Path: utzoo!utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!tpc
From: tpc@bnr-fos.UUCP (Tom Chmara)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: SCCS:  how to handle multiple developers/streams
Summary: maintenance of old streams during current development
Keywords: multistream multideveloper maintenance releases
Message-ID: <204@bnr-fos.UUCP>
Date: 24 Nov 88 18:17:49 GMT
Reply-To: tpc@bnr-fos.UUCP (Tom Chmara)
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
Lines: 40

We're looking into using SCCS for program development in selected
areas (until our internal control system can be enhanced to understand
UNIXese).  I've identified a number of problems.  I'm not sure whether
they're problems in understanding or in SCCS:  hope you can help.
Please mail responses; I'll summarize in a couple of weeks' time (unless
my wife delivers early, in which case it may take longer...)

1.  Scenario:  Building a new load.  Problem:  devoted developer has a
    module checked out for editing.  I don't WANT the new version; I want the
    old one.  "-c" gets the old version, "-G" specifies a new path into
    which I dump the file.  Ergo, I need a new copy of my source
    directory structure?  Or does every file need an "alias" for loadbuilding?
2.  Scenario:  Doing maintenance.  A bug has been reported in existing
    (read:  non-current) software.  Do I have to rebuild (recompile) the
    world to be able to restore that environment?  Do I have to maintain
    a copy of the directory hierarchy for every released version?
2.  Scenario:  Doing development.  Do I need to do development in the
    current directory (i.e. parent to SCCS directory) and aggravate the
    loadbuilders (see #1)?  What happens if two of us are doing development
    in the same directory?  I'd like to use the old (read:  loadbuilt)
    objects to avoid having to recompile the world; so would s/he.
    We're constantly going to see each other's sources.  This looks like
    a problem for the Makefiles...  Unless I actively sccs info each
    subdirectory, I don't know who else is doing development -- and that
    information itself is volatile...

I DO know that both SUN & HP use SCCS at some stage of their development
efforts, so presumably maintenance of old software streams is a subject
near (though maybe not dear) to their respective hearts.  Others are also
likely to be equally knowledgeable.  I'm slowly going nuts trying to envision
parallel "shadow" directories, (and subdirectories, and...).  Is there
an easy way out?  Is there a sane way out?  What are my alternatives?
	Yes, I'm DAMNED uncomfortable & nervous right about now...
		Thanks for your time...
			---tpc---
-- 
I am sole owner of the above opinions. Licensing inquiries welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Chmara			UUCP:  ..utgpu!bnr-vpa!bnr-fos!tpc
BNR Ltd.  			BITNET: TPC@BNR.CA