Advantages of Change Packages

View Compare/Merge creates a change package object for tracking the changes in a View Compare/Merge change session. The change package is created in the target view and is not shared elsewhere. It is linked to all the items that were affected by the View Compare/Merge session.

Note: Historically, View Compare/Merge used to create a process task when committing a View Compare/Merge session, but now View Compare/Merge no longer creates a process task when it commits a View Compare/Merge session.

Other advantageous of change packages include:

The comprehensive change package object allows you to track all changes made through View Compare/Merge sessions.

  • Change packages can be saved before being committed so that others can review the proposed changes before they are committed. This can be done by sending a URL to a saved change package in an e-mail, for example.
  • Every committed change package can be “replayed” to other views to which you want to apply the same set of changes.
  • Perspectives in the StarTeam Cross-Platform Client window allow you to switch between the Standard Perspective and the Change Perspective by clicking icons which are right-justified in the toolbar.
  • Using the Change Perspective, a manager, for example, can review all the change package objects and the details around those change packages, see what changes were committed to which views, and review changes in uncommitted change packages being proposed for committal.

Note: Once a change package has been committed, it becomes read-only and can no longer be changed.