ClearCase: Can't create folder in branch

Axel Dahmen wrote:
> Hi,
>
> we have organized our product versioning in a way that we use a branch
> to create a so-called Code Freeze version whenever a version of our
> software goes out into production.
>
> Developments are performed on the "main" branch. Hotfixes on a
> published version are to be done in the version branch and then
> eventually merged into the "main" branch.
>
> This is our config_spec for a branch version of "v120":
>
> element * CHECKEDOUT
> element * .../v120/LATEST
> element * /main/CODEFREEZE.120 -mkbranch v120
> load "..."
>
> This works fine so far, but... If we create a new folder while using
> this config spec, ClearCase tries to create the folder in the "main"
> branch! So we get an error message stating that the folder can not be
> found when adding it to ClearCase.
>
> What are we doing wrong? How can we have new folders and files added
> to a branch only?
>
> Any help is very appreciated!
Yes, all new elements stem from /main and start as /main/0. You don't
have a rule in your config spec for this thus as soon as you create a
new directory (or a new file element BTW) it becomes invisible because
no rule selects it. You need to add:

element * /main/0

to the end of your config spec.
--
ClearSCM, Inc.
Andrew DeFaria, President
Middle Age is when actions creak louder than words

On May 1, 11:06 am, "Axel Dahmen" wrote:

> If we create a new folder while using this config spec,
> ClearCase tries to create the folder in the "main" branch!
> So we get an error message stating that the folder can not be found when adding it to ClearCase.
>
> What are we doing wrong? How can we have new folders and files added to a branch only?

The problem is that new elements won't have your CODEFREEZE.120
label.
So, the rules you showed us won't apply.
What will apply is something you did not show us,
probably /main/LATEST.

You may want to add a rule to preempt this,
such as;

element * /main/0 -mkbranch v120

instead of the /main /LATEST one.

Isn't this just the usual FAQ?

http://www.cmcrossroads.com/cgi-bin/...CM/BccFaq1_4_1

Marc

Hi Andrew + Marc,

thanks for helping.

Actually the config rules you've mentioned don't cope with the fact that a new folder is falsely created in the "main" branch. The folder should not appear in the "main" branch, it should appear in "v120" branch only - until I merge it into the "main" branch.

Isn't there a config_spec available that automatically creates new folders (and files) in a designated branch?

Again, your help is quite appreciated.

Regards,
Axel Dahmen


---------------
"Marc Girod" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:f6a8fcb8-0898-4b1d-a0c3-c492463cc778@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
> On May 1, 11:06 am, "Axel Dahmen" wrote:
>
> > If we create a new folder while using this config spec,
> > ClearCase tries to create the folder in the "main" branch!
> > So we get an error message stating that the folder can not be found when adding it to ClearCase.
> >
> > What are we doing wrong? How can we have new folders and files added to a branch only?
>
> The problem is that new elements won't have your CODEFREEZE.120
> label.
> So, the rules you showed us won't apply.
> What will apply is something you did not show us,
> probably /main/LATEST.
>
> You may want to add a rule to preempt this,
> such as;
>
> element * /main/0 -mkbranch v120
>
> instead of the /main /LATEST one.
>
> Isn't this just the usual FAQ?
>
> http://www.cmcrossroads.com/cgi-bin/...CM/BccFaq1_4_1
>
> Marc

Everything has to start with a /main/0.

Axel Dahmen wrote:
> Hi Andrew + Marc,
>
> thanks for helping.
>
> Actually the config rules you've mentioned don't cope with the fact that a new folder is falsely created in the "main" branch. The folder should not appear in the "main" branch, it should appear in "v120" branch only - until I merge it into the "main" branch.
>
> Isn't there a config_spec available that automatically creates new folders (and files) in a designated branch?
>
> Again, your help is quite appreciated.
>
> Regards,
> Axel Dahmen
>
>
> ---------------
> "Marc Girod" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:f6a8fcb8-0898-4b1d-a0c3-c492463cc778@s50g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>> On May 1, 11:06 am, "Axel Dahmen" wrote:
>>
>>> If we create a new folder while using this config spec,
>>> ClearCase tries to create the folder in the "main" branch!
>>> So we get an error message stating that the folder can not be found when adding it to ClearCase.
>>>
>>> What are we doing wrong? How can we have new folders and files added to a branch only?
>> The problem is that new elements won't have your CODEFREEZE.120
>> label.
>> So, the rules you showed us won't apply.
>> What will apply is something you did not show us,
>> probably /main/LATEST.
>>
>> You may want to add a rule to preempt this,
>> such as;
>>
>> element * /main/0 -mkbranch v120
>>
>> instead of the /main /LATEST one.
>>
>> Isn't this just the usual FAQ?
>>
>> http://www.cmcrossroads.com/cgi-bin/...CM/BccFaq1_4_1
>>
>> Marc
>

Axel Dahmen wrote:
> Hi Andrew + Marc,
>
> thanks for helping.
>
> Actually the config rules you've mentioned don't cope with the fact
> that a new folder is falsely created in the "main" branch.
No it is not.
> The folder should not appear in the "main" branch, it should appear in
> "v120" branch only - until I merge it into the "main" branch.
That may be your desire - it is not, however, how Clearcase works. Any
and all new elements start their life as /main/0 - period - end of
story. Therefore your stated desire of having a new element appear on
the v120 branch only is not achievable in Clearcase
> Isn't there a config_spec available that automatically creates new
> folders (and files) in a designated branch?
The way you're asking for it? No. CC doesn't work that way.
--
ClearSCM, Inc.
Andrew DeFaria, President
I love defenseless animals, especially in a good gravy

On May 2, 2:21 am, "Axel Dahmen" wrote:

> Actually the config rules you've mentioned don't cope with the fact that a new folder
> is falsely created in the "main" branch.

