One-level versioning

The full versioning scheme supported by Content Engine includes the ability to create both major and minor versions. However, an application could be designed so that only major versions are created (thus the name "single-level"). An example is Process Designer, which creates only major versions of the workflow definitions.

Each new checkin creates another major version, and increments the document's major number by one. Such a "one-level" application ensures that a checked in document will only ever be a major version. (Reservations are always minor, even in a one-level versioning application.) Users of the application simply check a document out and check it back in. There is no need to refer to such versions as "major". As explained in What is a document?, even a single level, major-only versioning application could be designed to create documents that subscribe to workflows, lifecycle schemas, or programmed events, all without the need for including minor versions into the design. This can satisfy the versioning requirements for a particular installation.

Major only versioning sequence

The following sequence describes the changes that are applied to a one-level version series as a result of a series of versioning actions. Note that each new column represents the next version. At any given time, only one document can be the current version (in a row), only one document can be released, and only one document can be the reserved. Reservation objects always receive a minor number, even in a major-only sequence.

The document class used in this example is versioning enabled. All versions that are older than the current version will remain in the version history with their number and status unchanged (assuming there are no demotions).

Versioning actions Versions created
First version Second version Third version
  1. Adding a new document creates the first version which is the current version with status released.
Version #: 1.0
Status: released
Current version
   
  1. Checking out the first version creates the second version, the reservation. The first version remains the current version.
Version #: 1.0
Status: released
Current version
Version #: 1.1
Status: reservation
 
  1. Checking in the reservation second version makes it the released and current version. The first version becomes superseded.
Version #: 1.0
Status: superseded
Version #: 2.0
Status: released
Current version
 
  1. Checking out the second version creates third version, with status reservation. The second version remains the current version. The first version remains superseded.
Version #: 1.0
Status: superseded
Version #: 2.0
Status: released
Current version
Version #: 2.1
Status: reservation
  1. Checking in the third version makes it the released and current version. The second version now becomes superseded.
Version #: 1.0
Status: superseded
Version #: 2.0
Status: superseded
Version #: 3.0
Status: released
Current version