About branches, versions, and labels
Resources under ClearCase® source control are identified by branch names, version numbers, and labels.
Every file or folder under ClearCase source control is stored as an element that has one or more branches and one or more versions on each branch. Many versions also have labels. Branches and versions are created as an element is modified. Labels are applied as needed (to distinguish a specific branch and version as special, for example, or to provide a convenient way to select a set of related versions). These branches, versions, and labels exist regardless of whether you use UCM or base ClearCase; in UCM, you do not need to work with them directly. Branch, version, and label information for resources under ClearCase source control is available through the ClearTeam Navigator view. and ClearCase properties view. You can also use the ClearCase Version Tree view to find branch, version, and label information for ClearCase resources.
You can also use the ClearTeam Navigator view to create branch and label types. For more information about branches, versions, and labels, see the documentation.
Branches and versions
When you add a resource to ClearCase source control, an element representing that resource is created in the VOB. The element has a single branch named main and a single version (version 0) on that branch. Successive versions of the element can be created on the main branch, and additional branches can be created if necessary (for example, to allow parallel development along the main branch, a next-release branch, and a bug-fixing branch). An element's branch structure is referred to as its version tree.
You can use theClearTeam Navigator view in the ClearTeam Explorer to create branch types.
Every branch in a version tree includes one or more versions of the element. Each version represents a revision of the element. Versions are identified using a version-extended path name, which includes the path name of the element within its VOB and also specifies its branch name and its version number on that branch. For example, the fourth revision of the file module.java, located on the main branch in the VOB directory \product\src\ has the version-extended path name \product\src\module.java@@\main\4. The Version column of the ClearTeam Details view shows the version-extended path name of a resource. The ClearCase Version Tree view shows a graphical representation of the version history for a resource.
Labels
A ClearCase label is a user-defined name attached to a version. Project managers and ClearCase administrators use labels to define and preserve the relationship of a set of file and directory versions to each other at a given point in the development lifecycle. You can use the ClearTeam Navigator view to create label types. You can then use the Apply Label dialog from the ClearCase Version Tree or the Apply Label wizard to apply the labels to DevOps Code ClearCase resources.
Labels are visible in some ClearTeam Explorerdialog boxes and may be visible in the version selection rules of a ClearCase view. You can also use the ClearCase Version Tree view or the ClearTeam Navigator view to view or find the labels attached to a DevOps Code ClearCase resource.