IBM Rational ClearCase provides configuration management
services that make it easy for development teams to work with resources
in a shared repository. With the IBM Rational® ClearTeam Explorer™,
developers can access Rational ClearCase from a variety of network
connections, including broadband (WAN) and traditional local area
networks (LANs). The Rational ClearTeam Explorer also supports WAN
access to Rational ClearQuest user databases.
Rational ClearCase provides a secure repository and integrated
configuration management tools that enable a variety of operations
on repository contents. The Rational ClearTeam Explorer provides developers
with access to Rational ClearCase repositories and configuration management
services supported by a Rational ClearCase server called the CCRC
WAN server. The Rational ClearTeam Explorer also provides access to
Rational ClearQuest user databases supported by a Rational ClearQuest
server.
The Rational ClearTeam Explorer is
powered by Eclipse technology. Eclipse is an open source platform
for the construction of powerful software development tools and rich
desktop applications. For more information about Eclipse, see the
Eclipse Web site at: http://www.eclipse.org
The Rational ClearTeam Explorer and Rational ClearTeam
Explorer for Eclipse
The Rational ClearTeam Explorer is
available in two forms:
- The Rational ClearTeam Explorer, which is designed for use outside
of the Eclipse integrated development environment, and includes:
- Viewers, such as the ClearTeam Navigator view and ClearTeam Details
view, that provide access to resources loaded into Rational ClearCase
views and the ability to browse the contents of remote Rational ClearCase
repositories.
- Dialog boxes that implement operations such as check out and check
in.
- Wizards that automate tasks such as joining a UCM project and
creating ClearCase views
- Toolbars and context menus that provide access to the windows
and wizards
- The Rational ClearTeam Explorer for Eclipse, which integrates
the Rational ClearTeam Explorer with the software development environments
provided by Eclipse. When you install the Rational ClearTeam Explorer
for Eclipse into an Eclipse environment, all Rational ClearTeam Explorer
viewers are available in the ClearCase Explorer perspective and can
also be added to other Eclipse perspectives. Dialog boxes and wizards
are accessible from Rational ClearCase toolbars (which can be added
to any Eclipse perspective that supports a team provider) and also
from the Eclipse Team context menu.
Most Help topics for the ClearTeam Explorer also apply to the
ClearTeam Explorer for Eclipse. When a ClearCase operation behaves
differently in the Eclipse environment than it does in a standalone
environment, the differences are noted when the behaviors are described.
Rational ClearCase development models
Rational
ClearCase supports two development models:
- Unified Change Management (UCM), which is a pre-configured, activity-based
change management process.
- Base ClearCase, which is a set of tools that you can use to create
a configuration management process tailored to your specific needs.
Your project manager determines which development model your
team will use.
Both the ClearTeam Explorer and ClearTeam Explorer
for Eclipse support UCM and base ClearCase. To get started, see Using the Rational ClearTeam Explorer or Using the Rational ClearTeam Explorer for Eclipse.
Documentation
In addition
to the Help available with the ClearTeam Explorer, you can find detailed
information about developing software using either base ClearCase
or UCM in the Rational ClearCase Information Center at http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/cchelp/v8r0m0/.
Context-sensitive Help
Every view
and dialog box in the ClearTeam Explorer provides context-sensitive
Help. To get Help for the ClearTeam Explorer interface that has the
current focus, press the platform-specific help key (such as F1 on
Windows).