1 Visual Studio Plug In
Visual Studio Plug In allows users to work with Plastic SCM from any development environment compatible with API SCC. The Plug In is fully compatible with Visual Studio 6, 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2010.
The main operations needed to easily work with the system from Visual Studio will be described.
1.1 Adding projects to the source control system
This will be done when the project on which the user wants to work is already on disc but not under Plastic SCM control.
Requirements:
- All project files including source code must be located under an existing workspace on the user’s hard disk.
- Plastic SCM plugin must be installed.
Steps to follow:
- Open project / solution with Visual Studio
- Right click the project or solution you want to add
- Select Add to source control.
- The project will be Plastic.
Figure 1: Adding to the version control from Visual Studio
1.2 Opening existing projects under source control
This operation is done whenever the solution has already been added to Plastic SCM. The developer would have to let Plastic know where the solution is located
The following steps should be taken:
- Open the solution with Visual Studio
- Click on Folder / Source control / Change source control.
- On the dialog shown on Figure 2, select every project and solution to be added to the source control and click link. Once the project and solutions are link, press Accept
Figure 2: Change source control from Visual Studio
Figure 3: Linking projects
1.3 Operations
On each Visual Studio file menu, there is a list of basic operations related with source control. See Figure 4 and Figure 5.
· Check out: It checks out the selected items. If the selected item is a solution or a project, it will check out every folder belonging to that solution or project.
· Obtaining the latest revision: It updates the selected item.
· Comparing revisios: It shows the differences between the workspace revision and the server revision.
· Check in: It checks in the selected items.
· Show check outs: It shows every checked out item.
· Undo checkout: It undoes the selected items´ check out, leaving them going back to the state before being checked out.
1.4 Additional source control operations
Additional source control operations can be found on menu File / Source control, as shown on Figure 6.
Figure 6: Additional SCM operations in Visual Studio
- Open from source control: It shows a solution or project to be opened from the source control.
- Change source control: It shows a dialog to link or unlink projects to the source control, or the option of working disconnected.
- Obtaining the latest revision: It updates the items selected.
- Update: It shows an update dialog.
- Check out: It checks out the selected items.
- Check out: It checks out the selected items without showing a dialog.
- Check in: It checks in the selected items.
- Undo check out: In undoes the selected items check out.
- History: It shows the selected item’s version tree.
- Exclude from source control: It eliminates the selected items from the source control.
- Share: Not in use
- Compare revisions: It shows the differences between the item’s current revision and the previous one.
- Plastic properties: It shows a list of the Plug In properties.
- Add project from source control: The same as open from source control
- Update state: It updates the state of the selected items if they have been modified outside Visual Studio.
1.5 Working disconnected
When no network connection to the server is available and changes must be done, users can choose the work disconnected option. The following steps must be followed.
First of all you would access to File / Source control / Change source control, as shown on figure 85. Press disconnect.
Figure 7: Change source control
The system is able to memorize the check outs done by the user selecting check out (without connection). Then a dialog as shown on Figure 8 will appear.
Figure 8: Checked out without connection
When the connection is back, the check outs done without connection will be sent to the server, showing a box as in Figure 9.
Figure 9: Protection when regaining connection
2 JDeveloper plugin
JDeveloper plugin allows users to work with Plastic SCM 1.5 or higher editions from JDeveloper 10 or higher.
The main operations needed to easily work with the system from JDeveloper will be described.
Before starting to use the tool, users must know where is the Plastic SCM repository on which the JDeveloper projects will be located.
2.1 Adding projects to the source control system
This operation will be done whenever the project on which the user wants to work exists on his machine but is not yet under Plastic SCM control. Files created in JDeveloper before using Plastic SCM must be imported into Plastic SCM repository and checked out.
Requirements:
· All project files including source code must be located under an existing workspace on the user’s hard disk.
- Plastic SCM plug in for JDeveloper must be installed.
Steps to follow:
- Open the project/ solution with JDeveloper
- Right click on the menu Versioning; option Select Version System, PlasticSCM as shown on Figure 10.
