What is the right way to allow several developpers working on the same .uir using Subversion?

[jbaptistemarie]

We are currently two developpers working on the same .uir at the same time. Is there any tools that would allow us to merge our own modifications? If not, is there a way to avoid us to make modifications at the same time.

For the moment we are just two, so the problem could easily be fixed by talking or mailing the other one when modifications need to be applied. Anyway, I would like to know the right way of work to skip this issue.

Thanks!

[BenjaminR]

Hello jbatistemarie,

Thanks for posting on National Instruments forum. 

Source code control (SCC) allows software developers to manage code for development and release. SCC tools generally allow for the management of additional files besides code. Essential capabilities of source code control include:

• File Check-in/Check-out
• Revert to Previous
• File Comparison
• File Merge

As of LabWindows/CVI 5.5, you can integrate almost any third-party source code control package. The packages that have been tested with LabWindows/CVI are Visual Source Safe, Perforce, ClearCase, and PVCS. There are two options for using a Source Code Control (SCC) package in LabWindows/CVI.

The first is to setup your SCC at the environment level by selecting the Options » Environment » SCC menu from the Project window This will make the SCC provider you selected the environment default for every project.

The second option is to select the SCC provider for the current project. Select Edit»Project»Source Code Control. You can now use the Tools » Source Code Control menu in the Project window to perform basic SCC functions such as checking files in and out.

I never use merge functionality for *.uir but you can manage your file using the Check Out - Lock - Modify - Check In - Unlock method which avoids developers to modify the same file at the same time. 

[jbaptistemarie]

Hello BenjaminR,

Thanks for you reply.

When I try your method to integrate a SCC directly in the development environment, the following error appears: No Source Code Control provider found. Are you sure this could be done when Subversion is used?

For the uir, the method does not avoid to modify the same file at the same time.Two developpers could be modifying the uir, but only one of them would be able to commit the modifications. The other one would lose his work. I would like to find a way to avoid it.

[BenjaminR]

Hello,

I think you use SVN, which client are you using?

You maybe need to have a plug-in to use directly the SCC in your dev environment.  Here are the SCCs supported in CVI: Visual Source Safe, Perforce, ClearCase, and PVCS.

 Moreover, you can configure a message prompting to the user when a file is lock and normally you have a message saying that the file the developer wants to check out will be a local copy. Using this way you will be able to make a comparison between the *.uir onto the server and the *uir. onto your machine.

Usually I try to avoid this kind of situation and limit the number of merge. 

[lomed]

Just a basic question for you: are you saving the .uir files

in binary format? If so, my understanding is that you cannot

merge them. You can keep them under source control, but a

later revision will completely replace an earlier one.

However, if you save them in text format (as a .tui file), then

you should be able to do the merge.

There is an option in the uir editor to save it to (and load it

from) a text file.

---

Marty

[jbaptistemarie]

Hello,

Indeed, I do save the .uir  in binary format. I did not know there was an option to save them in text format.

I tried to find it but I did not succeed... Could you please tell me where is located the option to save uir in text format.

If you are right on the fact we could save uir in text format, then this is exactly what I was looking for, but I need to know if this option exists.

Thanks!

[Wolfgang · Accepted solution]

with an UIR open: Options / Save in Text Format...