[p4] Variable substitution in client specs?

[Patrick Bennett]

We use scripts extensively - and the scripts frequently automatically 
integrate changes for the developer across multiple branches (a fix in 
an old product version is automatically 'propagated' out to all 
subsequent versions), so their clientspec needs to have each branch area 
mappable.  With as many products/codebases that we have, and as many 
versions of each product that developers frequently have to work on, 
having each developer create different client specs for each codebase 
would be completely unworkable for us. 

Patrick


Stephen Vance wrote:
> See the recent thread on the debate between one branch per client and 
> many branches per client. People like both approaches for many reasons.
>
> As for how to do it, you can script it easily, you can create template 
> clients, or you can put many branches into a workspace.
>
> Steve
>
> Bennett, Patrick wrote:
>> Why on earth would you need to create a new clientspec for every new
>> branch?
>> Most of our users only have one client spec.  Different branches map 
>> to different areas off their client root.  It's
>> all quite simple really. 
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com
>> [mailto:perforce-user-bounces at perforce.com] On Behalf Of Roy Smith
>> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 2:00 PM
>> To: Perforce User
>> Subject: [p4] Variable substitution in client specs?
>>
>> I've been using p4 for about a year.  When we first started using 
>> it,  the biggest stumbling block was the drudgery of creating client  
>> specs.  Now that I've been using it for a year, I still find 
>> creating  clientspecs is a pain.  There's so much duplicated 
>> information.  Each  time you create a branch, you need to create a 
>> new clientspec, which  means taking an old one and doing a lot of 
>> editing.  Here's a simple  example:
>>
>> Client: dmt-dev-smithr3-7.2
>>
>> Root:   /emc/smithr3/src/dmt-dev-smithr3-7.2
>>
>> View:
>>          //depot/smarts/dmt/dev/smithr3/7.2/... 
>> //dmt-dev-smithr3-7.2/ smarts/...
>>
>>
>> The string "dmt-dev-smithr3-7.2" appears three times (and this is a  
>> trivial view; in a more typical view, it would appear many times).   
>> It would be so nice if I could do something like:
>>
>>
>> Client: dmt-dev-smithr3-7.2
>>
>> Root:   /emc/smithr3/src/$client
>>
>> View:
>>          //depot/smarts/$branch/... //$client/smarts/...
>>
>> then whenever I needed to create a new branch, and a clientspec to 
>> go  with it, I could just copy my template, change two lines, and be  
>> done.  Is there any way to do something like this?
>>
>> -------------------
>> Roy Smith <smith_roy at emc.com>
>> Software Guy, EMC Common Management Group
>> 44 South Broadway, 7th floor
>> White Plains, NY 10601
>> (914) 580-3427
>> AIM: roysmith649
>>
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>>
>>
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>>   
>


-- 

*Patrick Bennett* | Software Engineer
phone & fax +1.317.715.8302 | patrick.bennett at inin.com
 
*Interactive Intelligence Inc.*
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