Several items for improvement 2.01

[ahazelwood]

We are currently evaluating Vault 2.01 as a replacement for our SourceSafe installations. Several things that I could not find, or that currently aren't handled would be useful.

First, the ability to reuse the same label, or at the very least see what labels are currently in use for a file or folder so we can reuse or at least move the label to a new version.

Second, we have various repositories that we need (one for dev, one for qa, one for production), however, it doesn't appear that I can reuse a User's name, or at the very least select from a list of all Users that are in the system. Also, along this vein, it would be useful if we could use domain logins/passwords so that we don't have two distinct accounts.

Lastly, while I know that this was mentioned in a different post, it would be useful to have a flag on your diff/merge tool that allows us to merge a file back into the tree with a specific version without having to use a separate file. I realize you're trying to make the tool more usable outside of Vault, but this feature would be a huge selling point in my book.

Thanks,
Andre' Hazelwood
Senior Web Architect
HPC Interactive

[dan]

Andre,
Thanks for the comments - I need some clarification on some of your points:

First, the ability to reuse the same label, or at the very least see what labels are currently in use for a file or folder so we can reuse or at least move the label to a new version.

You can view the labels that have been applied to a folder or file by invoking the Show Labels command. Also, you can "promote" a label (by invoking Show Labels on the folder where that label was applied), by altering which files are included as part of the label, or changing the version numbers of files that are included with the label.

You can't apply a label of the same name to a folder that already has a label of that name at a different version. You have to delete the first label before applying the second. This is pretty integral to our label architecture, so I doubt we would change it anytime soon.

Second, we have various repositories that we need (one for dev, one for qa, one for production), however, it doesn't appear that I can reuse a User's name, or at the very least select from a list of all Users that are in the system. Also, along this vein, it would be useful if we could use domain logins/passwords so that we don't have two distinct accounts.

In Vault, users are defined per server rather than per repository, so the same user should be able to login to different repositories (assuming they have not had permissions set to deny access). I'm not sure if this is what you are asking, so let me know if I've missed the mark.

Yes, adding integration with domain accounts has been requested - we'll add your name to the list of folks who want it.

Lastly, while I know that this was mentioned in a different post, it would be useful to have a flag on your diff/merge tool that allows us to merge a file back into the tree with a specific version without having to use a separate file. I realize you're trying to make the tool more usable outside of Vault, but this feature would be a huge selling point in my book.

Do you mean putting source control commands within the merge tool (e.g., allow the user to checkin the merged file from the merge tool itself)? We do have this logged, and I'll add your name to it as well. If this is something different, let me know

Thanks,

[ahazelwood]

Dan,
In light of your questions about my first question, it would be nice to have a history of the label as it moves from one version to the next. And outside of this, it's a pain to have to first delete a label before moving it, it should ask us instead to either move the label to the new version or create a new label. In the case of moving the label, having the ability to select from a list of previous labels would be useful.

As to the second question, I finally realized that the Users had been imported and that I can add access at the Folder Security tab. However, all of the Users that were imported are not appearing on the User's tab, so I have no way of activating/inactivating the Users.

Thanks,
Andre'

[dan]

However, all of the Users that were imported are not appearing on the User's tab, so I have no way of activating/inactivating the Users.

There is a checkbox in the users pane, below the users list, that by default does not show inactive users. You might want to toggle that to see all the users.

[jclausius]

andre':

currently, you can use the same label name on different objects. so, i can label "my label" on $/dir A/ and $/dir B/file.cpp.

you wrote:

First, the ability to reuse the same label, or at the very least see what labels are currently in use for a file or folder so we can reuse or at least move the label to a new version.

i'm trying to gain an understanding here. are you saying you would like to use "my label" on $/dir B/file.cpp for version 1, version 2, version 3, .. version n? or are you saying something else? if it is not too much to ask, could could you provide an example of your situation?

thanks,

[GregM]

In VSS, if you apply a label, and a label of that same name already exists, then you are asked if you want to replace the old label with the new one. We use this feature every night. Our buildmaster labels the current source with a generic label, gets the source, and builds it. If we decide to save that build, we rename the label so that it includes the product version and build number. Otherwise, the label is replaced the next night.

[jclausius]

greg:

so you do not give each build an individual label? ok. but is there a reason not to? i guess if you don't really need the build, no need to keep the label.

am i off base here?

[GregM]

The build runs automatically every night, mostly to find compile errors early. We distribute builds on an approximately weekly basis, and keep labels for those builds. The history list gets too big really fast when we keep a label for every build.

[tonyd]

We have a code review process where we (manually) keep a single high-water-mark label on the latest version of each file that has been reviewed. We, too, would really like an easy way to move a label from one version to another without jumping back and forth between the history and labels dialogs.

Thanks,
Tony Deigh
RepWire, Inc.