Comparing SSIS package code...any suggestions?

I've hit the in开发者_开发技巧evitable state where I have to do a diff on the code within two versions of a SSIS package.

What have you used successfully other than what I'm going to do now by opening up 2 instances of VS and go over it box by box and variable by variable?

Note: The things that are important to compare in my case are:

1. Variables
2. Code in Execute SQL Tasks
3. Order of Tasks
4. Data Flows
5. Order of data flow components

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Try BIDS Helper. It prepares both versions by normalizing whitespace and splitting long lines before making the comparison. Most changes can be easily recognized.

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A Visual Studio extension has been deployed in March 2017 to Visual Studio Marketplace. It is called SSIS Compare and Merge Tool. You can install it using Tools menu than Extensions and updates and search for online extensions or download and install the .VSIX file from Visual Studio Marketplace https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=TamasTIPost.SSISCompareMergeTool-18170

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There are some utilities that will do this:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.sqlserver.dts&tid=0619e97f-4dd4-4946-bd41-888e751a5d72&cat=en_US_2b8e81a3-be64-42fa-bd81-c6d41de5a219&lang=en&cr=US&sloc=&p=1

ApexSQLDiff

Randy

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I use Notepad++ to compare dtsx (xml) files. Some times even write some code to extract components for example to extract all SQL stored in a large SSIS package with dozens of ExecuteSQL tasks.

UPDATE: Just found this Bi xPress. Here is a video explaining how it works

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Updated with the latest locations and consolidated the different answers.

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There are a number of tools that try to help managing, comparing and merging SSIS and other otherwise difficult to merge file formats favored by SQL Server Analysis Services, Integration Services and reporting services.

Putting SQL code in stored procedures and managing these using SSDT and Git/TFVC is a useful first step. For the more exotic file formats extend your toolbelt with additional tools like:

• BI Developer Extensions (formerly BIDS Helper) free!
• Apex SQL Diff Pro
• Bi xPress
• SSIS Compare Merge Tool

Each work slightly differently and the cost varies, but they all apply normalization and visualization to help you understand and potentially merge the differences between these files.

Aside from that, many changes may be possible with enough understanding of the XML using tools like Notepad++ or Araxis Merge. Many merge tools now have have special XML compare/merge capabilities where you can configure how files should be normalized prior to comparison.