> ## Content Index
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> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.
# Diff Tool Exercises
- URL: https://www.workroom-productions.com/diff-tool-exercises/
- Published: 2025-01-07T11:21:06.000Z
- Updated: 2025-02-05T19:22:49.000Z
- Description: Play with `diff` – solutions available.
- Author: James Lyndsay
- Tags: Exercises
`diff` compares two files, highlighting differences. Here's [how diff can work for testers](https://www.workroom-productions.com/diff-for-testers/). On that page, you'll find links to several tools that implement and build on `diff` – you may already have your own preference.
In this exercise, you’ll use any diff tool that seems right to you.
This exercise is more fun in a group. If you’re in a group, please talk about what tool you’d use. Perhaps re-run the exercise with someone else’s tool of choice, or with someone else.
The solutions are below. The tool will do most of the work – give yourself kudos for spotting non-trivial things. Zero kudos if you look at the solutions before trying the exercises.
## Exercises Group 1 – XML and JSON
Download the linked files, use them in a tool.
If you’re opening the file in a browser, finding out what an xmlschema is, and reading through it, you’re doing it …differently from how I’d expect you to do it.
### Exercise 1.01 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.1/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.1/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.01 - Lines Removed
in the schema definition, v2 is missing these lines, location 453 in original
```
```
### Exercise 1.02 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.2/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.2/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.02 - Lines Added
In the schema definition, v2 has had line 699 duplicated in error
```
```
### Exercise 1.03 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.3/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.3/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.03 - Lines Rearranged
In the schema definintion on lines 224 to 234 of v2, SimpleType DocumentType2Code has been rearranged. Kudos if you recognised that it has been sorted
```
```
### Exercise 1.04 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.4/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.4/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.04 Information Changed On A Single Line
In the schema definition on line 463, the order of attributes has been rearranged. Kudos if you noticed that `maxOccurs` has changed from 4 to 5
```
```
### Exercise 1.05 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.5/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.5/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.05 - Lines Split
In the schema definition on line 165, the line has been split by tag.
Kudos if you noticed that there’s an extra attribute `base`, that the tag is no longer closed with `/>` but ends with a `>`, and that the `name` attribute is now `ccy` rather than `Ccy`
```
```
### Exercise 1.06 (XML)
[file 1](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.6/pain.008.001.01v1.xsd), [file 2](http://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolExercise%5F1.6/pain.008.001.01v2.xsd)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.06 - Lines Joined
In the schema definition, line 278 has been joined with line 279\. Kudos if you noticed the spelling of `elemnet`, the absence of capitalisation in both pairs of `maxoccurs` and `minoccurs`, and at least one spellign error.
```
```
### Exercise 1.07 (JSON)
[file 1](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F1%5Fa.json), [file 2](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F1%5Fb.json)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.07 - data changed
On line 632, the value has an extra decimal place. Kudos if you noticed the small change in property name `entryCustom4OCode`.
```json
"entryCustom4OCode": "20.000000000",
```
On 892, the `cardTransactionReferenceNumber` is `""` rather than `null`.
```json
"cardTransactionReferenceNumber": "",
```
### Exercise 1.08 (JSON)
[file 1](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F2%5Fa.json), [file 2](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F2%5Fb.json)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.08 - line added
Line 346 in the second file does not exist in the first file.
```json
"nextPage": null
```
Kudos if you noticed that it is missing the trailing comma, making the JSON invalid.
### Exercise 1.09 (JSON)
[file 1](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F3%5Fa.json), [file 2](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F3%5Fb.json)
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.09 - lines missing
Line 46-48 , 67-69, 126-128 and 298-300 in the first are missing in the second.
```json
"employeeCustom19Code": null,
"employeeCustom20Code": null,
"employeeCustom21Code": null,
"employeeCustom19Value": null,
"employeeCustom20Value": null,
"employeeCustom21Value": null
"reportCustom18Code": null,
"reportCustom19Code": null,
"reportCustom20Code": null,
"allocationCustom18Code": null,
"allocationCustom19Code": null,
"allocationCustom20Code": null,
```
Kudos if you noticed that line 66 correctly omits the trailing comma, so the JSON is valid although the data is missing.
Kudos if you wondered why `entryCustomCode` has been left untouched.
### Exercise 1.10 (JSON)
[file 1](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F4%5Fa.json), [file 2](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F4%5Fb.json), [file 2b](https://exercises.workroomprds.com/DiffToolExercise/DiffToolMoreEx1/transaction%5F4%5Fb2.json)
Why have I given you two file 2s? Can you see any differences?
#### Solution
#### Exercise 1.10 - values changed, alternative formats
The second file has a new blank line at line 71
The second document status is marked "Pending" rather than "READY" on line 358
```json
"docStatus": "Pending"
```
Kudos if you wondered why `Pending` is not in upper case.
Kudos if you spotted that while file1 and file 2 have identical *contents*, they are rather different *sizes*. More kudos if you noticed their *encoding* is different.
```shell
-rw-r--r--@ 1 james staff 14617 10 Jan 11:14 transaction_4_a.json
-rw-r--r--@ 1 james staff 14628 10 Jan 11:25 transaction_4_b.json
-rw-r--r--@ 1 james staff 29254 10 Jan 11:25 transaction_4_b2.json
james@Mac diff tool exercise % file -I transaction_4_b.json
transaction_4_b.json: text/plain; charset=utf-8
james@Mac diff tool exercise % file -I transaction_4_b2.json
transaction_4_b2.json: text/plain; charset=utf-16be
```
Your tool may not reveal this to you...
[How various git diff viewers represent file encoding changes in pull requests - The Old New ThingThe invisible UTF-8 BOM, and sometimes invisible encoding changes.The Old New ThingRaymond Chen](https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20241230-00/?p=110692)
«JL: Add more, in CSV and TXT (i.e. dir list). »
Planned exercises include...
## Exercises Group 2 – Code and config
Python, JavaScript, YAML/TOML, env
## Exercises Group 3 – Markdown
Docs and readme.
## Exercises Group 3 – Folders
Changed content, added / removed, renamed / moved, timestamp, permissions, ?encoding, ?os-specific metadata, ?hash,
## Exercises Group 4 – Combos
sort / grep / filter – first, within git and across files for a commit, on directory / process lists, getting unique / count of changes,
##
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*This page is a work in progress. I'm sure that a curious reader can easily find my notes to myself. «JL: perhaps, if the script finds any notes, it can insert this message?»*