Poor Comment Visibility = Poor Documentability

[Chiramisu]

Here, hop on one leg while holding this spinning plate on a stick with your teeth and reciting Hamlet backwards in French.... ok, now you can view the Comments.

Does it REALLY have to be so difficult? lol. It seems every time I want to comment I can't, and even when I can I can't find the comment I just left except in very specific places. Case in point, when using the "Folder Export / Import" tool, I can ONLY leave a comment during an Export, and can ONLY view that comment during the Import and seemingly nowhere else in Vault.

For documentation purposes I should expect that you would be able to leave comments / notes on any folder you wish at any time. For example, to document a project lead, archiving date, or other important information developers may want to know when maintaining code.

I find it quite vexing that this functionality seems to be nowhere in all of Vault. Sure, you can leave a comment when checking in code, but where does that comment go? I have yet to find it. Furthermore, why should I have to be checking in code just so I can leave a comment on a project folder for example?

[lbauer]

In Vault, comments are applied to files and folders when they are updated -- generally on checkin.

There are two types of comments -- item comments and change set comments.

These are different types of comments and are seen in different places in History.

--If a file has an item (checkout) comment AND a checkin (or change set) comment, the item comment appears in File History and Folder History by Item. The checkin comment appears in Folder History by Version.

--If a file has only an item (checkout ) comment, the item comment appears in File History and Folder History by Item. There is no comment in Folder History by Version.

--If a file has only a checkin comment, then the checkin comment appears in all three History locations.

To change or add to a folder comment: right click on the folder and select Show History. In the History Query dialog, select View folder history by version. This will give you a list of versions with their dates. You can select the latest version and click on the Details button on the right, which will allow you to edit the comment.

To edit a file comment, right-click on the file and select Show History. In the history result, double-click on a version you checked in. In the Version Details, click Edit Comment.

Note: Only the user that checked in the file or change set or Admin can update or change the comment.

Another option is to create a Readme file for your project with the relevant information.

[Chiramisu]

I've come across a directly related bug / feature request. Pretty sure it's a bug though.

While using the client and viewing a folder's properties (e.g. at the root level) by right-clicking and going to "Properties..." the "Comment:" field is apparently read-only. I am unable to enter text in this field for any folder that I have tried. This was actually the primary reason I posted this topic. Here's a view of the properties for one of my root-level project folders.

[lbauer]

We have feature request logged 10270 already for the ability to edit comments in file properties; I'll add your vote. We'll consider it for a future release of Vault. Thanks for your feedback!

[Chiramisu]

Wonderful, thank you... This is a really important feature in my eyes, and I really don't see the point of taunting the developer with that delicious looking comment box, yet the inability to edit it, lol. Especially when I've read documentation stating that this should be possible. >.<

I look forward to its addition.

[lbauer]

Especially when I've read documentation stating that this should be possible.

I'd like to correct that information, but I'm having trouble finding it. Could you provide a link to where you found it?

Note that you can change/add comments using History:

To change or add to a folder comment: right click on the folder and select Show History. In the History Query dialog, select View folder history by version. This will give you a list of versions with their dates. You can select the latest version and click on the Details button on the right, which will allow you to edit the comment.

To edit a file comment, right-click on the file and select Show History. In the history result, double-click on a version you checked in. In the Version Details, click Edit Comment.

Only the user that checked in the file or change set or Admin can update or change the comment.