Master version of model and project versions

[andykennelly]

We are trying to implement operaional procedures as follows. We have a master/persistent view of diags/elements etc. but also run projects that take a snapshot of relevant parts of the master which can potentially be update /added to. However, we want to maintain the original view in the master while projects are updating/adding - only when projects have finished do we want their changes reflected in the master.
This must be a standard thing for organisations of any size to do, but I'm struggling with some basic issues. For example, if I create a project folder and drag/drop an element from the master folder, any updates made to that element in the project folder will get automatically/immediately reflected in the master.
I can't work out a way to take a "local copy" of relevant parts of the master (against which I can work without fear of impacting anything else) which I can then easily reflect back into the master when I've finished.
Does anybody have any views/experience of this?

[Ian Mitchell]

Have you looked at the EA Master/Replica mechanism?
I've used it in the past, for something similar to the situation you describe.
You can give 'replica' version to people to work on, but only pull their changed content back into the Master when you want to .
The EA facility for resolving conflicts is a bit primitive, but if the model is partitioned sensibly, this doesn't seem to create much of a problem. The basic replication approach is also quick and simple. It also doesn't need a shared DBMS to make it work, which was why we used it, as our IT infrastructure was 'unhelpful.

Alternative is a Baseline-based approach - hopefully others know more about this than me....

[qwerty]

The need for such a mechanism is standard, but not the procedure. The problem is that changes in UML are very complex and can not easily be reflected to a master version. In the end it is manual work.

I just thought posting a procedure we use with VC, but then I realized that it was a very special solution. You will likely have to sit and think of a solution for your domain. It is a complicated but also important task you have to do.

Good luck.

q.