Figure 10: Select Plastic SCM as version system
- Indicate on Tools, Preferences, Versioning, PlasticSCM, the directory in which Plastic SCM is installed as shown on Figure 11.
Figure 11: Plastic SCM location
In the case that Plastic SCM location has not been indicated on the Tool´s Preferences, JDeveloper will show the error shown on Figure 12.
Figure 12: Preference empty
- Then right click on the project: Versioning, Refresh Status to indicate that the project is within a workspace:
Figure 13: Refresh status
- To finish the process click on the option Add to Plastic SCM Recursively from the Versioning menu.
2.2 Operations
On each JDeveloper file menu there is a set of basic operations related to the source control:
Figure 14: Plastic SCM operations from JDeveloper
· Add to Plastic SCM: It adds the selected items.
· Add to Plastic SCM recursively: It adds the selected items and if they are folders, it also adds their content.
· Check in: It checks in the selected items.
· Check out: It checks out the selected items.
· Undo checkout: It undoes the selected items check out, going back to the state before being checked out.
· Update: It updates the selected item.
· Diff with previous: It shows the differences between the workspace revision and the server revision.
· Version tree: It obtains the version tree from which the differences between any two versions can be shown.
· Remove from Plastic: It removes the project from the source code.
· Refresh status: It refreshes the project status.
If the user tries to change a file but has not previously checked it out, the system will throw the error shown on Figure 15 so the user can check out the item.
Figure 15: Error when changing without checking out
2.3 Decorators
Decorators are small icons shown next to an item showing its state. They are activated by default when installing Plastic SCM Plugin.
JDeveloper decorators are the following ones:
It indicates that
the item is not inside a workspace or that it has not been recognized by
Plastic SCM client.
It indicates that
the item is private.
It indicates that
the item is checked out.
It indicates that
the item is checked in.
3 Eclipse Plug In
Eclipse Plug In allows users to work with Plastic SCM from Eclipse integrated environment, providing the most common operations used by developers. Eclipse Plug In is compatible with Eclipse 3.1 and further editions.
3.1 Adding projects to the source control system
In order add an existing project to the source control system it is necessary to have an existing workspace on Plastic SCM containing the project on which you would be working. On the example, the workspace will be located in ‘c:\wks’, and the project structure will be the following:
C:\wks
C:\wks\project
C:\wks\project\src\...
The project will be opened in Eclipse as usual. In order to add the project to Plastic SCM for the first time, the project’s directory must be selected either from the package explorer or from the browser, right click, menu Team, option ‘Share Project’.
Figure 16: Share project option
Eclipse will ask which version control should be used.
Figure 17: Choosing your version control: Plastic SCM
By selecting Plastic SCM, the Plugin must be indicated where to find the executable
‘cm.exe’. It will usually be located on the folder ‘Program Folder\Plastic SCM\client’, unless another location was selected on installation.
Figure 18: Plastic SCM settings
The link between the project and Plastic SCM is therefore created. The following step would be adding the items recursively. Either the whole project or just a part of it can be added, although the usual procedure would be adding the entire project. In order to do this, having selected the project, right click, menu Team, option ‘Add to Plastic SCM recursively’
Figure 19: Adding items to Plastic SCM
Once added, the items will be checked out, reflected on the grey tick next to each of them:
Figure 20: Checked out items
In order to complete the process, items must be checked in. Having selected the project’s folder, right click, menu Team, option ‘Check in recursively’ will protect them and the grey tick changes into a small orange cylinder, indicated that they are checked in.
Figure 21: Check in recursively
The project is now ready to be used by various developers.
3.2 Opening existing projects under source control
Whenever another developer is going to use a project which has been already added, he would have to create a workspace and do an update operation, which would make a copy of the project from the repository. This can be achieved from the graphic user interface or from the command line:
cm update .
Once this is done, the project should be opened from Eclipse and having selected the project’s folder on the package explorer or the browser, menu Team, option ‘Share Project’, as in the previous case. Once the link process is achieved, as in the previous section, the items will be ready to start working with.
