What's new in Rational ClearCase Remote Client version 7.1

Updates in version 7.1

The Rational ClearCase Remote Client (CCRC) was introduced in IBM Rational ClearCase version 2003.06.14 to support geographically distributed development teams. In Rational ClearCase version 7.0.0 and 7.0.1, CCRC was extended to support additional developer and project lead use cases, various platforms, and a limited integration with Rational ClearQuest and Rational ClearQuest Web. In the Rational ClearCase version 7.1, the following capabilities have been introduced.

Enhanced ClearCase Navigator view
  • The ClearCase Navigator view combines the functionality of the old ClearCase Navigator view with the ClearCase Metadata Explorer Navigator view. See ClearCase Navigator view.
  • The ClearCase Navigator view supports enhanced filtering. Users can create working sets that display only selected nodes. While the working set is enabled, these nodes can be expanded to see all of the node’s children. User-created working sets can be edited. Working sets persist across sessions, and users can switch between working sets or turn off working sets. For more information on working sets, see About working sets in the ClearCase Navigator view.
  • In the ClearCase Navigator view, when a change is made to a resource under ClearCase source control, the aggregated change decoration aggregated checkout decoration is propagated to each level above that resource, up to the root of the hierarchy. From any node that displays a change decoration, a user can choose to perform aggregate operations on all elements with changes at or below that level. This includes aggregate check in, undo check out, and undo hijack operations.
  • You can see servers that you have connected to in the ClearCase Navigator, and you can remove a server from the ClearCase Navigator if you no longer want it to appear.
Enhanced ClearCase Details view
  • The ClearCase Details view now includes the functionality of the Metadata Explorer Details view. Additional columns have been added including a Lock column for activities. See ClearCase Details.
  • The ClearCase Details view now supports persistent customizable sorting and column size for each object type in a workspace. This functionality is not available for Rational ClearQuest results sets. Users can customize these settings by assigning sort order in the Preferences window or by selecting an object in the ClearCase Navigator and adjusting the settings for that object type in the Details view. Users can click column headers to sort up to three columns at once. The Details view displays the customized settings every time an element with the object type is selected in the ClearCase Navigator.
  • The ClearCase Details view contains a new address bar that displays the path of namespace objects and the display name of any other object. A user can enter an explicit path of a view namespace object in the address bar to navigate directly to an object. The address bar saves each entered path persistently across Eclipse sessions, and the user can access these saved paths by selecting them from the drop-down menu on the address bar.
More responsive browsing and more efficient operation completion
Loaded resources are displayed without waiting for non-loaded resources to be accessed. This allows the user to more quickly browse loaded resources.
Users no longer have to wait for an operation to complete before attempting to start another operation. Depending on server resources and the restrictions associated with certain operations, some operations are now performed in parallel while others are queued to start as soon at the preceding operation completes.
Optional view upgrading
Users can selectively upgrade ClearCase views that are compatible with the ClearCase Remote Client version 7.0.1 so that they are compatible with the ClearCase Remote Client version 7.1.

If there are existing 7.0.1 ClearCase views on the user's system, these views are displayed in the ClearCase Navigator in version 7.1. If the user chooses not to upgrade the existing 7.0.1 views, they cannot be used with version 7.1, but they can continue to be used with version 7.0.1. Once a view is upgraded, it can no longer be used with version 7.0.1.

To upgrade a 7.0.1 view, start the ClearCase Remote Client version 7.1 and select the view in the ClearCase Navigator. Right-click the selected view and select Upgrade copy area.

