Tool Mentor: Archiving Requirements Using Rational RequisitePro
This tool mentor describes how to archive Requirements using Rational RequisitePro archiving commands.
Tool: Rational RequisitePro
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Main Description

Overview

For backup purposes, you should capture project requirements at various milestones. RequisitePro allows you to take a snapshot of your requirements project and store it in Rational ClearCase® or simply as a RequisitePro archive, which places a copy of project work products into an archive directory.

You can use a variety of configuration management tools, such as Intersolv PVCS® or Microsoft® Visual SourceSafe, to archive your RequisitePro projects. If your project uses a Microsoft® Access database, first use the RequisitePro Archive command to create an archive file; then archive this file using your configuration management tool. Be sure to include all project documents in your archive. When you archive a project that uses cross-project traceability, be sure to archive all associated projects at the same time so that your archived project is complete.

A RequisitePro project consists of a Rational requirements project and a set of documents containing requirements. Requirements can be created either directly in a project view or in a Microsoft® Word document in RequisitePro. All documents containing requirements are referenced in the associated RequisitePro project maintaining these requirements. A RequisitePro project archive contains the Rational requirements project and all documents containing requirements.

Note: For information on creating a baseline of a RequisitePro project, see Tool Mentor: Baselining a Rational RequisitePro Project.

Tool Steps

To archive a project using RequisitePro, choose one of the following options:

  1. Archive a RequisitePro project as a RequisitePro archive
  2. Archive a RequisitePro project in ClearCase
  3. Archive a RequisitePro project using an enterprise database

1. Archive a RequisitePro project as a RequisitePro archive

When you archive a RequisitePro project as a RequisitePro archive, you are simply making a copy of all project files in a user-defined directory. You can use this option to archive a RequisitePro project using configuration management systems that are not directly supported by RequisitePro.

To archive a RequisitePro project as a RequisitePro archive, follow these steps:

  1. Click File > Project Administration > Archive > RequisitePro Archive. The Archive Project dialog box appears.
  2. Select the directory where you want the backup copy stored. Click Browse to open the Browse for Folder dialog box. Navigate to a directory, select a folder, and click OK to return to the Archive Project dialog box.
  3. To add a new subdirectory to an existing directory path, click at the end of the Directory field and type a backslash () and a new subdirectory name.
  4. To apply the revision number to the requirement documents, select the Propagate to all documents check box.
    Note: If security is enabled, you must have project structure permission to propagate the revision number. You must also have the project opened exclusively.
  5. Optional steps: Type a new revision number for the project, and type a name for the archived version in the Version Label box and a description for it in the Change Description box.
  6. Click OK.

To access this archive later, simply add the archived project to the RequisitePro project list:

  1. Click File > Open Project. The Open Project dialog box appears.
  2. Click Add. Browse to and select the archived project in the specified archive directory.
  3. Click Open and OK. The archived project is now available in RequisitePro.

For More Information

helpbook icon Refer to the topic Archiving projects with the RequisitePro Archive command (Index: archiving>using the Archive command) in the RequisitePro online Help.

2. Archive a RequisitePro project in ClearCase

To archive a Rational RequisitePro project in Rational ClearCase, follow these steps:

  1. Click Tools > Options.
  2. In the ClearCase View box, type the target Versioned Object Base (VOB) location (drive, viewname, vobname, directory). The path must start with a drive letter. Use Universal Naming Convention names for a shared drive. This step defines the view to which the RequisitePro database and documents will be copied when the project is archived.
  3. Click OK to save your entry and close the Options dialog box.
  4. Click File > Project Administration > Archive > Rational ClearCase. The Archive with ClearCase dialog box appears.
  5. Select the directory where you want the backup copy stored. Click Browse to open the Browse for Folder dialog box. Navigate to a directory, select a folder, and click OK. You return to the Archive with ClearCase dialog box.
  6. To add a new subdirectory to an existing directory path, click at the end of the Directory field and type a backslash () and a new subdirectory name.
  7. The following steps are optional:
    • Type a new revision number for the project.
    • Apply the revision number to the requirement documents by selecting the Propagate to all documents check box. Note: If security is enabled, you must have project structure permission to propagate the revision number. You must also have the project opened exclusively.
    • Type a name for the archived version in the Version Label text box and a description for it in the Change Description text box.

For More Information

helpbook icon Refer to the topic Archiving projects with Rational ClearCase (Index: archiving>using ClearCase) in the RequisitePro online Help.

3. Archive a RequisitePro project using an enterprise database

helpbook icon For extensive guidelines on archiving RequisitePro projects that use an Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server database, refer to the topic titled Archiving an enterprise database project (Index: archiving>enterprise databases) in the RequisitePro online Help.



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