Test-driving Vault and Dragnet

[dm4714]

I''ve installed Vault and Dragnet demo on my XP Professional machine.

I have one help question and a few comments:

How do I enable DragNet integration when items are checked into Vault? I've gone to Vault Admin and selected "DragNet" as the bug tracking system and entered the "URL" to dragnet.

I've stopped/restarted client and every time I try and check-in an item, the bug section at bottom of form is ghosted out.

What am I missing?

Comments/First Impression of Vault:

1) Over all, I think the application looks very functional. It resemables VSS in many ways and seems to be very responsive -- especially since it uses HTTP and SQL Server. Way to go!

2) I'm not too crazy about the Admin interface. I'm not sure why the tabs are at the bottom of the form. Seems like of ackward and I feel like the form bounces around when I try and tab from tab to tab.

I think the interface needs to be more uniformed and standard and the tabs need to be at top. Perhaps more use of frames would categories controls, too.

3) Cost seems reasonable. From what I gather, if I am a single developer, I can use this product for free? If I want others to access my source projects, then I assume I'd need a developer license at that point?

Dragnet:

1) I'm still evalulating this product and not sure how I feel about it. It seems like once I get the hang of it, it will be a valuable tool. The most frustrating part about it for me, as a new user, was figuring out how to log into the system the first time.

There appears to be no program groups or shortcuts created on the server where it is installed. I'd recommend that a .url file be greated to will allow users to easily jump to the login page.

2) Having a web interface seems good. I'd like to see a rich client interface as well. The web interface just doesn't do it for me as much as a rich client interface.

3) Cost seems reasonable.

Both products need a Flash tutorial/video series demonstrating the basic useage of each program. I think this would have saved me a few hours trying to figure things out.

[jclausius]

How do I enable DragNet integration when items are checked into Vault? I've gone to Vault Admin and selected "DragNet" as the bug tracking system and entered the "URL" to dragnet.

I've stopped/restarted client and every time I try and check-in an item, the bug section at bottom of form is ghosted out.

What am I missing?

An Item ID! The text box requires a number before enabling other controls. If you do not know the Item ID, and assuming the browse button is enabled, click it to find the bug you wish to close or add a comment to.

1) Over all, I think the application looks very functional. It resemables VSS in many ways and seems to be very responsive -- especially since it uses HTTP and SQL Server. Way to go!

Thanks.

2) I'm not too crazy about the Admin interface. I'm not sure why the tabs are at the bottom of the form. Seems like of ackward and I feel like the form bounces around when I try and tab from tab to tab.

I think the interface needs to be more uniformed and standard and the tabs need to be at top. Perhaps more use of frames would categories controls, too.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll log these ideas down for feedback on the Admin Tool.

It was difficult trying to develop a UI around so many configuration settings. The Admin Tool is probably used < 1% of the time, so perhaps the interface will "grow on you".

3) Cost seems reasonable. From what I gather, if I am a single developer, I can use this product for free? If I want others to access my source projects, then I assume I'd need a developer license at that point?

Yes.

1) I'm still evalulating this product and not sure how I feel about it. It seems like once I get the hang of it, it will be a valuable tool. The most frustrating part about it for me, as a new user, was figuring out how to log into the system the first time.

There appears to be no program groups or shortcuts created on the server where it is installed. I'd recommend that a .url file be greated to will allow users to easily jump to the login page.

Good idea. Although I'm not sure how well this works when deploying Dragnet for multiple users, since there isn't really a client side installation.

2) Having a web interface seems good. I'd like to see a rich client interface as well. The web interface just doesn't do it for me as much as a rich client interface.

I'll log your request here as well. For those that cannot wait, there is a web service based interface. Everyone is more than welcome to write their own interface to the server.

Both products need a Flash tutorial/video series demonstrating the basic useage of each program. I think this would have saved me a few hours trying to figure things out.

Comments like these help us with the ongoing effort to provide our users with what they want.

Thanks for your feedback.

[dm4714]

Thanks for the reply, Jeff.

My problem with Vault is that I do not have the browse button visible for when trying to Check-In an item into Vault.

I have Dragnet installed and I have the URL defined, etc., within Admin.

What am I missing?

[jclausius]

What version of Vault is in use?

Also, are there items in the pending change set that have a status of added, edited, or modified? The Update Bug section is only enabled if there are change set items with one of these statuses.