## Compare Fields Test

This function compares fields to determine if they do not have the same values. The function proceeds until a fault is found, (fields differ), in which case the action test state will be set to true. If the test completes and no faults have been identified, (fields are the same), the action test state will be set to false.

There are three modes of operation:

- When the selected mode is Files, you are testing if the individual fields do not have the same value in every file.
  Example 1: Specifying Year will test if the Year field does not have the same value in every file.
  Example 2: Specifying Disc Count and Track Count will test if Disc Count does not have the same value in every file or if Track Count does not have the same value in every file.
- When the selected mode is Fields, you are testing if within each file any specified fields do not have the same value.
  Example: Specifying Artist and Album Artist will test if within any one file the two fields are not equal.
- When the selected mode is Both, you are testing if any of the specified fields, are not equal anywhere.
  Example: Specifying Artist and Album Artist will test if there is more than one value anywhere.

Artwork can be verified but only when the mode is Files. A non match on artwork can be different: number of items, image data, image order or metadata.

While valid during Grouped execution, the Files option will effectively always be true as there is only one file being tested at a time. During Grouped execution, the Both option is equivalent to Fields.

Remember that when you are comparing field types which allow multiple values, you are comparing all of the values.

Note: If you want to test a single field for consistency across files, the Compare Field Across Files statement has additional options. This statement tests single values only and allows for case insensitivity, disallowing empty values and the ignoring of leading and trailing spaces.