Project Integrity Check - do or die?

[johnks]

Hi

A run of PIC found 96 errors in our production repository. They include the following error types:

- Missing information. ITEM: Connector. ACTION: Add Foreign Key Information.
- Link geometry. ITEM: Duplicate Link Information. ACTION: Delete duplicate Link Geometry.
- Invalid link geometry. ITEM: Missing Diagram. ACTION: Delete Invalid Link Geometry.
- Invalid connector. ITEM: Sequence. ACTION: Delete Connector.
- Invalid connector. ITEM: Usage. ACTION: Delete Connector.
- Invalid connector. ITEM: Association. ACTION: Delete Connector.
- Invalid connector. ITEM: InformationFlow. ACTION: Delete Connector.
- Invalid connector. ITEM: Sequence. ACTION: Delete Connector.

Questions for the experienced users:

How serious are the above issues, and are they pretty common?
Can I rely on the recovery process running smoothly? Should I always run the recover/clean step as a matter of course, or should I try to investigate the report findings (how?) before proceeding?

It feels like I either let the repository clog up with these integrity issues, or I simply run the tool and hope (without really knowing what the risks/consequences might be). Is that it?

Many thanks,

John

[Paolo F Cantoni]

Having used the Project Integrity Check (PIC) for over a decade I think I can offer some insights:

1) The errors picked up by PIC are beyond the capability of a user to repair.  (They are also not explicit enough - but that's another EAUI story).
2) The PIC is your best friend - especially if you are manipulating the repository via automation or direct DB SQL activity.
3) While the PIC detects errors, "All bets are off" - you have no guarantee that anything you do will behave itself.
4) Run the PIC (as the political apparatchiks say about voting) "early and often". 

So, run the PIC - typically first in read-only mode to see what the errors are.  Then in fix up mode.   That way you may get an insight into what may be causing the errors.

We run the PIC several times a day on our corporate repository to give us the security that all (at least structurally) is well.  If the PIC detects errors, we re-run in repair mode and fix them immediately.

HTH,
Paolo

[qwerty]

Just +1 what Paolo said.

q.

[johnks]

Thank you both. Really appreciate your advice.

John