To compare two different projects, you may use the Merge projects tool. It will allow you to visualize their differences and to generate an impact script to update your database with information on both projects.
1. Select Merge on the Project tab on the Home ribbon.
2. On the Compare projects dialog, select the path and the file of the project you want to merge with the current one and click next.
3. The Compare projects dialog will now list each project's objects. All selected objects are organized hierarchically in two synchronized project trees. You are able to edit the information below:
•Hide unchanged items: when selected, this option hides all items that are equivalent in both projects. The only items shown are the ones that differ or are present in only one of the projects. By default, this option is unchecked and all objects are shown, with the differences highlighted in bold.
•Filter the desired objects: selects which objects are compared on the project trees. The options are Tables, Indexes, Relationships, Triggers, Domains, Procedures and Views. By default all objects are checked.
•Action: defines which action will be taken regarding the differences found after project comparison. By default, the option Generate database script is selected, and results in the generation of an impact script to update the database with all the selected differences after clicking Generate.
•Project trees: the objects that differ between the projects are in bold.
▪The middle column allows you to select changes to be included on the impact script. Selected changes are marked with a fingerpoint icon.
▪By expanding the bold objects you will get to the exact item where the difference is. For example, if a field exists in one project but does not exist on the other, the corresponding tables are in bold. When expanding the table, the item Fields is in bold, and when expanding Fields, only the different fields remain in bold.
▪When clicking on the bold object, the object creation scripts are compared side by side highlighting the differences on the text boxes below.
▪When an object is non-existent in one of the projects, it is signalized on this project tree with the text '(not exists)' besides the equivalent field on the other project. In this case, the impact script will generate commands to add or remove the item, as shown below.
4. By clicking Generate, an impact script will be created and shown to allow you to update your current database with the merged projects' settings. Selecting Back will take you to the dialog to select other projects to be compared. Selecting Close will close the dialog without saving any changes.
