An NT User Interface

Cimatron's Development Site

• Cimatron, a CAD/CAM software manufacturer (25 Million USD a year).
• Heterogeneous UNIX and PC network.
• A WAN includes two LANs with a Peer-to-Peer line connection (1MB/s).
• 100 SCM system users: 80 developers, 20 application engineers.
• Previous SCM system: UNIX/RCS based off-line system, managed by CM person.

Why Cimatron chose Perforce as its SCM tool

• Easily used by Windows developers.
• Easy-to-install system.
• Minimal disk space in both Server and Client.
• Fast performance.
• Fast and trivial connection inside a WAN -- the Server is located 100 KM from the remote LAN.
• Brilliant life-cycle methodology.
• Full recursive (in directory trees) system and commands.
• Simple command line language.
• Identical language for UNIX and NT.
• Inexpensive price.
• Good technical support (Virginie & Co.).
• Easy to create shell software.

Perforce in Cimatron

• NT 4.0 Server.
• 100 licenses, 99 NT Clients, 1 UNIX Client .
• Perforce Evaluation started on Nov. 1997:
  97.2, one project, 10 users.
• Current status: V99.1, two big projects
  (~20K files each), 100 users.

SCM Methodology of Cimatron

• Variant of Inter-Branch life cycle model by Perforce:
• Branching methodology (per project):
  • "DEV" - Main development branch.
  • "INT"/<version> -- Integration branch.
  • "QAT"/<version> -- Quality Assurance Tests branch.
  • "PRD"/<version>/<correction-version>/...-- Production version branch and its correction layers.
    (partial-module patches or full correction versions)
• Project full build performs weekly, usually based on head revision of "DEV", by CM person.

NSCM General description

• NSCM is a SHELL software for WinNT users over Perforce.
• Everything P4Win does -- will be done using P4Win.
• Everything missed or complicated to apply in P4Win -- NSCM will do.
  • Standard reports.
  • Complex comparisons.
  • Standard labels management (creation and reporting).
  • Special activities over Changelist.
  • Branching management (not completed yet).

NSCM package development languages

• Perl -- Algorithms and computing engine.
• Visual C++ GUI.
• InstallShield Installation program.
• Why VC++ ?
  VC++ is the standard development language in Cimatron. TCL/TK and VB are not in use in our company. We prefer a well-known and rich language.

NSCM user types

• Developers:
  Do: Check Out, Edit, Merge, Submit, Sync-to-official-label, connect MFC/P4.
• Application Engineers:
  Do: Complex reports, compare with tasks tracking system, changes approval.
• Configuration managers and Version builders:
  Do: Weekly official builds, standard labels, official branches creation.
• DBA: DB design, permission policy, DB utilities, checkpointing, installations.

NSCM A modular SM system shell package:

• NSCM designed as a modular system, based on a unique, uniform engine.
• Joining of new module does not change the engine or the GUI basis.
• Just add a new function and a new folder/button using uniform procedure.

NSCM Implementation

NSCM Sections:

Image 1

Current folders:

• "Create Label" Standard module label creation.
• "Labels Reports" Various label types reports.
• "Changelists Actions" R/W actions and reports related to changelists.
• "Tree Reports" Trees (branches, depots) content, comparisons.

Planned extensions:

• "Branches actions" folder will be added soon.
• "CM utilities" folder will be added for configuration manager login usage.
• "DBA utilities" for DB administrator login usage.

NSCM "Create Label" functions folder:

Image 2

Module standard label:

• Is set to: Project / Configuration / Module
• Standard label goals are:
  • Inter R&D team synchronization.
  • Define a project/configuration version as a harvest of modules versions.

PCF - Project Control File

• Standard label name is fixed automatically, controlled by PCF/Project control file. When a label is created, the relevant field in PCF is increased by one.
  • PCF example:

    #P/M	PRE	DEV	INT	QAT	PRD
    Elite	2	2	1	1	1
    App	2	4	0	0	0
    CimDi	1	4	0	0	0

NSCM standard module label report:

Image 3

Cimatron development process and Perforce labels:

According to Cimatron development process, an official project build is performed weekly. When the project is complete, the CM assigns a project label and all project developers synchronize to the new label.

NSCM official build label report:

Image 4

Changelists Actions

• "Changelists Actions" abilities:
  • Changelists reports.
  • Synchronize to a Changelist without removing other files from client.
  • Connection to Remedy/ARS task tracking system.
  • Integration using submitted Changelist number as an argument. (Including optional resolve and submit of the new changelist).
  • Given branch modification during a time period, ordered by Changelists.
  • Confirm Changelist submitted by supervisor, using Pre-submit trigger mechanism.

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (Menu):

Image 5

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (By Users):

Image 6

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (By Groups):

Image 7

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (By ARS):

Image 8

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (Integrate):

Image 9

NSCM "Changelists Actions" folder (Diff Labels):

Image 10

NSCM "Changelists Confirm" using P.S. Trigger:

Image 11

Tree Reports

• Tree reports compare two trees, branch vs. branch
• It is possible to compare branches in different projects. We have some projects written on a common basis.
• Tree reports are filtered : print only different files / identical files / in 1st / in 2nd
• Tree reports are based on the Project/Configuration structure, which is in use in Cimatron according to InterBranch model.

NSCM "Tree Reports" folder:

Image 12

NSCM - Summary

• NSCM is a modular Windows GUI-based software system over Perforce.
• NSCM enables all users to use Perforce without command line interface usage.
• NSCM implements InterBranch model -- easy to customize from Cimatron to another Perforce based CM sites.

Credits:

Application Developers: Miss Michal Naim, Mr. Eli Ofek
Presentation: Mr. Eli Ofek