To use the Software Configuration Management system

You can use the Software Configuration Management System (SCM) to copy a software component from an original VRC to a dedicated development VRC. You can then modify the component, for example, to fix a bug. If the component is finished and tested, you can put it back into the run-time environment.

This process is called the check-out and check-in process. The component can still have the same VRC code, but it has a different revision number. Older revisions of the component are still retrievable.

During the check-out period:

  • the original version is still available for the regular users in the run-time environment.
  • other users cannot modify or check-out the original version.
  • other users can test the checked out component. Refer to SCM Groups for details.

The following figure shows the Software Configuration Management (SCM) concept.

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SCM controls only the revisions of components in one VRC. If a component is copied to another VRC, the revision information is no longer available.

Note

There is a fundamental difference between copying software components in a new run-time environment and copying components into a development VRC with SCM. The components, which are copied into a development VRC with the SCM tool, are positioned at the same level as the original and have the development extension code, for example, tfB61O_a_dev1. This process is known as the check-in and check-out process.

The following figure shows the relation between the SCM procedure and the copy procedure.

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Note

SCM only supports configuration management for the main component types such as Forms, Sessions, Table Definitions, Reports and Functions. The 4GL component types such as Labels, Questions, Messages are not supported.

SCM makes use of the RCS software on the LN Server. RCS (Revision Control System) is freeware software. For more information on SCM, refer to the Infor LN Development Tools Development Guide.

In earlier versions of Infor Enterprise Server, SCM is only available on UNIX platforms. From version 8.4.2 you can also activate SCM on Windows platforms. For details, refer to solution 230630.

SCM Groups

In SCM groups, developers can share their checked-out runtime components, so they can test each other's components, but they cannot change them.

When you start using SCM, the system automatically generates an SCM group for you. The name of your SCM group is identical to your user name.

Normally, you can only access components that belong to your own SCM group.

To test a component that belongs to another SCM group (a component that was checked-out by another developer), you must modify your login configuration:

  1. Open you Windows Client configuration (.bwc file).
  2. In the Command field of the BW Configuration Properties dialog box, fill the BAAN_SCM_GRP variable with the name of the desired SCM group. For example, specify -- -set BAAN_SCM_GRP = peter to test software components that belong to SCM group "peter".
  3. Log in using the new configuration.

To return to your own SCM group: log off, remove the -- -set BAAN_SCM_GRP = .... setting from your Windows client configuration, and log in again.

To set up the SCM environment

Take the following steps to activate SCM for a VRC:

  1. Start the Package VRCs (ttadv1511m000) session, and create a development VRC. The new VRC must be derived from the original VRC. See the previous figure for an example: the tfB61O_a_dev1 development VRC is derived from the tfB61O_a_cus1 original VRC.
  2. Start the (De)activate SCM and Component Management by Package VRC (ttscm0501m000) session. Select the original VRC (e.g. tfB61O_a_cus1) and click Activate SCM (and CM) on the context menu.
  3. The Activate SCM and Component Management by Package VRC (ttscm0110s000) session is started automatically. Select the desired development VRC and click OK.
  4. Log off and log in again to make the changes effective.

Repeat these steps for each VRC for which you want to activate SCM.

Sessions

The following sessions can be started from the Software Configuration Management (SCM) menu:

  • (De)activate SCM and Component Management by Package VRC (ttscm0501m000)
  • Global Check-In of Components (ttscm1200m000)
  • Delete Component Revisions (ttscm1201m000)
  • Global Undo Check-Out of Components (ttscm1202m000)
  • Copy/Move Checked Out Components (ttscm1203m000)

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