In the main branch of what?
I believe you miss something.

There is a /main branch type, but there are as many /main branches
as there are elements.
So, there will in any case be a /main branch of your new directory.

> The folder should not appear in the "main" branch, it should appear in "v120"
> branch only - until I merge it into the "main" branch.

When you create the directory (I avoid the word 'folder' for
consistency), you have to first check out its parent directory, and
this, your config spec will do by default in the v120 branch
(assuming you did drop a CODEFREEZE.120 label on one of its
versions--otherwise, what happens is not defined in the config
spec you showed us, but I take the ellipse as a sign that it was
not complete).

So, your directory should indeed only appear in the v120 branch
of its parent directory.
And nothing forces you ever to merge it into the /main branch.

> Isn't there a config_spec available that automatically creates new folders
> (and files) in a designated branch?

No. No hidden magic. Everything is on the table.

Note for consistency, that you might for fun rename the 'main'
branch type to something else, say 'foo'.
Then, you'd rather change the default config spec to use 'foo'
instead of 'main', otherwise your vob would look empty.
But this would not confuse ClearCase, which would just create
new elements with a /foo/0 version.
Thus, main is special in this topological way, that there is only
one of it. Which is a good reason to avoid using it at all, ever.
And certainly not to merge back to it.

All this is in the FAQ I cited previously.

Marc

I have to be very picky with typos in this group,
to avoid being told that my English is ununderstandable...

On May 2, 9:33 am, Marc Girod wrote:

> There is a /main branch type,

I (obviously) meant: there is a 'main' branch type.

> Note for consistency

And this was for completeness more than for consistency.

I cannot be sure that no other typos are left.

Marc

Hi Marc,

thanks for trying to help. I appreciate your help very much, particularly as we're facing a blocking problem here.

Here's the problem we have: We're using an automated tool to generate HTML help file from MS Word documents. This tool deletes the target root directory and re-creates a new directory hierarchy with content.

The tool is executed whenever some content changes. By deleting the ..\Help\ root directory it always creates \main\0 elements in there.

Here's the problem: We can't possibly track a couple of hundred files and folders in both branches. But ClearCase is currently not allowing us to just remove and re-add content in a version branch and - independent thereof - in the "main" branch as well.

@Andrew:
This is a common and feasible scenario. I can't believe ClearCase doesn't provide a config_spec command to provide for this.

About reading the FAQ:
Our ClearCase expert went to a long-term holiday and we need help on our problem now. I don't have time to read the FAQ now. We need a quick solution to continue working and I've decided to ask the experts here. No offence to anyone pointing me to the FAQ, but I expect not being offended for this decision as well.

Regards,
www.axeldahmen.com
Axel Dahmen



-----------------
"Marc Girod" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:108872ba-1ab7-40d2-9b32-f52ed5b9252a@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> I have to be very picky with typos in this group,
> to avoid being told that my English is ununderstandable...
>
> On May 2, 9:33 am, Marc Girod wrote:
>
> > There is a /main branch type,
>
> I (obviously) meant: there is a 'main' branch type.
>
> > Note for consistency
>
> And this was for completeness more than for consistency.
>
> I cannot be sure that no other typos are left.
>
> Marc

Marc Girod wrote:
> I have to be very picky with typos in this group, to avoid being told
> that my English is ununderstandable...
Your English is hard to understand not necessarily because of typos but
because of the words and phrases you choose to express your ideas. Take,
for example, ununderstandable. dictionary.com cannot find that as an
English word though urbandictionary.com does list it. Most native
English speakers, when faced with what appears to be an awkward terms
like that would instead re-word it using something like "hard to
understand", "difficult to understand" or "...told that I'm often
misunderstood".

No doubt, faced with this correction, you'll attempt to claim you did it
on purpose to be funny. If so let me stop that right now - it wasn't
funny and if you thought it was then it is only your humor that is less
understood than your grammar!

You choose phrases that native English speakers would not choose but not
only that - you wax philosophically about concepts that are not germane
to the point and only leave people confused at the end. For example, who
cares if you rename /main -> /foo. Nobody would ever do that. It's
stupid and fails to help explain the point any further. It's a tangent
and an irrelevant and non instructive nor informative one at that. The
point is, in CC you need a branch with which to start element creation.
CC chooses /main as that branch.
--
Andrew DeFaria
Part of the inhumanity of the computer is that, once it is competently
programmed and working smoothly, it is completely honest. - Isaac Asimov