15.2 View Contents

A ClearCase LT view is also known as a snapshot view because it keeps a "snapshot" of VOB data as ordinary files on the ClearCase LT client's local disk or on another disk that the client can access over the network. A view consists of two directories:

• The view directory itself contains versions of file and directory elements loaded from the VOB, along with view-private files that are generated in the course of local operations (and may later be added to source control if appropriate). These copies are ordinary file-system objects-files and directories-with ordinary file-system protections and access control. The view directory can be located on a ClearCase LT client or on any disk in the network that a ClearCase LT client can use for storage.

• The view storage directory includes a view database and other system files that track the correspondence between certain VOB database objects and objects loaded into the view. The view storage directory must be located on the ClearCase LT server. The most significant contents of this directory are the following:

• View database. The db subdirectory contains the binary files managed by the view's embedded database. The database keeps track of the loaded VOB objects and checked-out versions in the view.

• Administrative directory. The admin directory contains data on disk space used by the view. A job that the ClearCase LT scheduler runs by default generates this data periodically.

Each view has an associated view_server process, which runs on the ClearCase LT server. View storage directories are always located on the ClearCase LT server. View directories can be located on any accessible storage, but are most often located on individual developers' workstations. It is important to know where the view directory and the view storage directory are located, because you need to back them both up together if you want to be able to restore them as a coherent unit. For more information, see Backing Up a View.