Why doesn’t a file (or a series of files) get promoted?
Serena® ChangeMan® DS 5.7.1 User’s Guide
ChangeMan DS verifies that transactions, especially batch transactions, complete successfully. Often, system or network problems can interrupt large transactions.
If this occurs, ChangeMan DS keeps all files in the source area.
You can see transactions that did not complete in an Audit Trail report, especially if you filter by Aborted status. Transactions that did not complete show an error message in the Description field instead of a user description.
What does the “File filename failed process control rule” message mean?
This message indicates that the transfer request violates at least one process flow rule.
For example, you try to check in the file directly to Production from Development, but your process flow rules let you promote this file to a QA area only.
ChangeMan DS allows the transfer to take place only if it is permitted by Global, Application, and Project level Process Flow rules.
You must change the Process Control rule and re-initiate the transfer request, or issue a transfer request that follows a different path to complete the transaction.
What does the “You are not authorized to check out file filename from area”
message mean?
This message displays when the requester violates security permissions defined during the system configuration process.
To complete the transfer you must check the following security levels:
User Setup:
File Permissions The administrator allows certain users to check out, check in, merge, and branch individual files.
Project Permission The administrator allows certain users to check in or check out entire projects, attach files to projects, or create a release.
Area Setup:
Authorization List The administrator allows certain users to have access to specific areas. Each member of the Authorization List can have a unique set of permissions.
Chapter 7: Transferring Files and Projects
See "Security” in the Serena® ChangeMan® DS Administrator’s Guide for more information.
What does the “No requests were created for project projectname” message mean?
ChangeMan DS displays this message when you attempt to transfer a project that has no files attached to it.
How can I view the File Transfer Request Status dialog?
By default, the File Transfer Request Status dialog flashes by very fast. To read the detailed information displayed on the screen, modify the ChangeMan.ini file to read AutoHide=0 (or deselect Auto hide on the dialog) and set
DetailState=1.
Project Setup:
Authorization List The administrator allows certain users to have access to specific projects. Each member of Authorization List can have a unique set of permissions.
Serena® ChangeMan® DS 5.7.1 User’s Guide
Chapter 7: Transferring Files and Projects
B RANCHING 8
A branch creates a separate line of development that diverges from a baseline, or another branch. This allows variations of the same file to be in development at the same time without affecting the baseline copy. Branching creates a copy of the file and maintains the relationship in the file’s history.
For example, developer A is ready to make a special modification to the software application for a specific customer; however, there is another project already in motion for that application, and Developer A doesn't want her customer-specific changes to affect the work going in that project. Therefore, developer A creates a branch upon check out. The branch begins a second development path, separate from the baseline version, allowing the main product to continue along the main development path. If, in the future, product management decides that the changes made by developer A should be applied to the main product for general distribution, the changes (branch) can be merged into the main development path.
In the File Tree, a branch appears as parallel lines of development. The branched file (copy) restarts the versioning at one, and appears with a solid outline:
Chapter 8: Branching
A branch differs from multiple concurrent check outs. You use multiple concurrent check outs when the component follows one main path. For example, multiple developers can work on different parts of a shared component that is handed over at the same time. Instead of using a branch, each developer checks out the file, makes the changes, then the changed files are merged and checked in to production.
Concurrent check outs appear like this on the File Tree:
Whenever a second user checks out a file, ChangeMan DS notifies the user that the file is already checked out, and asks whether to perform a second check out.
Some typical reasons for creating branches are:
• Maintaining program changes (patches) without affecting the main development process.
• Implementing custom enhancements without affecting the main baseline version.
• Keeping new versions separate from the current line of development when starting to work on a new release of a software application.
You can branch files individually, or you can branch an entire project or release.
ChangeMan DS lets you assign a new file name to the branch, or it creates a new name automatically. You can place the new branch in the same area as the original file, or put it in another location. If you assign the branch to a different location from where the original file resides, you can assign the branch the same name as the original.
The record of the created branch displays in the Audit Trail report and File Tree. See
“Viewing the Audit Trail for One File” on page 214 and “Viewing File Information from the File Tree” on page 211.
Serena® ChangeMan® DS 5.7.1 User’s Guide
Only users with the required permissions can create branches:
• Production Branch permission allows branching upon check in and is required for Release branches because a check in is invoked automatically during that process.
• Development Branch permissions allow branch upon check out.
See “Users and Groups” in Serena® ChangeMan® DS Administrator’s Guide for more information.