3.3 Operations
Operations available from Eclipse are in the context menu Team when right clicking on a project’s item.
Figure 22: Eclipse plug in operations
The available operations are the following ones:
- Add to Plastic SCM: Adds the selected items to the source control. They are left in check out.
- Add to Plastic SCM recursively: Same as the previous option, but if the selected items are folders, it also adds their content.
- Check in: Protects the selected items.
- Check in recursively: Same as the previous option, but if the selected items are folders, it also protects their content.
- Check out: Items are automatically checked out when a modification is attempted. This option can be changed on Plastic SCM options as described below.
- Check out recursively: Same as the previous option, but if the selected items are folders, it also protects their content.
- Undo checkout: Undoes the selected items check out, going back to the state before being checked out.
- Update: Updates the selected items. This is always a recursive operation, so if an item is a folder, its content will be also updated.
- Refresh State: Refreshes the state (check in or check out) of the selected items. It is used when the items have been used outside Eclipse environment, so Eclipse would have track of the operations to be applied depending on the item’s state.
- Diff with previous: Shows differences between the current version and its parent. If the item is checked out it shows the differences between it and its state before checking out.
- Version Tree: Shows the selected item´ s 3D version tree.
- Remove from Plastic SCM: Eliminates the item both from the project and from the version control. Previously stored versions of that item are kept on the repository.
- Unbind project from Plastic SCM source control: Unbinds the project from the version control. The steps to follow in order to link them again are described on epigraph 3.2.
Some of these operations can be done from Plastic SCM toolbar, with the following appearance:
Figure 23: Plastic SCM toolbar in Eclipse
The buttons correspond to the following operations (from left to right):
- Add to Plastic SCM: Adding the selected item to the version control.
- Refresh State: Refreshes the state of the selected items.
- Version Tree: Shows the selected item version tree
- Diff with previous: Shows differences between the current version and the previous one.
- Check in: Checks in the selected items.
- Checkout: Checks out the selected items.
- Undo checkout: Undoes the selected items´ check outs.
3.4 Refactor support
Plastic SCM provides complete refactor operations support, especially effective when renaming and moving items from one folder to another.
Note for Eclipse 3.1: Due to an Eclipse 3.1 restriction, solved in Eclipse 3.2, refactor for renaming a package could show an error at the end, as the following:
This behavior is due to the way in which Eclipse handles refactor and control version Plug in communication. You will only have to press ‘back’ and ‘next’ again, so the operation will be properly achieved.
3.5 Preferences
Changing the preferences related to Plastic SCM Plugin for Eclipse can be done from the menu Window, Preferences. On the option tree select Team / Plastic SCM, and the following dialog will be shown:
Figure 24: Plastic SCM preferences
The following options can be set:
- Command line executable: Plastic SCM executable path. It is usually set when first used. It is possible to set this parameter to show to a different installation from Plastic SCM.
- Automatic checkout file to modify: set by default, it indicates whether Plastic SCM must protect an item when being modified on Eclipse editor.
3.6 Decorators
Decorators are small icons shown next to an item showing its state (checked out or checked in). They are activated by default when installing Plastic SCM Plugin, even though it is possible to activate or deactivate them from the menu Window, Preferences. Select from the option menu General / Appearance / Label Decorators. It will show a dialog as shown, allowing to activate or deactivate the decorators.
Figure 25: Plastic SCM decorators in Eclipse
3.7 The Plastic SCM perspective
This perspective includes a console showing the state of the operations performed in Plastic SCM; a view of the current workspace, including branches and labels, and finally a view showing the items that are currently checked out. In addition to this, the ‘Package Explorer view is included.
To open this view in Eclipse, click on
‘Open Perspective’ 
; then click on ‘Other’ and select ‘Plastic SCM’ in the list
provided.
Plastic SCM perspective appears highlighted.
Figure 26: List of perspectives available in Eclipse
Let’s see what can we do in each view:
3.7.1 Console view
Figure 27: Console view of the Plastic SCM perspective
In this console we can see the result of some operations performed in the Plastic SCM server, the state of the connection, whether the plug in is active or not, etc.
