[p4] usefulness of a depot other than a top-level directory?

[Robert Cowham]

Depots are not particularly magic things in that there are no restrictions
on branching between them etc.

But there are many many ways to design a good hierarchy and this is what
it's all about.

Personally I tend towards narrower and deeper hierarchies than broad and
shallow ones. It means there is not an explosion of things at any one level.

Thus my preference is for single digits number of depots (the old max
7+/-2). I've seen shops with 50-100+ depots (one per project), and it seems
to work for them, but is not my preference.

By default (and this can be changed with form triggers), when you create a
new client workspace you will get a mapping for every depot - some
inconvenience with large numbers.

One of the keys here is to make it easy for people using p4v or p4win to
click through your repository and find stuff easily. The structure should be
grokkable.

Some advance thought and planning will save you lots of grief down stream.

I do talk a bit more about this on:

http://www.robertcowham.com/blog/scm/p4_branch_depot_structure.html

Robert

> -----Original Message-----
> From: perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com 
> [mailto:perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com] On Behalf Of 
> Tim.Miller at reardencommerce.com
> Sent: 07 June 2006 03:27
> To: perforce-user at perforce.com
> Subject: [p4] usefulness of a depot other than a top-level directory?
> 
> Hi,
> 
> By default p4d creates a depot called 'depot.'  You can 
> create other depots (and delete the 'depot' depot).  But I'm 
> not sure (other than the spec depot) what the benefits of a 
> depot are or how to use them to advantage.  Or should I just 
> think of them as a top-level directory.
> 
> To keep pathnames short, I would like to create depots like 
> this (below).  Is this a good idea?  A bad idea?  Pitfalls?
> 
> Thanks,
> Tim
> 
> //app1
> 	/main
> 	/branch	(full dev&sub-project branches)
> 	/rel
> //app2		
> 	/main
> 	/branch	
> 	/rel
> //user		(sparse task&defect branches, 
> prototypes, non-production
> stuff)
> 	/jdoe
> 	/jsmith
> //mktg
> 	/fluff
> 
> etc.
> 
> --
> Tim Miller
> REARDEN commerce