Introduction to Compare

The Compare program is a general table making program that can be used to make tables from various source databases that are constructed in Inforum data bank formats. As the name suggests, it particularly is suited to comparing results of several data banks, but it also can list the contents of a single data bank or the results of a single run of a model. When being used to show a base case and several alternatives, it can show the alternatives as actual values, or as deviations from the base, or as percentage deviations from the base. The results are written to a file that can be printed, viewed as text, viewed in a spreadsheet program, or read by other software programs. The Inforum databank formats that Compare supports include normal G databanks (“workspace banks”), G compressed banks, G hashed banks, Interdyme Vam files, and SLIMFORP Dirfor files. Up to 10 banks of different types can be compared using Compare.

Compare contains several features for working with the Interdyme system for building input-output models. For example, Compare can do matrix listings for an Interdyme model, showing intermediate and final demand flows that comprise the total output for each industry. Matrix listings can be done either for buyers or for sellers, and either in flow or coefficient form. The dates for a table or a section of a table should be specified in a \dates command. If no \dates command is given, dates will be requested from the user at runtime. By using the \dates command, the same table can have different dates in its various sections. Also, multi-period growth rates can be displayed.

This document first describes the construction of the stub file, which is the key to specifying the contents of a table and how they will be displayed. Next, the operation of the program is reviewed. Finally, special uses for Compare are described. These cases include making a matrix listing for Interdyme using Compare and how to make tables using Dirfor files.