3.7.2 Workspace explorer view
Figure 28: Workspace explorer view of the Plastic SCM perspective
This view includes information related with the workspace, branches and labels, and some operations involved. Let’s see each of these operations:
Right-clicking on the workspace, it is possible to:
Update: It allows updating the workspace with the last contents of the current branch.
Change workspace selector: Opens a text dialog where the user can type the new selector.
Right-clicking on a branch listed in the ‘Branches’ drop-down list:
Create child branch: Creates a new child branch of the selected branch.
Switch to this branch: It changes the workspace selector, pointing to the selected branch.
Merge from this branch: To merge from the selected branch to the current branch where the workspace is pointing right now. This process is quite similar with the same process in the graphical interface of Plastic.
Figure 29: Merge dialog of the Plastic SCM perspective
Properties: Only available for child branches, it shows the properties of the selected branch, as it would be shown in the graphical interface of Plastic SCM.
Figure 30: Properties dialog of the Plastic SCM perspective
Right-clicking on ‘Labels’:
Create new label: Use this option to create a new label.
If the ‘Labels’ drop-down list is opened, the following options are available:
Switch to this label: To switch the workspace selector to the selected label. It is important to remark that a label is a fix point and it is not possible to check out anything if the workspace selector points to it.
Apply label to workspace contents: It applies a label to the current revisions of the items loaded in the workspace in this moment. This operation will not finish successfully if any item is checked out.
Merge from this label: Opens the merge dialog, described before; this time the source of the merge is the selected label and not a branch as before. The destination of the operation is the branch to which the workspace is pointing right now.
3.7.3 Pending checkouts view
Figure 31: Pending checkouts view of the Plastic SCM perspective
This view shows a list of checked out
items. It is possible to check in them 
or undo the check out 
for all (clicking on 
) or only for those selected (clicking on Ctrl+click).
Furthermore, when double-clicking on any item listed, the Diff tool of Plastic will be opened, showing the differences between the last version of the current work session and the last version in the repository.
4 IntelliJ 5 Plug in
The IntelliJ Plugin allows users to work with PlasticSCM from the IntelliJ environment, providing the most common operations. The plugin is compatible with IntelliJ 5.1.
4.1 Setup the Plug in
In order to work with the plugin, it needs to be correctly configured. To do so, click on the ‘File’ menu and then on ‘Settings’, or press ‘Ctrl+Alt+S’. The settings window is shown.
Figure 32: Settings window of IntelliJ5.1
In the option list, click on ‘Version Control’. In the dialog opened, select ‘PlasticSCM’ from the list and click on ‘Configure’.
Figure 33: Version Control dialog of IntelliJ5.1
The settings window of the plugin is opened, in which you have to type or select the path to ‘cm.exe’ (‘cm’ in linux). If this field is leaved in blank, the plugin will search a default path based on the default installation directory of PlasticSCM. If ‘cm.exe’ or ‘cm’ (linux) is typed, the plugin will search for the command in the default installation path, too.
Figure 34: Plastic SCM plugin configuration window
Once this information has been typed, click on ‘Test Connection’ in order to verify whether the given command path is correct and whether the command can be executed. The server has to be running in order for the operation to success.
Figure 35: Test Connection message
4.2 Checkout from Version Control
This operation allows users to import a project allocated in a PlasticSCM repository; this way is possible to work with it from IntelliJ5.1 using PlasticSCM.
Figure 36: IntelliJ5.1 main window, Check out from Version Control remarked
In order to do this is compulsory to have the plugin well configured (proceed as exposed in the previous section). The server used to the checkout from version control operation is the same server configured in the client command of PlasticSCM.
Now, click on this option from the main menu of IntelliJ5.1 and select PlasticSCM as version control.
Figure 37: Dialog to select repository, branch and label
A wizard is shown, in which is necessary to select the desired repository to use and the branch or label to use. It is compulsory to specify a branch or a label so that the operation can finish correctly. To select one option or another, click on the list above a repository to use; then click on the desired option (branch or label) and then click on “…”, which will open a branch or label selector, depending on the case. Press ‘OK’ and then click on ‘Next’.
