Change Tracker Comparison

This shows a comparison of the XML generated by change trackers for Gnumeric, Excel 2007, and OO Calc for some simple actions.

One of the main things I've noticed is that XL and OO change trackers focus much more on the final result than on the action performed. I'm sure there is a reason for that--hopefully for my sake it isn't a result of prior problems. I think it may be necessary to provide the collaboration functionalities (approve/reject changes) that XL and OO offer.

It's also worth noting that the Gnumeric version is still very much in its infancy. And at this point, the gnumeric xml is generated in a separate log file as commands are occuring, whereas the other versions are generated when a workbook is saved. In Excel, the changes are stored in revisionLog.xml files within the xl/revisions/ directory of the unzipped xlsx file. In OO Calc, the changes are stored in the table:tracked-changes element inside the content.xml file stored in the base directory of the unzipped file.

I performed the following steps in each of the programs to acheive these results:

Start the change tracker!
Set text in cell A1 "test in A1"; A2 "test in A2"; A3 "test in A3"; A4 "test in A4" [see result]
Set range text in cells B1:F4 "test B1:F4" [see result]
Insert Column B [see result]
Insert Row 2 [see result]
Delete Column G [see result]
Delete Row 5 [see result]
Clear contents in cells D3:E3 [see result]
Format cells C1:F4 with centered & bolded text, outside, horizontal, and vertical borders, and a tan background color [see result]
Resize columns A:C with autosize [see result]
Resize rows 3:4 with size 20 [see result]
Save and/or stop change tracker.

Set Cell Text (in cell A1)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdSetText" sheet="Sheet1" target="A1">
    <Text>test in A1</Text>
  </Command>

Excel 2007

  <rcc rId="1" sId="1">
    <nc r="A1" t="inlineStr">
      <is>
        <t>test in A1</t>
      </is>
    </nc>
  </rcc>

OO Calc

  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct1">
    <table:cell-address table:column="0" table:row="0"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:04:07</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous>
      <table:change-track-table-cell />
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>

Set Area Text (in range B1:F4)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdAreaSetText" sheet="Sheet1" target="B1:F4" asArray="0">
    <Text>test B1:F4</Text>
  </Command>

Excel 2007

  <rcc rId="8" sId="1">
    <nc r="B1" t="inlineStr">
      <is>
        <t>test B1:F4</t>
      </is>
    </nc>
  </rcc>
  <rcc rId="9" sId="1">
    <nc r="C1" t="inlineStr">
      <is>
        <t>test B1:F4</t>
      </is>
    </nc>
  </rcc>
  .
  .
  .
  <rcc rId="25" sId="1">
    <nc r="F4" t="inlineStr">
      <is>
        <t>test B1:F4</t>
      </is>
    </nc>
  </rcc>

OO Calc

  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct5">
    <table:cell-address table:column="2" table:row="0"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:06:58</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous>
      <table:change-track-table-cell />
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>
  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct6">
    <table:cell-address table:column="2" table:row="1"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:06:58</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous>
      <table:change-track-table-cell />
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>
  .
  .
  .
  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct24">
    <table:cell-address table:column="6" table:row="5"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:06:58</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous>
      <table:change-track-table-cell />
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>

Insert Column (insert new column B)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdInsDelColRow" sheet="Sheet1" isCol="1" isIns="1" index="1" count="1"/>

Excel 2007

  <rrc rId="26" sId="1" ref="B1:B1048576" action="insertCol" />

OO Calc

  <table:insertion table:id="ct25" table:type="column"
  table:position="1" table:table="0">
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:08</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
  </table:insertion>

Insert Row (insert new row 2)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdInsDelColRow" sheet="Sheet1" isCol="0" isIns="1" index="1" count="1"/>

Excel 2007

  <rrc rId="27" sId="1" ref="A2:XFD2" action="insertRow" />

OO Calc

  <table:insertion table:id="ct26" table:type="row"
  table:position="1" table:table="0">
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:12</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
  </table:insertion>

Delete Col (delete column G)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdInsDelColRow" sheet="Sheet1" isCol="1" isIns="0" index="6" count="1"/>

Excel 2007

  <rrc rId="28" sId="1" ref="G1:G1048576" action="deleteCol">
    <rfmt sheetId="1" xfDxf="1" sqref="G1:G1048576" start="0"
    length="0" />
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="G1" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="G3" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="G4" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="G5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
  </rrc>

