MadCap Software Forums

Looking at Flare's source control support, it seems designed around the Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow.

I believe this is generally regarded as rather inefficient when several authors are working on a project simultaneously. In this situation, a Copy-Modify-Merge workflow is better, as it allows authors to work more autonomously.

Are Flare's souce control features in fact compatible with a C-M-M workflow?

Paul Griffiths wrote:Looking at Flare's source control support, it seems designed around the Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow.

I believe this is generally regarded as rather inefficient when several authors are working on a project simultaneously. In this situation, a Copy-Modify-Merge workflow is better, as it allows authors to work more autonomously.

Are Flare's souce control features in fact compatible with a C-M-M workflow?

I think Flare just follows the model set up in your source control system; so that would have to be set to use CMM instead of LMU.

We currently use TFS (2010), and previously used VSS (2005), and you can use the CMM workflow.

Thanks Dave, that's reassuring. I'm looking forward to trying out the new Subversion features.

I would not be too reassured. When you use the Flare 7 Subversion integration, the UI gives the impression that you're using a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow, when in fact it uses a Copy-Modify-Commit workflow. Even if you are trying to use Subversion with a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow (using Subversion locking functionality), Flare 7 still uses a Copy-Modify-Commit workflow, but presents it as a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow. From what I've seen, this can cause some difficulties. If a file does really need to be locked, or actually is locked by someone else, Flare 7 does not seem to take it into account, and gets in a horrible mess.

I'm deliberately not calling it a Copy-Modify-Merge workflow, because the merge doesn't work for me either.

It's good to know that I'm not the only one having problems with merge. I was beginning to wonder if it was just me.

AndrewW wrote:I would not be too reassured. When you use the Flare 7 Subversion integration, the UI gives the impression that you're using a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow, when in fact it uses a Copy-Modify-Commit workflow. Even if you are trying to use Subversion with a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow (using Subversion locking functionality), Flare 7 still uses a Copy-Modify-Commit workflow, but presents it as a Lock-Modify-Unlock workflow. From what I've seen, this can cause some difficulties. If a file does really need to be locked, or actually is locked by someone else, Flare 7 does not seem to take it into account, and gets in a horrible mess.

I agree with the above. During beta, I submitted a feature request for the UI to be changed so that, when you bind to SVN, your commands reflect what actual *Subversion* action you are performing. Otherwise, I really don't know what I'm doing when I have a file "checked out" or if I "Check In" a file. Can I even Get Lock, SVN-style?

I also asked for them to at least include a mapping (of Flare commands to SVN commands) and we don't have that, either.