AccuRev Glossary

3-way merge

The kind of algorithm that AccuRev uses to combine the contents of two versions (contributors) of a text-file element: it compares the two files line-by-line with a third version, the closest common ancestor of the contributors.

access control list

A data structure that controls the rights of one or more users, or groups of users, to access the data within a particular depot or stream.

access mode

(UNIX/Linux only) The standard set of permissions (user/group/others, read/write/execute), as they apply to a particular file element.

AccuRev home directory

A subdirectory, named .accurev, of your operating-system home directory (or of the directory specified by environment variable ACCUREV_HOME). This subdirectory stores your preferences file and other AccuRev configuration files.

AccuRevServer

The program that manages the AccuRev repository and handles commands issued by AccuRev client programs.

ACL

A set of permissions that controls the rights of individual users or user groups to access the data within a particular depot or stream. See also EACL.

active

An element is said to be active in a workspace or stream if a new version of the element has been created there, and that version has not been either (1) promoted to the parent stream or (2) purged from the workspace or stream. An issue record is said to be active in a workspace or stream if the head version of one or more of its change package entries is in the stream's default group. See default group, backed, passive.

add

The operation that places a file or directory, located in a user’s workspace tree, under version control.

ancestor

In the version graph of an element, version A is an ancestor of version B is there is a direct line of descent (possibly including merges) from A to B. See predecessor (or direct ancestor). “A is an ancestor of B” is equivalent to “B is a descendant of A”.

ancestry

The entire set of versions of an element. See version graph.

anchor

A “checkout”-type operation, which declares that a file element is under development in the current workspace. AccuRev records the fact that the element is “active” by adding it to the workspace’s default group. With exclusive file locking, anchoring a file in one workspace prevents it from being made active in sibling workspaces.

anchor-required

An optional setting on a workspace, specifying that the workspace’s file elements are to be read-only until the user performs a checkout operation (GUI: Anchor command; CLI: anchor or co command).

anyuser

A security-related keyword: describes the set of users who do not have passwords. See authuser.

archive

An operation that transfers the storage files for one or more versions from a depot’s file storage area to its gateway area. After the archived storage files are copied to off-line storage, the disk storage within the gateway area can be reclaimed.

atomic

An important characteristic of AccuRev transactions: the entire transaction (including all specified files) must be performed successfully; if not, the entire transaction is cancelled, as if it were never attempted.

authuser

A security-related keyword: describes the set of users who have passwords. See anyuser.

backed

An element has “backed” status in a workspace or stream if it is not currently active there. This means that the workspace/stream inherits the version of the element that is currently in the workspace/stream’s parent stream (also called the backing stream).

backing chain

The “path” (sequence of streams) through the depot’s stream hierarchy, leading from a particular workspace or stream up to the depot’s root stream.

backing stream

(“parent stream”, “basis stream”) The stream that is just above a given workspace or stream in a depot’s stream hierarchy. The given workspace/stream inherits versions from the backing stream.

base rule

The include/exclude rule that makes the top-level directory of a depot appear in the depot’s root stream.

base stream

(“root stream”) The top-level stream in a depot’s stream hierarchy.

basis stream

(“parent stream”, “backing stream”) The stream that is just above a given workspace or stream in a depot’s stream hierarchy. The given workspace/stream inherits versions from the basis stream.

basis time

A date-timestamp setting for a stream, affecting which versions the stream inherits from its parent stream: for each element, the version inherited is the one that was in the parent stream at the basis time. See snapshot.

basis version

A particular ancestor of the version specified in a patch, revert, diff, or co command. The series of versions between the basis version and the specified version constitute the “recent changes” to be patched into (or removed from) the target. Similarly, a change package entry consists of all the versions between a specified basis version and a specified head version.

binary

See element type.

change package

A set of entries, each in the form of a basis version/head version pair, recorded on the Changes tab of an issue record. The change package records the changes to one or more elements, made to implement the feature or bugfix described in that issue record. Each entry in the change package describes changes to one element: the changes between the basis version and the head version. See patch.

change package dependency

A relationship between the change package of an issue record (A) and the change packages of one or more other issue records (B,C,D, ...), expressing the fact that promote’ing A would also cause some or all of the changes in B,C,D, ... to be promoted.