OO Calc

  <table:deletion table:id="ct27" table:type="column"
  table:position="6" table:table="0">
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:17</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:deletions>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct24">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct23">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct22">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct21">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
    </table:deletions>
  </table:deletion>

Delete Row (delete row 5)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdInsDelColRow" sheet="Sheet1" isCol="0" isIns="0" index="4" count="1"/>

Excel 2007

  <rrc rId="29" sId="1" ref="A5:XFD5" action="deleteRow">
    <rfmt sheetId="1" xfDxf="1" sqref="A5:XFD5" start="0"
    length="0" />
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="A5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>a</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="C5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="D5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="E5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
    <rcc rId="0" sId="1">
      <nc r="F5" t="inlineStr">
        <is>
          <t>test B1:F4</t>
        </is>
      </nc>
    </rcc>
  </rrc>

OO Calc

  <table:deletion table:id="ct28" table:type="row"
  table:position="4" table:table="0">
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:19</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:deletions>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct24">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct20">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct16">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct12">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct8">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
      <table:cell-content-deletion table:id="ct4">
        <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

          <text:p>test in A4</text:p>
        </table:change-track-table-cell>
      </table:cell-content-deletion>
    </table:deletions>
  </table:deletion>

Clear Cell Contents (in D3:E3)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdClear" sheet="Sheet1" target="D3:E3" clearFlags="1"/>

Excel 2007

  None?

OO Calc

  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct29">
    <table:cell-address table:column="3" table:row="2"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:29</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous table:id="ct10">
      <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

        <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
      </table:change-track-table-cell>
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>
  <table:cell-content-change table:id="ct30">
    <table:cell-address table:column="4" table:row="2"
    table:table="0" />
    <office:change-info>
      <dc:creator>Opie</dc:creator>
      <dc:date>2008-07-17T19:07:29</dc:date>
    </office:change-info>
    <table:previous table:id="ct14">
      <table:change-track-table-cell office:value-type="string">

        <text:p>test B1:F4</text:p>
      </table:change-track-table-cell>
    </table:previous>
  </table:cell-content-change>

Format Range (in C1:F4)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdFormat" sheet="Sheet1" target="C1:F4">
    <Borders>
      <Border loc="0" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
      <Border loc="1" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
      <Border loc="2" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
      <Border loc="3" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
      <Border loc="6" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
      <Border loc="7" lineType="2" color="0:0:0"/>
    </Borders>
    <gnm:Style HAlign="8" Shade="1" Back="C7C7:AFAF:7979" PatternColor="0:0:0">
      <gnm:Font Bold="1" Italic="0">Arial</gnm:Font>
    </gnm:Style>
  </Command>

Excel 2007

  <rfmt sheetId="1" sqref="C1:C4" start="0" length="0">
    <dxf>
      <border>
        <left style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </left>
      </border>
    </dxf>
  </rfmt>
  <rfmt sheetId="1" sqref="C1:F1" start="0" length="0">
    <dxf>
      <border>
        <top style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </top>
      </border>
    </dxf>
  </rfmt>
  <rfmt sheetId="1" sqref="F1:F4" start="0" length="0">
    <dxf>
      <border>
        <right style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </right>
      </border>
    </dxf>
  </rfmt>
  <rfmt sheetId="1" sqref="C4:F4" start="0" length="0">
    <dxf>
      <border>
        <bottom style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </bottom>
      </border>
    </dxf>
  </rfmt>
  <rfmt sheetId="1" sqref="C1:F4" start="0" length="2147483647">
    <dxf>
      <font>
        <b />
        <sz val="10" />
        <name val="Arial" />
        <scheme val="none" />
      </font>
      <fill>
        <patternFill patternType="solid">
          <bgColor theme="2" tint="-0.24994659260841701" />
        </patternFill>
      </fill>
      <alignment horizontal="center" readingOrder="0" />
      <border>
        <left style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </left>
        <right style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </right>
        <top style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </top>
        <bottom style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </bottom>
        <vertical style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </vertical>
        <horizontal style="medium">
          <color auto="1" />
        </horizontal>
      </border>
    </dxf>
  </rfmt>

OO Calc

  None?

Resize Column (autosize columns A:C)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdResizeColRow" sheet="Sheet1" targetColRow="A:C" isCol="1" newSize="-1"/>

Excel 2007

  None?

OO Calc

  None?

Resize Row (set row height to 20 in rows 3:4)

Gnumeric

  <Command type="CmdResizeColRow" sheet="Sheet1" targetColRow="3:4" isCol="0" newSize="27"/>

Excel 2007

  None?

OO Calc

  None?