Mystery changes
Sometimes Delta reported that the LotusScript code used in a design element was different, but I couldn't see any changes when I examined the differences. This only happened in a few instances, but it did make for some initial confusion. This could be due to how Delta handles white space, which I mentioned previously.

Handling of form design changes
Identifying changes to complex forms can be difficult. This really isn't a limitation of Delta, because this problem is mainly due to the complex nature of Notes forms themselves. A Notes form is essentially a rich text field that can contain practically anything. For example, a Notes form can have numerous tables. If you're having difficulty trying to determine what has been changed in a form, remember to use the Smart Filter options to filter out those CD items you don't care about, like font settings and paragraph settings.

Cost
Delta is relatively expensive compared to the other tools in the Teamstudio Suite. At the time of this writing, Delta costs more than Analyzer, CIAO! (client license), Configurator, Profiler, Snapper, and Validator.

In conclusion
Thinking back on the scenarios I described at the beginning of this article series, you can always determine the differences between two databases manually. Eyeballing two database designs at the same time isn't easy, and the Design Synopsis tool within Domino Designer only makes this process marginally better. By using Delta however, you can accomplish in minutes what would normally take hours or days. This is significant when you don't have hours or days to fix or change something, or if you'd rather spend your time on something more mentally stimulating.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

Contributing Editor Tom Lowery is President of Portage Associates, Inc., a Notes and Domino consulting firm. He holds principal-level certifications in application development and system administration. His hobbies include chasing after his two year old son Duncan and flying. Tom can be reached at tom@lowery.net.