Forums

by encos_dev >> Fri, 4 Oct 2002 3:09:02 GMT

Hi,

We are trying to implement patch versioning here at Encos before we start releasing our software to clients, we have experienced a few hiccups - but are making progress.

How many developers out there use patch versioning for releasing patches to deployed systems? How reliable have you found it? If you don't use it, what do you do instead? We are very interested in your experiences!

Thanks,


Glen
Software Developer
Encos Global Systems Limited

by johnmunro >> Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:45:58 GMT

How many developers out there use patch versioning for releasing patches to deployed systems? How reliable have you found it? If you don't use it, what do you do instead? We are very interested in your experiences!

For very small patches (a few methods or a class) we just do a selective extract and write a .mul file if necessary.

For larger patches we don't use patch versioning because it doesn't extract changes in references (only methods), which we will quite probably have made in a large patch. Instead we extract the entire schema. It takes a while, but there doesn't seem to be much of an alternative.

We do have patch versioning switched on though, because it's extremely handy if you've just messed up a method and can't remember how it was - you can restore to a previous version.

John Munro

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by allistar >> Sun, 6 Oct 2002 20:49:26 GMT

Hi Glen,
We have patch versioning turned on so we have a history of changes
but we don't make extracts using it. Instead we have our own
deployment system that manages changes and releases. Here are some
things it does:

- extends the delta system you we effectively "delta out" classes and reports as well as methods.
- for a particular change (what we call a "log") it knows exactly what has changed and creates a .unl for for us. We then make a .scm/.ddb
from the .unl and put that in our packaging system. That then automatically makes a release package (a single compressed file that contains all changes made) that we give to our clients. They then use automated packaging software that imports the changes (and runs any scripts etc).
- we use this system for every single change that occurs on our sites, including upgrades to Jade.

We have found the most important aspect of releasing modifications to multiple sites is ensuring the correct sequencing of modifications. It
is very important to make sure that all sites apply all changes in exactly the same order. It took a while to move around to that philosophy, but since we have our support costs have been reduced dramatically. (We now concentrate on supporting the product, not on supporting the way we release changes to that product).

These tools are developed in jade and C++ and provide a very easy to
use way (they simply click on a "Start" button) for our clients to
apply changes to their system(s).

If your company is interested in taking advantage of the years it has taken us to design and implement this system let me know we we can discuss details (what I have in mind is selling the source code for
these tools so it can be extended to suit your particular business
and development processes).

Glen
Software Developer
Encos Global Systems Limited

Allistar Melville,
Senior Developer,
Greentree International.

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Allistar Melville
Software Developer
Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Greentree International,
Developer of Greentree Financial Software. ------------------------------------------------------------------