The SCLM SCOMPARE command is similar to the ISPF Edit COMPARE command, except SCLM decodes the data set and member (see Member encoding and decoding), if required, prior to it being compared. The SCLM SCOMPARE command also searches the entire SCLM hierarchy to determine the data set and member to be used instead of just searching the four groups allocated and specified on the edit entry panel.

To enable the data set and member to be compared and decoded (if required), SCLM needs to determine the fully-qualified data set name prior to invoking the ISPF edit COMPARE command to perform the compare. If the data set and member is encoded, SCLM decodes the data set and member into a temporary data set. This temporary data set is then passed to the ISPF Edit COMPARE command to perform the compare.

>>-+-SCOMPARE-+--+-data-set----------------+-------------------->
   '-SCOMP----'  +-data-set--(member-name)-+   
                 +-member-name-------------+   
                 +-SESSION-----------------+   
                 '-NEXT--------------------'   

>--+----------------+------------------------------------------><
   '-EXCLUDE--label-'   

The data set parameter is be checked to see if the data set exists. This data set is used to perform the compare against the member being edited.

If only the member-name has been specified, SCLM searches the accounting records for the first occurrence of the member-name in the hierarchy starting at the current development group. The group where the member was found and current type are used to generate the data set name and member to be compared.

If the SESSION parameter has been specified, SCLM searches the accounting records for the first occurrence of the member currently being edited, starting at the current development group. The group where the member was found and current type are used to generate a data set name and member to be compared.

If the NEXT parameter has been specified, SCLM searches the accounting records for the first occurrence of the member currently being edited starting at the group above the current development group. The group where the member was found and current type are used to generate a data set name and member to be compared.

If the EXCLUDE parameter has been specified, the matching lines are excluded so that you only view the changes. EXCLUDE may also show a number of lines above and below the changes allowing you to see the context of the change.