New Edit Configuration window
  • A new Edit Configuration window allows users to edit the view configuration. This window opens from the View Configuration view or when the user finishes creating a view or joining a project. If users are working in a UCM view, they can use this window to view and modify the UCM load rules and UCM custom rules, and to specify preferences for the update view operation. If users are working in a base ClearCase view, they can use this window to view and modify the load rules and version-selection rules and to specify preferences for the update view operation. See Edit Configuration.
  • In the Edit Configuration window, users can select multiple resources to load at once and can copy load rules from an existing view.
New Change Set view
The new Change Set view enables users to view change sets for multiple activities and to move versions between activities.
New Compare and Merge providers supported
All compare and merge operations can now be displayed within CCRC IDE environment. Users can use the following providers for compare and merge operations:
  • CCRC Integrated (UTF-8) (was not previously supported)
  • ClearCase External
  • Eclipse (was not previously supported)
  • Rational Software Architect (if installed)
The Compare/Merge preferences page allows users to specify which tool runs by default when a compare or merge operation is started. In addition, special handling for compare or merge operations can be based on a resource's name or type using the override table on the preferences page. Here, a regular expression can be used to match a resource’s name, or, if string matching is not appropriate, as is the case for directories, a resource specifier may be used. To use a resource specifier, precede the resource with "%". For example, to match a directory resource, enter the string "%directory". Some examples are provided in a drop-down menu for the Resource Type field in the Override Table: {%directory, %text-file-delta, utf8-file-delta}.
Simplified login
The user can select Store and reuse credentials in the login dialog box to store server URL and user name credentials for the specified server across sessions and store passwords for the current session only. If user names and passwords are identical for Rational ClearCase and Rational ClearQuest databases, only one login is necessary per session in order to access both Rational ClearCase and Rational ClearQuest. If passwords are identical but user names are different, the password is stored after the first login, but users are prompted to enter a Rational ClearQuest user name the first time that they access a Rational ClearQuest database. Stored credentials can be cleared be selecting Clear Stored Credentials from the context menu of a server node.
Unified Change Management (UCM)
  • A new UCM toolbar contains an activity list as well as buttons for the following operations: create a new activity, run a default or advanced delivery, run a default or advanced rebase, and join a project. In the activity list, users can set an activity, set the workspace to no activity, or refresh the list of available activities. For a description of items on the UCM toolbar, see ClearCase toolbars.
  • There are two types of delivery and rebase operations: default and advanced. Users can set preferences to automate a default operation that silently checks in elements and completes the operation if there are no conflicts or manual merges required. An advanced delivery or rebase operation opens a dialog box that is similar to the delivery and rebase dialog boxes from the previous release. In the new Advanced dialog boxes, users can specify operation details such as target stream, merge preferences, baseline, and activities, and they can perform operations on any associated elements that are checked out. For more information on delivering, see Deliver to a UCM using Default Deliver and Deliver to a UCM stream using Advanced Deliver. For more information on rebasing, see Rebase a UCM stream using Default Rebase and Rebase a UCM stream using Advanced Rebase.
  • New Deliver and Rebase configuration parameters have been included in the Window > Preferences > Team > ClearCase Remote Client > Integration > Rebase and Deliver preferences.
New ClearCase Pending Changes view
  • The Pending Changes view supports base ClearCase and UCM environments. Users can preview changes for updates, rebases, and deliveries and accept or integrate those changes. Users can see conflicts and run merge tools to resolve those conflicts automatically or manually. For more information about using the ClearCase Pending Changes view, see About using the ClearCase Pending Changes view and Pending Changes view. For information about enabling the ClearCase Pending Changes view, see Enabling the ClearCase Pending Changes view.
  • New Pending Changes configuration parameters have been included in the Window > Preferences > ClearCase Remote Client > Integration > Pending Changes preferences.
Enhanced Rational ClearCase common operations windows

The Rational ClearCase common operations dialog boxes now have two display options: simple and detailed. The simple display appears by default; users can customize what details and options appear in this display. To access the detailed version, the user clicks Show Details in the default dialog box. The detailed version displays all options available with an operation: for example, a resource table, an activity list, and a comment field. See, for example, Check in, Add Resources to Source Control, and Hijack.

In addition, new dialog boxes have been added for the following operations: Move, Remove, and Rename.

Enhanced Rebase and Deliver Preview dialog boxes

The rebase and deliver preview dialogs have new functionality and a Checkouts/Hijacks tab has been added which enables users to perform checkins, undo checkouts, or undo hijacks without restarting the rebase or deliver operation.