Change Palette

The AccuRev GUI tool that enables users to perform merge and promote operations involving any streams, not just a workspace and its parent stream.

change section

In a text-file merge (or patch) operation, a location where the two contributors being merged differ from each other. The Merge tool highlights and counts the change sections. It also tracks the conflicting changes (conflicts) — the subset of change sections in which both contributors differ from the closest common ancestor. Conflicts must be resolved by human intervention. See difference section.

checkout

An operation that makes a file active in a workspace, without recording any new changes to the file in the repository. In an exclusive file locking or anchor-required workspace, a checkout transitions the file from read-only to writable.

checkpoint

Stopping to save a version of an element, then proceeding to make additional changes to the element.

client program

An AccuRev CLI or GUI program through which users submit commands to be executed by the AccuRevServer.

closest common ancestor

(of two versions of an element) The most recent version that is an ancestor of two specified versions. Used in a merge operation to minimize the amount of work required to combine the contents of the two specified versions. See merge, version graph.

coalesce

If a promote-by-issue operation (a standard child-to-parent promote, not a cross-promote) involves multiple issues whose change packages include the same element, AccuRev attempts to combine those entries into a single, valid change package entry. If the element’s change package entries cannot be coalesced (caused, for example, by a “gap”), the promote operation fails.

concurrent development

(“parallel development”) The practice of having two or more users concurrently work on the same project — modifying the same version-controlled elements. See serial development.

configuration

A set of element versions — one version of each element. Typically, the set of versions currently in a particular workspace or stream.

conflict

See conflicting change.

conflicting change

The situation in which both contributors to a merge operation differ from the closest common ancestor at the same text line (or set of lines). Also, the situation in which both contributors have pathnames that differ from the closest common ancestor, and from each other.

container file

The ordinary file, located in the file storage area of the AccuRevrepository, that contains the permanent copy of a version created in a workspace with the keep command.

content change

A change to the contents of a file element, recorded in a new version created with the keep command. For a symbolic-link element, a change to the target pathname is a content change. For an element-link element, a change to the target element is not considered a content change to the link. See namespace change.

contributor

Either of two versions of an element, which are to be combined in a merge operation, producing a new version of the element. This can involve both content changes and namespace changes.

cross-link

An include/exclude mode operation (“Include from Stream” or incl –b) that includes an element in a workspace or stream, specifying an alternative backing stream for that element. Cross-linking a directory also cross-links the entire subtree below it. Cross-linked elements have (xlinked) status.

cross-promotion

A promote operation that propagates one or more versions from a dynamic stream to another stream that is not its direct parent. See parent stream.

current change

See current difference.

current depot

CLI: the depot associated with the workspace that contains current working directory. GUI: the depot whose data appears in the currently visible GUI tab. The current depot’s name is displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the GUI window.

current difference

The currently highlighted difference section (Diff tool) or change section (Merge tool).

current version

The version of an element that currently appears in a particular workspace or stream. (It’s also possible that a given workspace/stream might not contain any version of a given element.) The current version can be directly active in the workspace/stream; if not, it is inherited from the parent stream. See passive.

current workspace

The workspace whose data is displayed in the current tab; or the workspace from which the current tab was invoked.

cyclical

In a change-package dependency display, refers to the situation in which issue A depends on issue B and issue B depends on issue A.

deep overlap, deep underlap

An overlap or underlap that is not in the current workspace or stream, but in the parent stream or another stream higher up in the stream hierarchy.

default group

The set of elements that are currently active in a particular workspace or stream.

default query

An AccuWork query that you’ve designated to be executed automatically in certain situations: when you open a new Queries tab; when AccuRev prompts you to specify one or more issue records in a co command; when you execute promote and an AccuRev/AccuWork integration is enabled.

defunct

An operation that removes an element from the workspace. Once a defuncted element is promoted, it is automatically removed from any child streams; it is removed from any workspaces off the parent or child stream the next time the workspaces are updated.

demote

The operation (demote command) that transitions a version from being active in the parent stream to being active in a child stream or workspace. See also promote.

dependency

See change package dependency.

depot

The portion of the AccuRev repository that stores the entire history of a particular directory tree. See element, version.

depot-relative pathname

A pathname that begins with /./ (UNIX/Linux) or \.\ (Windows), indicating the path from the top-level directory of a depot to a particular element.

descendant

See ancestor.

diff

An operation that compares the contents of two versions of a text-file element.

difference section

In a text-file-comparison operation, a location where the two files (or two versions of the same file) differ from each other. The Diff tool highlights and counts the difference sections. See change section.

direct ancestor

See predecessor.

direct

An issue record is “in” a stream indirectly if its versions were propagated to the stream with a promote-by-issue operation (a cross-promote, not a standard child-to-parent promote).

