-    COMPARISON    

Comparison: UD6/CMtool Driver and Compuware's Uniface 8 SCCI Bridge

The Source Code Control Interface that is delivered with UNIFACE V8 relies on an import/export system that is not suitable for the implementation of Source Code Management / Configuration Management in most organisations.

Feature
UD6/CMtool Driver
U8 SCCI
Allows you to use Version Manager IDE
YES
NO
Supports CM/Tracking tools like ClearCase, and PVCS Tracker
YES
NO
Supports free SCC tools like CVS
YES
NO
Source code is secure from tampering through "back doors" (developers cannot change code that is not booked out)
YES
NO
Developers can only see mods that are committed
YES (1)
NO
Changes between versions are stored as deltas
YES (2)
Opt. (3)
Can provide complete details of 'differences' between versions (including form layout)
YES (2)
NO (4)
Compatible with all version control diff and merge options? YES (2) NO (5)
SCM/CM functions can be done on server (not just Windows client)
YES (2)
NO
Developers can access full set of CM tool commands, like lock, get copy, check out, check in, promote etc.
YES
NO, subset provided
Can quickly list 'checked out' components.
YES
SLOW
Supports CVS
YES
NO
Upgrade path from UVCS
YES
NO
Upgrade path from VC/Link
Opt.
NO
Detailed documentation supplied for all major SCM/CM tools
YES
NO(6)
Speed
FAST
SLOW(7)
Suitable for non-US ASCII development environments
YES
NO(8)
Supports build management
YES
NO
Administrator defined clustering preferences
YES
YES

 

Reports from SCCI Users:
1
We have not found the new [Uniface 8 SCCI] interface very satisfactory. There just isn't very much flexibility. It performs imports and exports [like VC-Link] and there is not the flexibility that's required in a really good solution.
2
The problem I had with SCCI bridge of UNIFACE was that there was no security. The UD6 driver solves that in a very nice and simple way. Configuration was easy enough.

Read more about Uniface Version Control


Note (1) : Optionally, depending on configuration settings.

Note (2) : Optionally, provided that the SCM/CM tool of your choice supports this feature.

Note (3): Uniface must be configured to store exports as XML files.

Note (4) : The format that Uniface 8 uses to export the Form layout (paint tableau) makes it difficult to identify the changes to the location of objects "painted" on a form.

Note (5.) : UNIFACE 8 SCCI always uses the options: 'work case sensitive', 'ignore white space', 'normal diff'. Merge is not possible..

Note (6.) : Compuware's MyUniface.com sitelists only brief comments for PVCS VM and Continuus CM technical setup.

Note (7.) : Compuware's MyUniface.com sitelists says: "Button Retrieve Opens form 'Select Sources' which does a call to the SCCI to get all known files from the current project (this can take a while, depending on your SCCS), with their state. ".

Note (8.) : Non-US ASCII characters are stored as 4 digit numbers in the Uniface 8 XML files. UD6 can store these as native characters (either Unicode or non-Unicode).

Note: This comparison is based on Uniface 8.2.03 and UD6/CMtool Driver 1.03. As far as March Hare are aware, these details are true and correct for the latest versions of these products.

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