Enhanced Properties view
Displays various Rational ClearCase properties directly in the interface rather than in individual dialog boxes. The Properties view displays properties for the following ClearCase objects:
  • element
  • version
  • VOB
  • view
  • activity
  • baseline
  • stream
  • UCM project
  • branch type
  • label type
New and enhanced Preferences
The preferences interface has been redesigned and new preferences have been added. The new preferences include the following:
  • Navigation History preferences: Users can specify the number of days to retain a history of recent selections for the Address Bar and views.
  • Common Dialog preferences: Users can specify default behavior of common dialogs and also customize the display of the simplified version of each common operation dialog box.
  • Compare/Merge preferences: Users can specify the behavior and appearance of display elements in the new Compare/Merge view. They can also specify default tools that run for the compare and merge operations on a resource type.
  • Pending Changes preferences and Pending Changes Schedule preferences: Users can specify behavior for the Pending Change view and can schedule times to refresh the Pending Changes view. When users start the Rational ClearCase Remote Client, any scheduled refreshes that might have been missed become scheduled once for each view.
  • Rebase and Deliver preferences: Users can specify automatic operations, such as check in and complete, that run before or after each delivery or rebase. They can also specify options to run for default deliveries and rebases for each view.
  • View Updates Notification Schedule preferences: Users can schedule regular update checks. Each scheduled update check can check for view updates and new baselines. After a scheduled check runs, indicators notify users when an update is necessary for a base ClearCase or UCM view, or when a new baseline (recommended or latest) is available for a UCM view.
  • Sorting preferences: Users can specify the sort order and priority of up to three columns for each ClearCase object type.
Rational ClearQuest capabilities
  • Rational ClearQuest WAN access is integrated into the Rational ClearCase perspective for both the Eclipse plug-in and CCRC.
  • Rational ClearQuest objects appear in the ClearCase Navigator and ClearCase Details views. A ClearQuest node displays as a child of the host server in the ClearCase Navigator. If are you authenticated to the database, you can expand the node to access the ClearQuest database and run queries that are stored in it. Query results appear in the ClearCase Details view.
  • A new ClearQuest Details view allows you to view a record form while the record details display in the ClearCase Details view.
For information about the Rational ClearQuest, see About Rational ClearQuest.
Enhanced support for the Rational ClearCase UCM integration with Rational ClearQuest

In Rational ClearCase 7.1, support for the Rational ClearCase UCM integration with Rational ClearQuest uses a built-in ClearQuest form, replacing the functionality which was available in prior releases through an integration with Rational ClearQuest Web.

Enhancements for the ClearCase UCM integration with ClearQuest include:

  • The ability to use a ClearQuest Submit form to create a new UCM-enabled ClearQuest record to work on.
  • Interaction with a ClearQuest form to supply missing record values during the integration's auto-transition process.
  • The ability to show a UCM activity's linked ClearQuest record in a ClearQuest form

In a ClearQuest result set, users can now:

  • Work on a UCM-enabled ClearQuest record in a selected ClearCase web view
  • View the change set of a UCM-enabled ClearQuest record
For information about the Rational ClearCase UCM integration with Rational ClearQuest, see About the Rational ClearCase UCM integration with Rational ClearQuest.
New Create Stream wizard

Enables users to create development streams without requiring them to use the Join Project wizard or to create views while doing so. Users can navigate to a stream and create child streams using the new wizard.

Enhanced Apply Label wizard

The Apply Label wizard can now be started from within the context of a view. For more information, see Apply Label wizard and Applying a label to multiple resources.

Enhanced Join Project wizard
Usability enhancements have been made to the Join Project wizard so that the creation and association of views and streams are more explicitly represented. Additionally, the user can now perform the following actions:
  • Create a development stream without creating a corresponding development view.
  • Create an integration view without creating a development stream or a development view.
Enhanced Create View wizard

Users can now use the Create View wizard to create a base ClearCase view or create a view on an existing UCM stream.

Enhanced Remove ClearCase View operation

The Remove ClearCase View operation now allows the selection of multiple views.

New label decorations for resources
For information about the Rational ClearCase Remote Client label decorations, see ClearCase label decorations and resource states.

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