Any other kind of promotion causes an issue record to be “in” a stream directly.

directory

(“folder”) A file system object that can contain files and other directories. Each version of a directory records a change to its name and/or pathname location in the depot’s directory hierarchy.

directory link

This term is no longer used. See element link and symbolic link.

double vision

The appearance of two or more versions of an element in the same workspace or stream, each version at a different pathname. This is a possible side-effect of cross-linking the element (or a higher-level directory).

dynamic stream

A stream whose configuration changes over time, with new versions promoted from child workspaces and/or from other dynamic streams. It also inherits versions from its parent stream.

EACL

A set of permissions that controls the privileges that individual users or user groups have with respect to a particular element. See also ACL.

edit-by-diff

The Diff tool feature enables you to edit your workspace’s version of an element while you’re comparing it with another version.

edit form

(AccuWork) A fill-in-the-blanks form for displaying and changing the field values of issue records.

EID

See element-ID.

element

A file or directory that is under AccuRev version control. See version.

element-ID

The unique, immutable integer identifier by which AccuRev tracks the changes to a particular file element or directory element. An element’s name or pathname can change, but its element-ID never changes.

element link

(element-link element) An element whose contents is a pointer to another element, which must be in the same depot. The target element can be a directory element, a file element, another element link, or a symbolic link.

element type

The kind of data stored in versions of a file element. Different versions of the same element can have different element types. Three element types exist: text, ptext, and binary. Text and binary are relatively self-explanatory, but ptext is a special case. When AccuRev copies a text file from the repository to a workspace (such as through an update or pop command), it gives it line terminators appropriate for the machine where the workspace exists. Binaries are copied exactly as they exist in the repository. However, if you declare a text file to be a ptext file, it will be copied to and from the repository with no line termination changes, just like a binary. For more information, see the description of the add command in the AccuRev CLI User’s Guide.

evil twin

See twins.

exclude rule

See include rule.

exclusive file locking

An AccuRev feature that enforces serial development: when a file becomes active in one workspace, an exclusive file lock prevents the file from becoming active in sibling workspaces.

executable bits

(UNIX/Linux only) The data items in a file’s access mode that controls the ability of users to invoke the file as an executable program.

external

A file or directory that is located within a workspace tree but has not been placed under version control has “external” status.

File Browser

The Explorer-like tool in the AccuRev GUI that shows the contents of a workspace or stream.

file link

This term is no longer used. See element link and symbolic link.

file storage area

The portion of a depot in which AccuRev maintains a permanent copy (“storage file”) of each newly created file version. See metadata.

filter

Same as an AccuRev search. See also Stream Favorite, user/group filter.

folder

(“directory”) A file system object that can contain files and other folders. Each version of a folder records a change to its name and/or pathname location in the depot’s folder hierarchy.

from version

One of the contributorversions in a merge operation. In a typical merge, it’s the version in the parent stream that is to be combined with the version in the user’s workspace.

gated stream

A gated stream is a stream that you use to control whether changes promoted into it are promoted out of it, often based on meeting externally established criteria (such as passing a test suite or completing a successful nightly build, for example). See also staging stream.

gateway area

A directory with a depot’s slice, but outside the depot’s file storage area, where version container files are staged for offline archiving. The gateway area is also used to restore archived versions’ storage files.

group

A named set of AccuRev users. Each user can belong to multiple groups, and groups can be nested.

head version

The version of an element that, along with a basis version, specifies that element’s entry in a change package. Equivalently, the head-version/basis-version pair specifies a patch to that element.

header section

(AccuWork) The section of a multiple-page edit form that always remains visible as you switch from page to page.

