.
XML diff tools are really a long way from text file diff tools.
There is quite a history of this on xml-dev list.

> > If I configure subversion to use external differencing tools, will
> > it use these exclusively for all operations involving differences?

>
> No, Subversion always uses its internal differencing engine to store
> diffs. Specifying alternate diff tools is solely for your benefit
> when you're examining files.

Which makes it unsuitable for handling XML files, if a diff is needed?

http://www.jclark.com/xml/ has xmltest.java which provides
a cononical version of an instance.
It may help.

-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk
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