ClearCase

Hi, I've used the support information to modify the map file in ClearCase to use BC2 for diffs of text files. can anyone tell me how to use BC2 for binary files? I tried just changing all instances of the cc diff tool to BC2, and it does fire off BC2, but since the CC names don't use the registered suffixes, BC2 just tries to do a binary diff, without applying logic. Is there a way to force a diff to a particular plugin? (Zip in this case)

thanks, nathan.

thanks, nathan

[Craig]

BC has both /fileviewer=xxx and /rules=xxx command line switches, but I don't think there's a way to get ClearCase to use them.

There are a couple of other alternatives though:
If the extension appears anywhere in the filename you can change the file assocations in the rules, like "*.txt*"
You could create a new set of rules at the top of the list and associate it with "*.*".
Turn on the "Show dialog with quick comparison results" option in the "Startup" options. It includes a dropdown list of all of the available plugins, and you can switch it there.

Thanks for the response, but this doesn't seem to help. There is not a 'ear' file comparison rule. I tried to add one and set its handler to File Handler and its file type to *.ear* but it didn't work.

I also tried changing the "archive associations" to *.ear* but that didn't seem to have an effect, either.

It doesn't seem that BC treats the archive handler as a plugin, so the file rules don't get obeyed?

Now that I think about it, it is probably the "archive associations" that is not doing what I want it to do. Since the file has '.ear' somewhere in the middle of it and not the end, BC is not treating it like an archive?

[Craig]

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Both "archive associations" and file comparison rules only match the filename itself, and don't look at the higher path information. Improving the ClearCase support by handling this is on the wishlist, but it won't be right away.

Oh, and yes, archive associations and file comparison rules are separate concepts; the file viewer won't open archive files, so if you did get the masks matching correctly it would open in the folder viewer.

[Ken]

Hi, I've used the support information to modify the map file in ClearCase to use BC2 for diffs of text files.




Does this mean you can set up Clearcase to use Beyond Compare to perform compares, like from the version tree?
Where is this, I just browsed the Help file with BC from my PC install, but couldn't find anything.

Ken

Here's where I originally found it: scootersoft KB article (http://www.scootersoftware.com/support.php?c=kb_vcs)

[Craig]

Yes, though the ClearCase integration only works in the latest 2.1 releases.

The information in the knowledge base article anonymous linked to is largely user-contributed though, so we generally won't be able to give more specific information then what's there.

Yes, though the ClearCase integration only works in the latest 2.1 releases.



does this integration work with dynamic views and with snapshot views?

Thanks in advance.

does this integration work with dynamic views and with snapshot views?



I tried this today and it works! :-)

But, a new problem:

I tried the above described hint:

"If the extension appears anywhere in the filename you can change the file assocations in the rules, like "*.txt*"



But this has no effect! :-(
There is no difference between *.c and *.c*, BC alway takes the default rule and not the C-file rule.

What goes wrong?

[Chris]

BC uses the first rule in the Rules section of Tools|Options that matches the file extension of the files you're comparing. If you have another rule higher in the list with a matching extension (*.c, *.*, etc) it will use that instead.

Try moving your *.c rule to the top of the rules list. If that doesn't solve the problem, please email a .zip of your BC settings using Help|Support and the Export button to support@scootersoftware.com and we'll look into it further.

[Craig]

The rules masks (eg, "*.c*") match against the file name, not it's path. It will pick the correct rules for cases like "ABC.c_xyz", but it does not handle ClearCase's behavior where the real filename is actually a folder name and the filename that BC sees is just the version. I don't know if ClearCase supports it, but the workaround would be to specify the rules on the command line using the /rules switch, like so: /rules="C/C++ Source".

ClearCase's behavior where the real filename



ClearCase use something like
drive:\path\filename.c@@\main\branch\x
(x is an integer).

Could BC handle this mix of path, filename and CC-stuff?


Try moving your *.c rule to the top of the rules list.



I think a had this rule on the top of the rules, but i will check this and your other hints in the near future.

[Chris]

BC is going to look at the end of the file name, so using Craig's suggestion of the /rules= command line option, or associating rules with *.* so they match anything are probably the only options that might work.

BC is going to look at the end of the file name


could you please add a better support for CC-filenames on the "wish-list" for the next BC-version? Thanks!




or associating rules with *.* so they match anything are probably the only options that might work.



I'am using this now. It's ok, but full support of CC-filenames would be much better :-)

[Chris]

I added better support for Clearcase file names to the wish list.