Figure 38: Dialog to select workspace
In the next window select the workspace where you want to bring the contents. It is possible to use an existing workspace from the list or create a new one. To do this, press ‘Create new’ and type the name of the new workspace and its path in the local disk.
Figure 39: Dialog to create a new workspace
Select from the list the workspace to use and click on ‘Next’.
The last screen is shown, which shows the detailed information about the checkout operation. Verify that the information is ok and press ‘Finish’. The system will bring the contents of the selected branch or label, from the selected repository to the workspace specified. Now it is possible to open the project with IntelliJ5.1 as it would be done with any other project.
Notes: Every IDEA module controlled by PlasticSCM has to be allocated in one and only one local workspace. If that is not the case the plugin will be disabled. Nevertheless it is possible to have modules controlled by PlasticSCM and other modules controlled by another version control, or even modules that are not controlled by any version control at all.
4.3 Item status overview.
Any project controlled by PlasticSCM uses a color scheme in the names of the items to specify their state. This state can be verified in the ‘Project’ view.
If the color of the item is green it means that the item has been recently added to PlasticSCM. If it is blue then the item is in checkout state, ready to be edited. If the color is dark red the item is private, out of PlasticSCM. Finally, if the color is black, it means that the item is checked in.
Figure 40: Example of the color scheme
4.4 Opening existing projects under source control
When a project is imported from PlasticSCM, open it in the ‘File’, ‘Open Project’ menu of IntelliJ5.1. Select the path of the project and click on ‘Open’.
If the project is controlled by PlasticSCM, the color scheme in the names of the items explained in the previous section will be used.
Once the project is opened, we can perform an update operation so that the last contents of the project are loaded in the workspace. Click on the root item and select ‘Update’ or ‘Update Directory’. Another possibility is click on the ‘Version Control’ menu of IntelliJ5.1 and select ‘Update Project’. To obtain more information about useful operations, please see the next section.
4.5 Basic operations
All the operations available are allocated in the context menu ‘PlasticSCM’ which appears when right-clicking on an item from the list or from the editor, or clicking on the IntelliJ5.1 ‘Version Control’ menu and then on ‘PlasticSCM’.
Figure 41: Plastic SCM operations for an item
These are the operations explained in detail:
- Checkin File: The checkin file dialog is opened; in this window is possible to decide if PlasticSCM should ignore the elements which does not have been changed, type comments for the operation (or select previously used comments, clicking on ‘History’), and check or uncheck other options provided by IntelliJ5.1, which can be performed before the checkin operation is executed. Among these options are: optimize import, reformat code or analyze the code implied in the operation.
Figure 42: Plastic SCM checkin dialog
- Protect directory: It allows checkin changes in the files contained in a directory, recursively. In addition to the options available in the Protect File dialog, the structure of the project before the changes and after the changes done locally is shown. IntelliJ5.1 provides, furthermore, a color scheme to distinguish between changed items, added items and deleted items. Among the available options, we can ‘Commit’ the changes (checkin in PlasticSCM terminology), or ‘Rollback’ the changes (undo checkout in PlasticSCM terminology).
Figure 43: Plastic SCM checkin dialog for directories
- Rollback: Undo all the changes done in the checked out selected item. When this operation is applied to directories, it undoes all changes done in the files contained in that directory.
- Update file: Obtains the last changes registered in the repository for the selected item in the branch or label loaded in this moment.
- Update directory: The same as before, but this time applied to directories, recursively.
- Edit (Ctrl+O): Applied to a file, it checks out the file in order to edit it; applied to a directory, this operation checks out recursively every file contained in that directory. This operation can be performed too by double-clicking on the item and start typing on it. It will appear a warning from IntelliJ5.1 telling that is necessary to clear the read-only status; clicking on ‘OK’ PlasticSCM checks out the item automatically.
Figure 44: IntelliJ5.1 Clear Read-only status dialog
- Add (Ctrl+A): It adds elements to the version control system. Applied to a file, it adds that file to PlasticSCM. Applied to a directory, it adds recursively the directory and all its contents. The directories added this way are left in checked in state automatically.