History Browser

The AccuRev GUI tool that displays the set of transactions that affect a particular data structure: depot, stream, file, etc.

immutable

The “permanence” property of an AccuRev transaction: the transaction cannot be deleted or modified in any way.

include rule

User-defined include rules and exclude rules specify which elements are to appear in a given stream or workspace. Rules can apply to individual files or directories, or to entire directory trees. Rules for a stream are inherited by its subsidiary streams and workspaces, but can be overridden at lower levels.

include/exclude

The facility of streams and workspaces that enables users to specify which elements are to appear. See include rule.

incomplete

This term has the same meaning in a change-package dependency situation as in the Stream Issues tab: some, but not all, of an issue’s change package entries are “in” the stream.

indicator

See status indicator.

indirect

See direct.

inherit

The facility by which versions in higher-level streams automatically propagate to lower-level streams. If an element is not currently active in a stream or workspace, the stream/workspace inherits the version of the element that appears in its parent stream.

invisible

Describes a data structure that has been deactivated (remove command), and so does not appear in default GUI displays or CLI listings.

issue record

(AccuWork) A set of data, consisting of fields and values, which represents one AccuWork issue in the current depot. Each issue record implements a bug report, feature description, etc.

issue schema

(AccuWork) The set of specifications that define the structure of issue records in a depot: data fields and their value types/ranges, edit-form layout, field validations.

keep

The operation (keep command) that creates a new version of a file element in a workspace, permanently recording that version in the AccuRevrepository.

kept

Refers to a version that has been created with a keep operation.

lock (dynamic stream)

A control on the ability to perform promote and include/exclude operations involving the stream.

lock (file element)

A control on the file element, requiring (1) users must anchor the file before editing it, and (2) if a user has anchored the file, users in sibling workspaces cannot anchor or edit the file.

login

Establishing a particular user identity (“username”) with the login command. The username must have been created previously. AccuRev licenses specify a maximum number of currently-active usernames.

master repository

The primary data repository that logs all transaction activity processed by the AccuRevmaster server. All storage depots are created in the master repository, from which they can later be replicated.

master server

The instance of the AccuRev Server process that handles all transactions that change the status of elements in the master repository. Only the master server can write data to the repository. See replica server.

member

An element has member status in a workspace or stream if one of its versions is in the default group of that workspace or stream. An element with member status is said to be active in that workspace or stream; otherwise, it’s passive.

merge

An operation that combines the contents of two versions (contributors) of the same element. To merge the contents of text files, AccuRev uses a “3-way merge” algorithm: it compares the two files line-by-line with a third file, the version that is the closest common ancestor of the other two. Merging of namespace changes also takes into account the closest common ancestor.

metadata

Information stored in the AccuRevrepository other than the contents of file versions. Metadata is stored in the repository database; file contents are stored in the file storage area.

modified

A file element has “modified” status in a workspace if the file’s contents have changed since the last time the user kept a new version of the file or updated the entire workspace.

multiple-columns mode

The mode of a table displayed by the AccuRev GUI in which you can define a hierarchical sort order for the rows, using the values in two or more of the table’s columns. See single-column mode.

multiple segments

See segment.

namespace change

A change to the pathname of a file or directory element: either renaming the element in place or moving the element to a different location in the depot’s directory hierarchy.

non-conflicting change

In a merge operation, a change that occurs in just one contributor (not both of them). Such a change can be merged automatically, without requiring a decision from the user.

optimization

A heuristic algorithm that AccuRev uses to speed the performance of certain operations on users’ workspaces. In the Timestamp Optimization (TSO), AccuRev does not consider files whose timestamps have not changed since the last time the workspace was updated or searched for modified files. In the pathname optimization, AccuRev ignores files whose pathnames match a pattern specified in the .acignore file. See search.

overlap

Version X, in a workspace or stream, has “overlap” status if the parent stream’s current version of the element contains changes that are not reflected in version X. (That is, the parent stream’s version is not an ancestor of version X.) Such a version cannot be promoted to the parent stream; the user must create a new version with a merge operation, combining version X with the parent stream’s version. The new, merged version can then be promoted. Similarly, an overlap can exist between the versions in two dynamic streams. See deep overlap, deep underlap, underlap.

parallel development

(“concurrent development”) The practice of having two or more users concurrently work on the same project — modifying the same version-controlled elements. See serial development.

parent stream

(“backing stream”, “basis stream”) The stream that is just above a given workspace or stream in a depot’s stream hierarchy. The given workspace/stream inherits versions from the parent stream.

pass-through stream

When a version is nominally promoted to pass-through stream X, the version automatically “passes through” X: it is actually promoted to the parent stream.

passive

An element that is not active in a workspace or stream is said to be passive in that workspace or stream. Passive versions can be overwritten by an update operation.

patch

A set of versions of a text-file element -- typically, containing the “recent changes” made in one workspace. Also, the merge-like operation that incorporates those changes into another version of the same element. See merge, basis version, head version, change package, reverse patch.

