StarTeam SDK New Features

The R2 release adds several new SDK Features.

SDK apps now have access to the credential storage system in the StarTeam toolbar. The server object has new static and instance methods to let you determine if a cached authentication is available and allow you to log in using the stored credentials. You can't actually get the credentials in your code, but you call do server.autoLogOn() to use them. Randy mentioned that there are anti-spoofing mechanisms in the toolbar to prevent people from getting at your credentials.

There are a new series of objects collectively known as the CheckoutManager that give you access to capabilities previously reserved for Borland apps. For example, you can now enable MPX checkouts from the SDK. You can also get checkout events and exceptions. You can route checkouts to java or .NET streams rather than files. You can intercept the data, munge it with a Filter, then pass it back to the SDK (carefully…if you're doing MPX, your filter needs to be thread-safe, as the downloads can be happening in parallel). And, you can cancel a long set of downloads at any time.

There's better support for dealing with Not-In-View items or folders. There's also work in progress for the client and SDK to notice the difference between Not-In-View and Deleted-From-Project (aka Obsolete). Currently, the SDK can't tell the difference.
You can now do eventing without MPX, sort of. The SDK provides you with classes to handle the polling you would normally do in the background with heavy optimization.

Randy dropped a couple more hints. The new merge tool will definitely be useable from the SDK. They also have a WinForms implementation of the CPC in house, and they're debating what to do with it. They're looking at doing view merges in a temporary workspace, allowing you to build and test your merged code before committing it to the repository. Sweet.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Randy Listens to Bug Reports

DSC00220.jpg

 

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

New Features in CaliberRM

The new Tracer allows you to trace from Caliber into StarTeam, against any of the objects that live there. The new Publisher allows you publish Caliber requirements into StarTeam requirements, and then keep republishing them as new baselines are created. The updates change the original StarTeam requirements rather than creating new ones. You can also customize the field mappings.

There will be a CaliberRM 2005 R2 SP1 in about 90 days. It will add a first-class integration for Test Director and Quality Center. Tests will show up in the traceability matrix. Published requirements will come over as native TD/QC requirements, including the tree structure.

In 2006, they plan on adding improved baselining as well as making usability refinements.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

New Features in StarTeam

John Sileski talked a lot about the 2005 and 2005 R2 features. I already knew those, so I'm going to skip them. There are some good things coming, though.

The VS2005 integration is 'coming soon'. I'll find out more tonight. There will be a stronger integration with Test Director and Quality Center.

There is a huge new focus on the SCM functionality. For the past year, they've been focused on doing integrations with the other Borland products. Now, they turn back to the core. The next major release will come next year. Atomic transactions and commit sets. Better view merging tools. Eliminating the Win32 client, and bringing all the functionality to the new multi-platform client. They are running a field test, and I intend on getting involved. Of course, if I do, there are likely things that I can't say anymore.

Oh, and they're replacing Visual Diff and Merge. They're developing a brand new tool, based on some heavy-duty algorithms (some of which they licensed), and accessible via the SDK. It's about time!

Question: Will there be updates to the EA workflow designer?
Answer: No, but there may be new features introduced as part of CoreSDP.

Question: Now that there's a .NET SDK, can we do custom forms in .NET rather than Java?
Answer: Not yet, but we plan on fixing that.

Question: Are you really killing off the Win32 client?
Answer: Yes

That last one left me with some trepidation, but I got the 2005 R2 version of the CPC, and they've fixed a lot of my issues with it. Maybe I'll try using it for a while.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend