Logging of change history in source code?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 11, 2004 1:43 am

We are currently using Merant Version Manager, and one of the features we like most is the ability to automatically store the change history in a comment block inside the source code itself.

I have browsed the feature list of Vault, but I didn't see this feature.

Is this "hidden" somewhere or is it planned in a future release?

Thanks,

Philippe Leybaert
ATS Groep NV
Belgium

Post by **jclausius** » Tue May 11, 2004 7:40 am

I believe you are looking for Keyword Expansion. Here is an excerpt from the Vault Help File regarding the info which can be placed within a file's comments:

$Archive: $ - repository archive file location
$Author: $ - User who last changed the file
$Date: $ - Date and time of last check in
$Header: $ - Logfile, Revision, Date, Author
$History: $ - File history
$JustDate: $ - Date, without the time addendum.
$Log: $ - File history, RCS format
$Logfile: $ - Same as Archive
$Modtime: $ - Date and time of last modification
$Revision: $ - Vault version number
$UTCDate: $ - Same as Date, but time is given in UTC
$UTCModtime: $ - Same as Modtime, but time is given in UTC
$Workfile: $ - File name
$NoKeywords: $ - No keyword expansion for all keywords that follow

I believe $History: $ or $Log: $ will include the comments for the change set.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 25, 2004 2:28 am

Thank you, this is exactly what I meant.

Now, if only there was a tool to convert our Merant/PVCS projects to Vault, I would have a strong case to switch our version control system to Vault...

Philippe Leybaert
ATS Groep NV
Belgium

Post by **jclausius** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:57 am

As of this posting, I am unaware of a tool for such a conversion.

From what I can tell, you have a couple of different options:
1) Store the latest version of the files in Vault, and keep PVCS / Merant archived somewhere in case it is needed for historical purposes. - Easiest

2) Perhaps someone has done a port of their own, and would kindly assist you with the knowledge / tools they gained during their port. - Moderately Easy to Moderately Hard (based on the good will of the other party)

3) If there is an interface ( command line or otherwise ), you could write your own port - Moderately Hard and above.