Baselining and Version Control with Multiple Users

[Dorian Workman]

We are using the Corporate Edition with ClearCase for version control.

We ran a little experiment that yielded some unexpected results, and I'm curious if anyone else has seen this.  This is what we did:

1. User 1 created a baseline on a checked out package ("Source Package").
2. User 1 checked in Source Package
3. User 2 checked out Source Package
4. User 2 moved an element from Source Package into a different package already checked out to User 2 ("Target Package")
5. User 2 updated the element's Notes field
6. User 2 checked back in Source Package (leaving Target Package still checked out to User 2)
7. User 1 checked out Source Package
8. User 1 restored Source Package to the baseline created in Step 1.


Expected Results
I was hoping I would get an error saying that the element that was moved from Source Package to Target Package "...is currently in a package checked out to another user and the restore cannot proceed...", or something like that.

Actual Results
The updates to the Notes field were removed, and the element was removed from the Target Package and added back to the Source Package (i.e. the Restore to Baseline worked as normal).

This does make sense, but I would prefer the Expected Result.  Restoring to baseline effectively "stole" back the element and discarded User 2's changes without warning.  Is there a way to get my Expected Result?

Thanks.

[HowardB]

Hello Dorian,

In answer to your question "Is there a way to get my expected result?"  -- currently, no there isn't.

I agree that EA should NOT allow modification of packages that are locked when merging/restoring from baselines.

There are no user adjustable settings to control this behaviour.

We are currently investigating the scope of modifications that would be required to implement your "expected" behaviour.

Regards,
Howard Britten.

[Dorian Workman]

Thanks Howard, I appreciate you looking into this.