pathname optimization

One of AccuRev’s optimizations, which improves the performance of workspace searches to determine the status of elements.

permission

See ACL.

predecessor

(direct ancestor) The real version from which a given version was derived. A version and its predecessor are not necessarily located in the same workspace stream. In the Version Browser, a version and its predecessor are connected by a black line. (Exception: a version created by the revert command is connected to its predecessor by a dashed blue line.)

preferences file

An XML-format file, named preferences.xml, stored in the .accurev subdirectory of your AccuRev home directory.

principal-name

The username of an AccuRevuser, recorded in the AccuRev repository.

private query

(AccuWork) A query that appears in the Queries pane only for the user who created it. See public query.

promote

The operation (promote command) that transitions a version from being active in one workspace or stream to being active in the parent stream (or some other stream). This operation creates a new virtual version in the parent stream; the virtual version provides an alias for the real version, which was originally created in some user’s workspace. See version and demote.

ptext

See element type.

public query

(AccuWork) A query that appears in the Queries pane for all users. See private query.

purge

The operation (CLI: purge command; GUI: Revert to Basis command) that discards the changes made to an element in a given workspace or stream.

query

A set of search criteria that selects AccuWork issue records, based on the records’ field values. Within each depot containing issue records, one of the queries designated as the default query, to be invoked automatically in certain situations calling for the user to specify one or more issue records.

real version

A version of an element, created in some user’s workspace, recording a change to the contents, type, and/or pathname of the element. See version, virtual version.

recent changes

A set of versions of a particular file element; representing the changes made to accomplish some task (or any set of related changes). The recent changes start with the current version (or another selected version), termed the head version; they extended backward to (but do not include) the corresponding basis version.

reclaim

An operation that deletes archived storage file from a depot’s gateway area, to reduce the amount of disk storage required for the depot’s slice.

reference tree

A directory tree in users’ disk storage that instantiates a particular dynamic stream or snapshot. It contains a copy of the current version of each element in the stream or snapshot. A reference tree based on a dynamic stream can be updated, to incorporate the stream’s recent changes.

reparent

The operation that changes the parent stream of a particular workspace or stream.

replica repository

A copy of part or all of the contents of the master repository that must be resynchronized regularly to remain current. New transaction records are written to the master repository only, making resynchronization necessary.

replica server

The instance of the AccuRevServer process that is associated with a replica repository on the same machine. It can directly service client programs’ repository-read requests, but forwards repository-write requests to the master server.

repository

The directory tree and database, which together store all software configuration management data managed by AccuRev. This data is maintained by the AccuRev Server, responding to requests made through AccuRev client programs. Users never manipulate the repository directly.

repository database

The portion of the repository that stores data other than the contents of elementversions. See file storage area.

reverse patch

An operation that removes a selected set of changes from the current version of a text-file element. See patch, change package.

revert

An operation that “removes” a selected set of changes from a specified version, by creating a new version that does not contain the change.

root stream

(“base stream”) The top-level stream in a depot’s stream hierarchy.

SCM

Acronym for software configuration management.

search

An operation that determines all the elements in a workspace or stream that have a particular status.

serial development

The practice of ensuring that multiple users do not work concurrently on the same file under version control. See parallel development.

segment

When a file has been promoted against more than one AccuWork issue, the file is said to be divided into segments, where each segment represents a single version of the file or multiple, contiguous versions of the file that have been promoted against the same AccuWork issue. When promotions against one issue are interrupted by promotion against another, the versions between a head and a basis representing contiguous promotion to the same issue form a segment.

server

See AccuRevServer.

session file

A file in the .accurev subdirectory of your home directory, which establishes your user identity for a particular AccuRev Server.

sibling

Two or more workspaces or streams that have the same parent stream. Pass-through streams “don’t count” -- that is, all workspaces that promoteversions to the same stream are considered siblings, even if some of them are direct children of the stream, while others are children of an intervening pass-through stream.

single-column mode

The mode of a table displayed by the AccuRev GUI in which the rows are sorted on the values in one of the table’s columns. See multiple-columns mode.

site slice

The subdirectory tree within the AccuRev repository that stores repository-wide information (such as AccuWork configuration data, workflow configuration data, server preferences, and triggers). By default, the top-level directory of this subtree is named site_slice. See repository database.

