private boolean areEqual(Project a, Project b, boolean compareIDs) {
   if (compareIDs) {
     if (a.getId() != b.getId()) {
       return false;
     }
   }
   return (safeEquals(a.getTitle(), b.getTitle())
       && safeEquals(a.getRecordsperimage(), b.getRecordsperimage())
       && safeEquals(a.getFirstycoord(), b.getFirstycoord())
       && safeEquals(a.getRecordheight(), b.getRecordheight())
       && safeEquals(a.getNumfields(), b.getNumfields()));
 }