This article explains how the CodeBank Compare “Compare Code“ feature works after a municipality's code has been converted from the legacy GenCode format to the newer XHTML5 (Extensible HyperText Markup Language 5/Oxygen) format.
Important Notes
The CodeBank feature is required in order to access CodeBank Compare.
CodeBank and CodeBank Compare are add-on features. If you are interested in these options, contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to get started.
Supported Comparisons
Code Compare can only compare code versions that share the same underlying document structure.
The XHTML5 (Extensible HyperText Markup Language 5) conversion modernizes the underlying document structure used to display and organize your code. Although the visible content often remains the same, the document structure changes in ways that prevent Code Compare from accurately identifying differences.
Because Code Compare relies on the underlying document structure to identify changes, comparisons between these formats are not supported.
Examples of structural changes include:
Lists are converted to modern HTML ordered and unordered lists.
Tables are restructured using XHTML table markup.
Internal identifiers and document organization are updated.
As a result, the following comparisons are supported:
Comparison Type | Result |
|---|---|
Two legacy GenCode versions | Supported |
Two XHTML5 versions | Supported |
One legacy GenCode version and one XHTML5 version | Not Supported |
Compare the First XHTML5 Supplement
If your code has been reformatted to XHTML5 (Extensible HyperText Markup Language 5), the first supplement published after the reformat can still be compared to the previous code version.
Instructions
Navigate to the portion of the code to be compared using the Search or jump to Box or the Table of Contents:
Select Compare Versions (two sheets of paper icon) in the icon tray above the section of code to be compared:
Select both the latest supplement and the Reformat version in the versions list:
Click View Comparison:
The “Reformat” version represents the code as it existed through the previous supplement (for example, Supplement 10) after it was converted to the new XHTML5 format. Comparing the latest supplement to the Reformat version will show the legislative changes introduced in the new supplement.
Important Note
Because the underlying markup changed during the reformat, some formatting elements (such as lists and certain tables) may appear different even when the legislative content has not changed. These differences are expected and do not necessarily indicate changes to the code itself.
Need Help?
This article will provide answers to some frequently asked questions about Code Compare and XHTML5 (Extensible HyperText Markup Language 5) code versions. Contact CivicPlus Support if you have additional questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I compare my old code with my new XHTML5 code?
The XHTML5 conversion changes the underlying document structure, even when the visible text remains the same. Because Code Compare relies on document structure to identify changes, comparisons across the two formats are not reliable.
Is this a bug?
No. This is an expected limitation resulting from the transition between two fundamentally different document formats.
Did my code content change?
Not necessarily. In many cases, only the underlying markup changed while the legal content remained the same. The inability to compare versions is due to structural differences rather than legislative changes.
Will Code Compare continue working going forward?
Yes. Once your code has been converted to XHTML5, future comparisons between XHTML5 versions will continue to function normally.