Comparing (DIFF-ing) family files

[Barton M]

Is there a way to compare, or diff, family files? Through my own actions, my Mac has been pointed at local "FileM" and my iPad/iPhone at dropbox "FileD". Before I fix things properly, I wouldn't mind checking to see if I had entered any data on my iPad/iPhone. If I have, it wouldn't be much.

As a software developer, I'm used to comparing text files of various sorts, and I've thought of making an ancestor report or gedcom for comparison purposes. Is there a more direct path for comparing the family data files?

[theKiwi]

Do you think that you have added new people to either file, or do you think that you have the same people, but perhaps with different information about them?

With my Clan Moffat Society file I am often importing data from other people that has some matches to what I already have. One way I can get a handle on what people are new and what aren't is to produce a very abbreviated Descendant report that has names only in it from the current file, and from the same person in the incoming file.

Then compare those 2 reports using BBEdit to see what the differences are - this very quickly highlights the extra people, and gives me a guide as to what needs to be imported into the main file from the incoming file.

Roger

[Barton M]

Thanks, Roger. It seems like I'm on the right track. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing some built in functionality. Both databases could be titled "Big buckets of poor quality genealogy"!
I exported ancestor reports and GEDCOMs from each, and compared them with Beyond Compare. The Mac family file had a few recent additions, while the iPad one had a couple of notes ("This person is on FindAGrave!) that I manually entered on the Mac. So now I believe I can move forward with the Mac family file as the master for both platforms.