slice

The subdirectory tree that contains the depot’s file storage area. By default, the top-level directory of this subtree has the same name as the depot itself.

snapshot

An immutable (“frozen”, “static”) stream that captures the configuration of another stream at a particular time. A snapshot cannot be renamed or modified in any way.

stage

See workflow stage.

staging stream

A stream that is automatically created between a gated stream and a workspace or child stream when you create or reparent the workspace or stream off the gated stream.

stale

An element has “stale” status in a workspace if it is not currently active in the workspace, but a new version of the element has entered the parent stream. An update operation will overwrite the stale version with the parent stream’s new version.

static stream

An AccuRev snapshot. The term “static stream” emphasizes the fact that snapshots are part of a depot’s stream hierarchy.

status

The state of an element, from a version control perspective, in a particular workspace or stream.

status indicator

A keyword (usually enclosed in parentheses) that reports the AccuRev-level status of a particular element in a particular workspace or stream. Commonly, multiple status indicators apply to an element.

storage file

See container file.

stranded

There is no pathname to the element, because the element’s directory (or a higher-level directory) was removed from the workspace or stream by the defunct command or an exclude rule.

(dynamic stream only) There are one or more defunct elements at a given pathname, along with one non-defunct element. The defunct element(s) have (stranded) status.

The element’s directory (or a higher-level directory) is cross-link’ed, making another version appear at the pathname of the active version.

stream

The AccuRev data structure that implements a configuration of the elements in a particular depot. The configuration of a dynamic stream changes over time; the configuration of a snapshot (static stream) never changes. Each workspace has its own private workspace stream. See workspace, stream hierarchy, stream path.

stream-ID

An integer that uniquely identifies a stream, snapshot, or workspace with its depot. Changing the name of a stream or workspace does not affect its stream-ID.

Stream Favorite

A list of streams, which is used to define a subset of a depot’s stream hierarchy that includes the stream path and all children of each stream in the filter. A Stream Favorite filters the StreamBrowser display and populates lists of streams in the AccuRev GUI as long as it is in effect.

stream hierarchy

The tree-structured collection of streams — including snapshots and workspace streams — for a particular depot.

stream lock

See lock (dynamic stream).

stream path

A sequence of streams that starts at the root stream and ends at the stream being referenced. See also stream.

StreamBrowser

The GUI tool that provides both graphical and tabular view of a depot’s stream hierarchy. It has commands for comparing streams, promote’ing versions between streams, and other stream-based operations.

symbolic link

(symbolic-link element) An element whose contents is a pathname. The pathname can point to AccuRev data (that is, a location inside a workspace) or non-AccuRev data.

target

element link, symbolic link: the file system location that the link points to.

target transaction

The most recent transaction at the time of a workspace’s most recent update. The update command attempts to load versions created in transactions up to and including the target transaction.

text

See element type.

time-based stream

A stream that has a basis time, affecting which versions it inherits from its parent stream. Unlike a snapshot, the basis time can be changed.

time-spec

A specification of a particular date/time combination, used in various contexts: creating snapshots, viewing portions of the history of an element, etc.

TimeSafe

The aspect of AccuRev’s architecture that guarantees the reproducibility of any previous configuration of a stream, a depot, or the entire repository.

Timestamp Optimization (TSO)

One of AccuRev’s optimizations, which improves the performance of workspace searches to determine the status of elements.

timewarp

A situation in which the discrepancy between a client machine’s system clock and the AccuRevServer machine’s system clock exceeds the allowable limit.

to version

One of the contributorversions in a merge operation. In a typical merge, it’s the version in a user’s workspace that is to be combined with the version in the parent stream.

transaction

A record in the AccuRevrepository database that indicates a particular change: promoting of a set of versions, changing the name of a stream, modification to an issue record, etc. Each transaction has an integer transaction number, which is unique within the depot.

transaction history

The set of transactions related to a particular depot, stream, element, or other AccuRev data structure that changes over time.

transaction level

The number of the most recently completed transaction for a particular depot. See update level.

transition

See workflow transition.

trigger

The AccuRev facility that enables user-defined procedures (trigger scripts) to be performed automatically before or after certain operations take place.

trigger script

The executable program that implements a user-defined procedure, to be invoked when a trigger fires. Also called a trigger program.

twins

Two or more elements with the same pathname in a dynamic stream. This can occur when, for example: (1) an element is defuncted in a workspace, (2) the element is promote’d to the backing stream, (3) another element is created at the same pathname in the same workspace or a sibling workspace, (4) the new element is promoted to the backing stream.

