Bug 119605 - Document comparison is missing an option not to take into account (or show) style (or formatting) changes
Summary: Document comparison is missing an option not to take into account (or show) s...
Status: NEW
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Writer (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
Inherited From OOo
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Document-Comparison
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Reported: 2018-08-30 11:44 UTC by Daniel Grigoras
Modified: 2023-09-19 20:43 UTC (History)
4 users (show)

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Description Daniel Grigoras 2018-08-30 11:44:59 UTC
Description:
I tried comparing two documents, but the comparison was useless because the "Body Text" paragraph had been replaced with a different paragraph style and this change was highlighted throughout the document as if the text had changed, when only the style applied had changed.
Options should be added on comparing documents and whether style changes should be considered or only the text.

Steps to Reproduce:
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Actual Results:
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Expected Results:
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Reproducible: Always


User Profile Reset: No



Additional Info:
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Comment 1 Thomas Lendo 2018-09-04 19:02:48 UTC
It should be considered to exclude not only style formatting but also direct formatting to only compare text (as long as other features described in bug 71152 are not working yet).

But in which dialog can these options be placed as there is no comparison options dialog window when activating the compare document feature. I don't like the idea of a new dialog windows which would increase complexity and clicking quantity.

Is it possible to add options in the track changes window with the list of all changes to have it working 'on the fly's? Changing an option in the comparison view would work directly without the need of starting the comparison again.
Comment 2 Cor Nouws 2018-09-04 19:23:43 UTC
Looking in BugZilla, and testing in various versions, it appears as if change of styles triggers change tracking, is working on and off..

Anyway, in 3.3.0, 3.4.6 and 3.5.7 it does not. Afterwards it does.
But the issues (1), seem to suggest that it is more random??

Wishes enough (2) in general.

1) https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/buglist.cgi?component=Writer&f1=short_desc&f2=short_desc&j_top=OR&list_id=834541&product=LibreOffice&query_format=advanced&short_desc=track%20change%20style&short_desc_type=allwordssubstr

2) https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Track_changes
Comment 3 Cor Nouws 2018-09-04 19:25:51 UTC
(In reply to Thomas Lendo from comment #1)
> It should be considered to exclude not only style formatting but also direct
> ...

Options to include or exclude style and formatting information are IMO relevant.

Maybe best is to always record, and once recorded, provide the ability to show/hide the info.
Comment 4 Heiko Tietze 2018-09-05 18:39:38 UTC
There seems to be some agreement, though I'm afraid of this enhancement as users may want a more options for the comparison. And that is definitely better done per extension.

However, the basic option makes sense. And likewise at the Open or Save As dialogs we could have a checkbox there "[x] Include formattings in comparison" (mind the positive wording and the checked state).

PS: 

I tested the function with DT+F3 (summy text) -> formatting to some words -> save as untitled 1; New -> DT+F3 -> Edit > Track Changes > Compare Document... and literally nothing happened. If there is no difference we should pop-up an info box, otherwise the differences have to be clear.
Comment 5 Cor Nouws 2018-09-07 15:15:00 UTC
(In reply to Heiko Tietze from comment #4)

> I tested the function with DT+F3 (summy text) -> formatting to some words ->
> save as untitled 1; New -> DT+F3 -> Edit > Track Changes > Compare
> Document... and literally nothing happened. 

1. I looks as if only change in paragraph style is recorded.
2. For comparing, as far as I know, the one document has to be a copy of the other (and not just the same untitled-procudure)

> If there is no difference we
> should pop-up an info box, otherwise the differences have to be clear.

Looks as a valid rfe :)
Comment 6 Cor Nouws 2018-09-07 21:07:35 UTC
@lászló: looking at your great work in this area (thanks!) you might want to give some comment on this issue too?