Shared Folders Problem

[scaiferw]

A question has arisen regarding shared folders.

We use separate root level folders for development, transit, test, and release.

Developers have rights to development and transit. Testers have rights to transit and test. The transit is used to move projects back and forth between development and test groups so both groups have rights to modify in transit.

Some of our our developers have discovered the share functionality. The problem is the following;

A developer shares $/development/project1 into $/transit, and a tester moves that shared folder into $/test. The developer can now make changes in the shared folder now in $/test by modifying the original folder in $/development. (They can't make the same changes directly in the $/test shared folder.)

Our workflow depends on prohibiting changes by developers once they've sent a project to testing, and this would allow changes to be make that the tester may not be aware of.

How can I resolve this? Is there a way to disable sharing?

Thanks,

Rob

[Beth]

The only way to stop sharing is through rights manipulation which could also prevent them from moving their changes themselves.

Here are a few options:

1) Set developers to RC rights. They can only check in then, but they can't add, delete, move, share and so on.

2) You could do a combination of step 1, and changing the sharing to the file level. Then Testing pin them. Later they could unpin just the files from which they need changes and repin. To change the sharing, you would wipe out the current sharing and then use our File Sharing power toy: http://www.sourcegear.com/vault/powerto ... _powertoys (scroll down to see old versions).

3) You could do a combination of step 1 and removing all the shares and then making branches instead. Also, if you don't want developers merging branches, they can be set to R on folders outside of development or a complete deny.

[scaiferw]

Unfortunately, this presents a real problem for us, as the solutions you suggest don't work for our situation.

1) Are there actually two copies of the folder that are kept in sync, or is one a pointer to the other?

2) How do we tell which it the 'original' and which is the 'copy'? Or is there a difference?

3) Once we locate one, where can we tell where the other one is?

4) Is there a way for an administrator to kill the share?

It's a real problem for us as it compromises our source integrity if a developer can make a change to code after is has been sent to QA for testing and certification, particularly when QA may not be aware of the change.

Please advise,

Thanks, Rob

[Beth]

I'm working on a document right now to show a couple of examples of options for you and will post it when finished.

[Beth]

I've attached a document that explains better how the security would work in a case of using Sharing and Pinning or Branching and Merging. It's not required that the developers be set to no access on the QA folder. A read-only access would prevent them from being able to make changes to the QA folders.

[Beth]

To answer your questions directly...

1) Are there actually two copies of the folder that are kept in sync, or is one a pointer to the other?

--Two copies that are sync'd.


2) How do we tell which it the 'original' and which is the 'copy'? Or is there a difference?

There isn't much of a difference. You can delete the origin, but I wouldn't use it as a method of moving a folder.


3) Once we locate one, where can we tell where the other one is?

Right-click and select Properties. There is a tab for a list of shares.


4) Is there a way for an administrator to kill the share?

Any user with RCA rights can delete the share. RC or R rights cannot deleted. Admin can do any of these actions.

[scaiferw]

Many thanks for your help, particularly the doc with the screenshots. Much appreciated.

Cheers, Rob