> -----Original Message----- > From: Chris Steffens [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 11:18 AM > To: IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU > Subject: Compare two disk files > > Does anyone know of a slick (accurate) way to compare two files which > reside on two seperate tapes?
Chris, there are multiple alternatives. IBM SuperC is one already mentioned. In my experience, SuperC is great for unstructured reports, source code, and other text-type files. Not so hot for data-type files, especially if your data differs beyond the first 176 bytes. It never prints the whole record for differences, just the first 176 bytes. OEM alternatives include FileAid (Compuware), Comparex (Serena) and InSync (Macro4). IMHO Comparex is the cream of the crop for data file compares, but not everyone's shop can afford it. I haven't ever used FileAid for compares, so I can't comment on its effectiveness or flexibility. InSync has been improving in leaps and bounds lately and is pretty near to Comparex in functionality and flexibility (even somewhat better in places), and I am told it is more reasonably priced than the other two (I don't know this first-hand, YMMV). I have never had "false positives" or missed differences when using any of these alternatives within their capabilities. You can get reams of difference printout if you don't use or don't have keys to identify records. In my experience, text reports and source code and other text files are best processed by SuperC or Comparex. InSync's text compare has disappointed me in the past, though I haven't tried it in recent memory, so it may have been improved. As usual, what you use depends on your needs. Tape or disk should not make any difference, unless you need to compare large-block tapes (BLKSIZE > 32K-1). I don't know of any product that will help you there. As long as the tapes are SL, there should be little or no difference to comparing two disk files (except for the mount time, of course). HTH Peter This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail and delete the message and any attachments from your system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