- Unco all unchanged: Undo the checkout operation in those items that have not been modified by the user. Applied to a directory, it performs this operation recursively in the directory.
- Annotate: To visualize who made changes in each line of the selected file, among other useful information.
Figure 45: Example of the command ‘Annotate’
- Show History: It shows the revisions created of a file with related information: date, author, and comments.
Figure 46: Plastic SCM history view for an item
It is possible to perform some actions on the revisions shown in the table, such as comparing two selected revisions, comparing a local version with one of the revisions selected in the table or view a concrete revision. Those options are listed as icons in the left corner of this view.
- Compare with the Same Repository Version: Compares the local version with the one saved in the repository which has the same version number.
- Compare with the Last Repository Version: Compares the local version with the last one saved in the same branch loaded in this moment.
Notes: There is a well-known problem in the history view of IDEA, when the revision which is currently loaded should be marked in bold. To show the current revision it is necessary to reopen the history view.
Furthermore, in the ‘Version Control’, ‘PlasticSCM’ menu the following options are available:
Figure 47: Version Control menu, showing more PlasticSCM options
- Commit Project: It checks in all the changes done in the project. The Protect Directory dialog is shown (view Protect Directory operation above).
- Update Project: Update the entire project, searching for changes done locally in the project items. Once the operation finishes, a panel shows a summary containing the changes done in the workspace (files updated, files created, files deleted…). When using this option or when selecting all the root items of each module loaded and then clicking on ‘Update Directory’, it is possible to change the branch or label to work. If that is not the case, only the contents of the selected module, directory or file will be updated.
Notes: As explained, once the operation finishes it is shown a summary of items created, updated and deleted. In the list of modified items you can see items that were modified outside the version control. If you right click on that items and select the ‘Update Files’ option, the update files dialog will be opened, with the ‘Force update files’ selected by default.
Figure 48: Plastic update project dialog
- Merge from branch or label: With this option, you can merge the branch or label selected with the current contents loaded in the workspace.
Select the option ‘Find Merges’ and, if any conflict is pending, click on ‘Start Merge’. The system will start resolving the merges. When the operation finishes, click on ‘Close’. The items are left in checkout state in order to verify if the merge was performed as desired. If that is not the case, it is possible to rollback the changes (see the Protect Directory operation above).
Figure 49: Plastic SCM merge dialog
- Create workspace: Creates a new workspace which contains the non-controlled project loaded in this moment. That project must not be in any workspace contained, or the option will appear disabled. A dialog will be opened in which the user will tell the repository to use, the name of the workspace and the local path where the new workspace will be allocated.
4.6 Refactoring support
PlasticSCM provides full support to those refactoring operations related with renaming and moving items.
These operations are:
· Move
· Rename
· Delete
When these operations are applied on an item, the item is modified on disk and those changes are automatically extended to PlasticSCM.
Notes: In case that you want to delete several files, it is possible to click on the context menu ‘Delete’; this will checkout the directory which contains the files and then the files will be deleted one by one.
Nevertheless we recommend a safe delete instead of a normal delete (context menu ‘Refactor’, ‘Safe Delete’); this way all the selected files will be deleted at the same time.
5 IntelliJ 8 Plug in
The IntelliJ IDEA 8 Plug in allows users to work with Plastic SCM from the IntelliJ IDEA environment, providing the most common operations. The plug in is compatible with IntelliJ IDEA 8.1.
5.1 Setup the Plug in
To configure the plug in, use the following steps:
- Click on the ‘File’ menu and then on ‘Settings’, or press ‘Ctrl+Alt+S’. The settings window will be shown.
Figure 50: Settings window of IntelliJ 8
- Click on ‘Version Control’ in the options list on the left. On the right, appears the <Project Root>.
- In the VCS drop-down menu select Plastic SCM.
- Click on ‘Version Control’ in the list provided on the left, then on VCSs, and finally on ‘Plastic SCM’.
