HP 3000 Manuals HP 3000 Manuals
Introducing HP Software Revision Controller
by Holly Garcia--Commercial Systems Division
HP Software Revision Controller (HP SRC/XL, HP30328A) is a powerful new
tool that manages generations of changes to files in an HP 3000
environment.
HP SRC/XL works with either standard ASCII files or binary files and is
ideally suited for tracking those files that are modified frequently and
whose early revisions must be preserved. This occurs, for example, in
software development environments where multiple versions of programs may
need to be supported.
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
There are many benefits derived from the use of HP SRC/XL. Because it
manages both ASCII files and binary files, HP SRC/XL is adaptable for use
in either a software development environment or in such areas as
documentation development where only text files (ASCII files) are being
used. HP SRC/XL offers the following benefits and features:
* Stores the latest revision of a file and a history of all changes.
Each revision is kept in a separate HP SRC/XL file. This contains
identifying information about each revision, such as: symbolic
names, dates, authors and log messages.
* Provides efficient storage of and quick access time to revisions.
The text of the latest revision is kept in its entirety. Since this
revision is the most often accessed, the overall access time is
minimal. The changes from prior revisions are kept so that any
revision can be "reproduced" when needed.
* Allows parallel development of different versions of the same file.
Separate development can occur simultaneously. Users create their
own development paths (branches). Branches can be merged into the
main development path (trunk) and any differences between the
branches are flagged.
Branches eliminate the need for duplicate copies of text files. The
merging of branches assures that all changes are incorporated into
the new consolidated revision.
* Automatically includes identifying data with each revision.
You can include keywords in your text that stamp the revision with
the current values for author, date, revision number, etc. This data
provides valuable information which can assist in identifying
revisions.
* Manages user access conflicts.
HP SRC/XL prevents more than one person from modifying the same
revision at the same time and provides the user with a lock facility.
Locking prevents other users from updating the same revision, but
they can still access it for read-only purposes.
* Provides powerful file retrieval capabilities.
HP SRC/XL allows you to assign symbolic names to revisions. This
feature provides easy retrieval of entire modules by grouping all
files in the module under the same symbolic name.
* Provides debugging aids.
HP SRC/XL provides easy file comparison capabilities so you can
readily see which file changed and where. This enables you to then
easily remove changes between various revisions. HP SRC/XL also
provides a search capability so that you can find, for example, all
files which changed within a given date range.
* Provides security control to ensure file integrity.
HP SRC/XL controls, by means of security capabilities, who creates
new revisions and who may access the environment.
Through the use of HP Software Revision Controller, the problems
associated with revision control in a software or documentation
development environment can be significantly reduced. Please refer to
the HP Software Revision Controller User's Guide (P/N 30234-60002) for
further information.