Basic Question - Version Control

[Androo]

Hello,

I've inherited a Dreamweaver controlled Contribute application. I work in DW,
the client works in Contribute. This is how I thought file sharing process
would work:

If my client modifies a page and uploads it to the remote server, and I open
Dreamweaver and click on the file in my local file panel (green icons), DW
would go out there and give me the most recent file from the server. Note that
this file in question has a green check box next to it before I double clicked
on it.

However, it seems Dreamweaver does not perform that operation. Instead, I have
to "Get" the file first.

So how am I supposed to know which files the client modified so I don't
overwrite his changes (again!)? The end result is that we keep overwriting each
others work. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Andy

[Androo]

I've pretty much determined that I've not used the Check Out/In process
correctly, and that DW users should not leave any files checked out for any
period of time, lest the server version of the file be overwritten by another
user. Rather, check out the file that you're going to modify at the time you're
modifying it. This is the easy way not to overwrite someone else's work with
your own by modifying an old file you checked out a week ago that someone else
modified yesterday.

[@ndyB]

Hi there,

There shouldn't be a problem with checking files in and out for a period of
time. I've got a very similar setup with a number of sites I have created.
What should happen, if you've got checking in/checking out setup correctly,
is:

If you check out a file from a server in Dreamweaver it does 2 things; It
downloads the file you your local machine and also it locks the file on the
server. If someone else then tries to edit the file using Contribute they
will receive a message saying you have currently got the file checked out
and they will not be given edit access.

Likewise if someone is editing a file in Contribute and you try to check the
file out, you'll also receive a message saying the file is checked out and
you should also be supplied with a name and email address of the person
editing the file.

Once you have finished with the file, you check it in, which uploads it to
the server and also locks it on your local system.

The upshot being, you should never be able to overwrite each other's work.
You should never have an instance where you can edit a file on your local
system and upload it, overwriting any changes on the remote server.

Hope that helps.

@ndyB

"Androo" <webmaster@mail.ioc.state.il.us> wrote in message
news:f07pcs$ssd$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> I've pretty much determined that I've not used the Check Out/In process
> correctly, and that DW users should not leave any files checked out for
> any
> period of time, lest the server version of the file be overwritten by
> another
> user. Rather, check out the file that you're going to modify at the time
> you're
> modifying it. This is the easy way not to overwrite someone else's work
> with
> your own by modifying an old file you checked out a week ago that someone
> else
> modified yesterday.
>