Figure 51: Version Control selector of IntelliJ 8
The settings panel of the plug in is opened, in which you have to type or select the path to ‘cm.exe’ (‘cm’ in linux). If this field is leaved in blank, the plug in will search a default path based on the default installation directory of Plastic SCM. If ‘cm.exe’ or ‘cm’ (linux) is typed, the plug in will search for the command in the default installation path, too.
Figure 52: Plastic SCM plug in configuration window
Use the ‘Test Connection’ button in order to verify whether the given command path is correct and whether the command can be executed. The server has to be running and the cm client correctly configured (use the client wizard to verify this) in order for the operation to success.
Figure 53: Test Connection message
5.2 Checkout from Version Control
This operation allows users to import a project allocated in a Plastic SCM repository.
Figure 54: IntelliJ 8 main window, check out from Version Control remarked
The plug in must be correctly configured before a check out can be performed. Select the Plastic SCM option from the ‘Check out from Version Control’ menu.
Figure 55: Dialog to select repository, branch and label
It is necessary to choose a repository to use and then to select what version of your code you want to work with, which can be either a branch such as ‘/main’ or a label such as ‘version 1.0.0’.
Figure 56: Dialog to select workspace
In the next window select the workspace where you want to bring the contents. It is possible to use an existing workspace from the list or create a new one. To do this, press ‘Create new’ and type the name of the new workspace and its path in the local disk.
Figure 57: Dialog to create a new workspace
Select from the list the workspace to use and click on ‘Next’.
The last screen is shown, which shows the detailed information about the checkout operation. Verify that the information is correct and press ‘Finish’. The system will bring the contents of the selected branch or label, from the selected repository to the workspace specified.
Notes: Every IntelliJ module controlled by Plastic SCM has to be allocated in one and only one local workspace.
5.3 Item status overview.
Any project controlled by Plastic SCM uses a color scheme in the names of the items to specify their state. This state can be verified in the ‘Project’ view.
If the color of the item is green it means that the item has been recently added to Plastic SCM. If it is blue then the item is in checkout state, ready to be edited. If the color is dark red the item is private, out of Plastic SCM. Finally, if the color is black, it means that the item is checked in.
Figure 58: Example of the color scheme
5.4 Opening existing projects under source control
When a project is imported from Plastic SCM, open it in the ‘File’, ‘Open Project’ menu of IntelliJ 8. Select the path of the project and click on ‘Open’.
If the project is controlled by Plastic SCM, the color scheme in the names of the items explained in the previous section will be used.
Once the project is opened, we can perform an update operation so that the last contents of the project are loaded in the workspace. Click on the root item and select ‘Update’ or ‘Update Directory’. Another option is click on the ‘Version Control’ menu of IntelliJ 8 and select ‘Update Project’. To obtain more information about useful operations, please see the next section.
5.5 Basic operations
The most basic operations available are allocated in the context menu ‘Plastic SCM’ which appears when right-clicking on an item from the list or from the editor, or
clicking on the IntelliJ 8
Figure 59: SCM operations for an item
Version Control’ menu and then on ‘Plastic SCM’.
These are the operations explained in detail:
- Check in File: The checkin file dialog is opened; in this window is possible to decide whether Plastic SCM should ignore the elements which does not have been changed, type comments for the operation, and check or uncheck other options provided by IntelliJ 8, which can be performed before the checkin operation is executed. Among these options are: optimize import, reformat code or analyze the code implied in the operation.
Figure 60: Check in dialog
- Protect directory: The same dialog explained above is opened.
- Rollback: Undo all the changes done in the checked out selected item. When this operation is applied to directories, it undoes all changes done in the files contained in that directory.
- Update file: Obtains the last changes registered in the repository for the selected item in the branch or label loaded in this moment.
- Update directory: The same as before, but this time applied to directories, recursively.
- Edit: Applied to a file, it checks out the file in order to edit it; applied to a directory, this operation checks out recursively every file contained in that directory. This operation can be performed too by double-clicking on the item and start typing on it. It will appear as a warning from IntelliJ 8 explaining that it is necessary to clear the read-only status; clicking on ‘OK’ Plastic SCM will check out the item automatically.
