Data Comparison Tool for Job Design Versioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for comparing versions of job designs in data integration systems lack sufficient context and detail, making it difficult for designers to distinguish between structural and property differences, and often present unnecessary information.
Innovation Solution
A data comparison tool that generates hyperlinks to represent differences between original and derived data sets, allowing users to navigate and operate on specific items within the context of the job design, with a hierarchical presentation and highlighting features to focus on changed elements, and the ability to save comparisons as HTML for easy exploration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a standard XML-oriented diff tool is used to compare job design versions, then the comparison can be performed automatically, but the designer cannot distinguish between structural and property differences and is overwhelmed by unnecessary detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the job design metadata into hierarchical categories (structural elements vs. property elements). The comparison tool separately identifies and presents structural differences (such as added/removed stages or links) distinct from property differences (such as changed column definitions or stage parameters). This segmentation allows designers to focus on structural changes while optionally examining property changes, resolving the contradiction between automation and ease of difference identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the relevant differences between job design versions, filtering out unnecessary details. The system identifies and extracts structural differences (topological changes in the data flow graph) and property differences separately, presenting them in a focused manner. This extraction principle eliminates the overwhelming detail problem while maintaining automated comparison capabilities.
2Loss of information
If detailed metadata is presented in the comparison, then complete information is provided, but unnecessary detail is shown that does not help the designer understand changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of detail for different types of differences. Structural differences are presented with high-level contextual information about their impact on the data flow graph, while property differences are shown with appropriate detail only when relevant. The interface allows designers to drill down into specific differences only when needed, providing complete information where necessary while maintaining simplicity elsewhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional aspect to the comparison by organizing differences hierarchically (structural vs. property levels) and spatially (grouping related changes). This dimensional organization allows designers to navigate from high-level structural changes to detailed property changes only when necessary, improving comprehension while preserving information completeness through selective expansion.
3Loss of information
If the comparison tool shows all differences between job versions, then complete change tracking is achieved, but the designer cannot easily navigate to the specific changed items in the job design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces hyperlink intermediaries that connect the comparison view with the job design editor. Each identified difference (structural or property) is represented as a clickable hyperlink that, when selected, navigates the designer directly to the corresponding element in the job design canvas or properties panel. This intermediary mechanism bridges the gap between comprehensive change tracking and easy navigation, allowing designers to efficiently locate and examine specific changes without manually searching through the entire job design.
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a data comparison tool, method and computer program product for analyzing a set of data, the set of data being derived from an original set of data, comprising: comparing the derived set of data with the original set of data; generating a hyperlink to represent each difference between the derived and original data set, each difference being a changed item, an additional item, or a missing data item; providing at least one agent that is activated on selection of the hyperlink to operate on the changed, additional or missing data item; whereby a list of hyperlinks is generated to represent all the differences of the derived and original data set and selecting one of the hyperlinks will execute an agent to operate on a single data item in one of the data sets. An editor agent is provided for allowing the user to confirm or make further changes to the data item. An undo agent is provided for undoing the difference wherein a changed item is changed back, an additional item is removed and a missing item is replaced.