KS DB Merge Tools
Documentation
for MS Access
aka AccdbMerge
for SQL Server
aka MssqlMerge
for MySQL
 
for SQLite
 
for PostgreSQL
 
for Cross-DBMS
 

Home tab

  • Opened from: N\A (always shown, default application tab)
  • Applicable tab-specific toolbar actions:
    • Refresh object definitions and diff results
    • Export to Excel
    • Copy selection to clipboard
    • Show all, new and changed, new, changed objects
  • Applicable object types: all

That's the initial application tab. It is used to open databases and to show summary about all database objects. Note that it does not provide information about data/content changes, only about object definitions. Also this tab is used to add/remove diff profiles.

Tab is splinted in two parts, each of them represents database being compared. Each part shows path of the loaded database and allows the following actions:

  • Open database - opens the standart file open dialog to choose SQLite database file or *.sqlts file for the given side
  • Open database from path in clipboard - you can copy full path of the database file to clipboard and then open it using this command
  • Open database with password - opens Open protected files dialog to load password-protected database file to the given side
  • Refresh - reload currently loaded database - update its definitions and recompare with other side
  • Show in folder - opens windows exlorer with folder containing database file
  • click on object type name: Opens object list tab for the given object type (all objects)
  • click on object count: Opens object list tab for the given object type filtered to objects representing this count
  • small batch data diff buttons : for tables and views you can open batch data diff tab filtered for tables or views respectively

Note that Pragmas are marked with 'DIFF ONLY' because they are only compared and can't be synchronized. Tables are marked with 'MERGE NEW ONLY' because application currently does not support changes syncronization for existing tables (like import just one new column for existing table). You can import only new table definition. For existing tables you can drop target table and then import source table as new, however in this case 1) you'll loose data in the target table, and 2) drop action may fail because of other objects depending on that table.

At the bottom there are two collapsible sections: Recent databases and Diff profiles.

Recent databases section showing last file pairs that were opened. Note that if you're running multiple application instances in parallel then one application can overwrite recent files data saved by another application instance. Maximum number of recent pairs is 10 for Pro and 3 for Free. Each file pair has the following actions:

  • Open both databases
  • Open this database in the left panel
  • Open this database in the right panel

Diff profiles section showing the list of bound diff profiles. Diff profile contains list of preset custom mappings and queries. Bound diff profile is a profile presented in the Diff profile list of the Home tab.

What is the purpose of the diff profile? For example, some team works on two applications - app1 and app2, each has its own database. Some table names (such as User) are pretty common - so there is a big chance that we'll get different DBs having the same table name but in each DB this table has a different set of columns and/or keys. Table User in app1 may have no primary key and we want to compare its data by email, but never use email as a key for app2 DB instances. This can be achieved using diff profiles. We create a new diff profile for app1, specify custom mapping for table User and save this mapping in that diff profile. Now if we have app1 diff profile loaded, when we compare any pair of app1 DB instances, application will use Email as a key.

A number of related application dialogs and tabs have 'Save to diff profile' option:

Diff profiles are saved to separate files in xml format with *.dmtdp file extension. If 'Diff profiles' section is expanded, then it has two actions to add profile:

  • Add new profile - Create a new (empty) diff profile file and bind it to application
  • Open existing profile - Open some existing diff profile file and bind it to application

Each bound diff profile has the following columns and actions:

  • Profile - full path of the diff profile file
  • Status of the diff profile. It can be:
    • Not loaded - just a bound profile presented in list
    • Not loaded (some error text) - there was an attempt to load this profile but it has failed with the mentioned error
    • Loaded (number of mappings and queries) - it is a loaded active profile. Its mappings are automatically applied for corresponding data diff operations and it can be used to save new mappings and queries. Loaded status represents a hyperlink action which opens Diff profile editor tab
  • Load on start - If enabled, profile is auto-loaded on application start. Only one profile in list can selected to load on start. If we select any profile, any other selected profile is made not selected.
  • Load profile action, also represents that profile is not loaded. Only one profile from the list can be loaded. If we load any profile, any other loaded profile is unloaded
  • Unload profile action, also represents that profile is loaded. Profile mappings are no longer applied for further data diff actions. Diff profile editor tab is closed if it was opened. Any related Query result diff tab remains opened, but becomes no longer related to the diff profile
  • Show in folder - opens windows exlorer with folder containing diff profile file
  • Delete from list - unbind diff profile and therefore remove it from the diff profile list. This action does not remove the file itself. If profile was loaded, then it is made unloaded first.

Free version limitations:

  • Reduced number of loaded and shown object types: Pragmas are not supported
  • Batch data diff buttons are not available
  • Command 'Open database from path in clipboard' is not available
  • Command 'Open database with password' is not available
  • Command 'Show in folder' is not available
  • No Excel export
  • No Copy to clipboard
  • 3 items in the Recent databases list
  • No Diff profiles

Last updated: 2022-05-23