Figure 61: IntelliJ 8 Clear Read-only status dialog
- Add: It adds elements to the version control system. Applied to a file, it adds that file to Plastic SCM. Applied to a directory, it adds recursively the directory and all its contents. The directories added this way are left in checked in state automatically.
- Annotate: To visualize who made changes in each line of the selected file, among other useful information.
Figure 62: Example of the command ‘Annotate’
- Show History: It shows the revisions created of a file with related information: date, author, and comments.
Figure 63: Plastic SCM history view for an item
It is possible to perform some actions on the revisions shown in the table, such as comparing two selected revisions, comparing a local version with one of the revisions selected in the table or view a concrete revision. Those options are listed as icons in the left corner of this view.
- Compare with the Same Repository Version: Compares the local version with the one saved in the repository which has the same version number.
- Compare with the Last Repository Version: Compares the local version with the last one saved in the same branch loaded in this moment.
- Compare with…: Allows comparing the current revision with another selected revision.
- Show version tree: Shows the version tree of Plastic SCM for that item.
Furthermore, in the ‘Version Control’, ‘Plastic SCM’ menu the following options are available:
Figure 64: Version Control menu, showing more Plastic SCM options
- Commit Project: It checks in all the changes done in the project. The Check in dialog is shown.
- Update Project: Update the entire project, searching for changes done locally in the project items. Once the operation finishes, a panel shows a summary containing the changes done in the workspace (files updated, files created, files deleted…). When using this option or when selecting all the root items of each module loaded and then clicking on ‘Update Directories’, it is possible to change the branch or label to work. If that is not the case, only the contents of the selected module, directory or file will be updated.
Figure 65: Update project dialog
Furthermore, you can create new branches by clicking on ‘New...’. In the dialog opened, it is necessary to type the name, comments, starting point and parent of the branch to be created.
Figure 66: Create branch dialog
Notes: As it has been explained, once the operation finishes it is shown a summary of items created, updated and deleted. In the list of modified items you can see items that were modified outside the version control.
- Merge from branch or label: With this option, you can merge the branch or label selected with the current contents loaded in the workspace.
Select the option ‘Find Merges’ and, if any conflict is pending, click on ‘Start Merge’. The system will start resolving the merges. When the operation finishes, click on ‘Close’. The items are left in checkout state in order to verify if the merge was performed as desired. If that is not the case, it is possible to rollback the changes (see Check in dialog explained above).
Figure 67: Merge dialog
- Create workspace: Creates a new workspace which contains the non-controlled project loaded. That project must not be in any workspace, or the option will appear disabled. A dialog will be opened in which the user will tell IntelliJ which repository to use, the name of the workspace and the local path where the new workspace will be allocated.
Figure 68: Create workspace dialog
5.6 Refactoring support
Plastic SCM provides full support to those refactoring operations related with renaming and moving items.
These operations are:
· Move
· Rename
· Delete
When these operations are applied on an item, the item is modified on disk and those changes are automatically extended to Plastic SCM.
Notes: In case of deleting files, IntelliJ 8 performs always a ‘Safe Delete’, no matter whether the user clicks on ‘Delete’ or on ‘Refactor’ -> ‘Safe Delete’.
5.7 Work offline mode
The Plastic SCM plugin for IntelliJ 8 makes a working-mode without connection to the Plastic SCM server possible; this allows a user to perform Plastic actions such as ‘add’, ‘check in’, ‘check out’, and some refactors.
Figure 69: Work offline option, in the Plastic SCM menu
In order to work offline, click on the ‘Work Offline’ option, which appears in the Plastic SCM menu, explained above.
Afterwards, once the connection with the server has been restored, the actions performed offline will be executed in the Plastic SCM server. To return to the Online working mode, click on the ‘Work Offline’ option again.
Notes: Rename and move actions cannot be performed while in offline working mode.
Notes: It is important to remark that not all the Plastic SCM options are available in offline working mode; mainly those that require a connection with the server, such as ‘update’.