undefunct

The operation (undefunct command) that undoes the effect of a previous defunct operation, restoring a previously removed element back to a workspace. (The element must then be promote’d to be visible to other streams.)

underlap

Similar to overlap: for both underlap and overlap, the version in the parent stream is not an ancestor of your version. With an underlap (but not an overlap), your version is an ancestor of the parent stream’s version; that is, the parent-stream version already contains all the changes in your version. Deep underlaps can occur in the stream hierarchy, just like deep overlaps. See deep overlap, deep underlap.

update

The operation (update command) that copies new versions of elements into a workspace from its parent stream.

update level

The most recent (highest-numbered) transaction whose changes have been incorporated into a workspace, through an update operation. See transaction level, target transaction.

user

A person who uses an AccuRev client program to access (read and/or change) the data in the AccuRev repository. Access is granted only to those who login with a “username” that was previously registered in the AccuRev repository.

user/group filter

A subset of AccuRev users or groups, which is used to limit the data displayed in parts of the AccuRev GUI.

validation

(AccuWork) A rule, specified on the Validations subtab of the Schema Editor, that controls a particular edit-form field. This can take various forms, including specifying a default value, making a field required, and modifying the list of choices in a multiple-choice listbox. See issue schema.

variant

(AccuWork) An automatically-generated, internal variation of an issue and its change package that is caused by a patch, merge, or revert operation.

version

A particular revision of an element, reflecting a content change (files only) or a namespace change (files and directories). All versions are originally created in workspaces, and can subsequently be promoted to dynamic streams. The original (workspace) version is termed a real version. Each promotion to a dynamic stream creates a virtual version, which serves as an alias for (pointer to) the original real version.

version-ID

The unique identifier for a version, consisting of two parts: (1) the name or number of the workspace or stream in which the version was created; (2) an integer. Examples: talon_dvt_mary/14, 245\19.

Version Browser

The AccuRev GUI tool that displays the version graph of an element.

version control

The discipline of keeping track of the changes made over time to a file or directory.

version graph

The directed-graph data structure that shows the ancestry of an element. The nodes are all the versions of an element, and whose lines indicate how later versions were derived from earlier versions. The Version Browser displays the version graph of an element.

version specification

Identifies a particular version of one or more elements. It can be a version-ID; in many contexts, it can be a stream or workspace name/number, which indicates the version currently in that stream/workspace.

version tools

AccuRev GUI tools that provide access to historical versions of elements. The Version Browser provides easy access to all versions of an element. The History Browser provides access to versions through the transactions in which they were created. The Stream Version Browser provides easy access to the version that currently appears in a given stream.

virtual version

In a dynamic stream, a version of an element, created by the promote command, which serves as an alias for (reference to) a previously created real version. In a workspace stream, a version created by the co or anchor command, referring to the real version that the command “checked out”. See checkout.

workflow

A directed graph, defined in the Workflow subtab of the AccuWork Schema Editor. The graph's nodes are the workflow stages that an AccuWork issue record can pass through. The graph's arrows are the workflow transitions that users invoke to migrate issue records from stage to stage.

workflow query

An AccuWork query, automatically composed in the Stream Browser or a Queries tab, and then executed in order to determine which issue records are “in” a particular workflow stage.

workflow stage

A node in an AccuWork workflow, representing one of the steps in the “lifetime” of an issue record. See workflow transition.

workflow transition

An arrow in an AccuWork workflow, pointing to a particular workflow stage. This represents one step that an issue record can take through the workflow. A transition has two components: a transition action (such as “Finish Dvt”) and a workflow stage (such as “Implemented”) that is the arrow's destination. Each workflow transition can be configured to start from any number of stages.

workspace

A location in which one or more users perform their work, using files under version control. Each workspace consists of a workspace stream in the repository and a workspace tree in the user’s disk storage.

workspace name

The name by which users refer to a workspace. A workspace name always ends with _<principal_name>, to indicate the user who own its. The default workspace naming convention, used by the mkws command, is <backing_stream_name>_<principal_name>.

workspace stream

The private stream that is built into a workspace. All new versions of elements are originally created in workspaces; AccuRev records these versions in workspace streams.

workspace tree

The ordinary directory tree, located in the user’s disk storage, in which the user performs development tasks and executes AccuRev commands.