>That's basically how we've worked except for the source >control. The "hey bob" part just doesn't work though.
How many developers do you have? Tens? Hundreds? a) If you can't coordinate work between multiple developers then you have bigger problems than version control. To wit: - maybe you have communications and/or structure issues in your team. Is it fair to even call it a team? Or is it more like a free for all? Do end users just call developers directly with problem reports/change requests and then the developers just dive straight in? - maybe your code is all in one big ball of mud. For any given change request, you have no way of knowing in advance which files you may have to modify. Every day is an expedition through the code, seeking the headwaters of the code nile. If you have these kinds of problems, then source code control - by itself - is not a magic solution to your problems. I can give you specific examples of how both of these will bite you in the behind even with source control... There was mention in this thread (don't know if it was you, don't keep messages) about three developers and fifty thousand files. Let me repeat that: fifty friggin thousand friggin files. And yet at least two of the three developers need to edit the same file? But they don't know long enough in advance to make coordination an option? Warning. b) With all due respect, if you aren't using source control, then you aren't working as i suggest. When bob and charlie edit the same file and mess it up, each one thinks he has a bug that's going to be very difficult to fix without resorting to your backup system (or hoping that one of them has the file in an editor and can still undo changes). Given the fact that a single change usually implicates several files (otherwise where would the edit contention come from?), it's going to take a while before either developer realizes what's happening. During that time they will keep on hacking away at code, occasionally mangling the file they both need. They'll both be crying "it worked a second ago!" With source control, you can easily see which files have changed and what has changed - i.e. they can see that it's not a bug in charlie's code or bob's code, but an issue with the code they both need. I'm not trying to harsh on you or stick up my nose in the air. It's more than likely that your situation presents unique constraints that i'm not aware of. I just want to leave you with a couple of thoughts - one general, one more practical: 1) Sometimes, "best" is the enemy of "better". Best practices dictate that each developer has his or her own development environment, but that's too much of a hassle to set up, so people do nothing. Working in a common sandbox is not optimal, but it is better than working without any kind of source control at all. I know people who work without source control because "the graphics guys would never understand it". So the developers do without. 2) If you can't set up a separate development environment for each developer, you may be able to get away with setting up a separate web/document root for each developer within the same environment. Something like albert.dev.example.com, bob.dev.example.com, charlie.dev.example.com. That way, the overhead of synchronizing multiple configurations is lessened: either (at best) the same config changes apply to all the sites or (at worst) you make any given change three times in the same server config... at least it's easier than on three distinct machines. Finally, here's a link i found that specifically discusses the application of CVS version control to web development. It's old (98) and a tad simplistic (for better or worse, there are a few more working parts in today's web apps) but i hope you find it interesting: http://durak.org/cvswebsites/ Regards, /t >-----Original Message----- >From: Kevin Graeme [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 11:36 PM >To: CF-Talk >Subject: RE: What's your setup for multiple developers > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: RADEMAKERS Tanguy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 12:56 PM >> To: CF-Talk >> Subject: RE: What's your setup for multiple developers >> >> Carefully? >> >> All joking aside: >> >> - set up one dev server >> - set up one source control server >> - check the code from the source control server out onto the >> development server. >> - everyone works on the same dev server. yes, you will need >> to take care that two people don't edit the same file at the >> same time. a neat trick i like to use is to say "bob, i'm >> editing file x so keep your grubby little paws off it!" or to >> ask "bob, charlie, can i edit file y?". >> - (optional) setup a little script on the dev server to check >> in the code. schedule this script to run every x hours. >> - whenever you are happy with the code (it is in a known >> state), do a manual check in and apply a tag. > > >That's basically how we've worked except for the source >control. The "hey >bob" part just doesn't work though. > > >> Note that, to the best of my understanding, dream weaver has >> a rudimentary mechanism for locking files (based on some sort >> of temp file created on the server) - but that only works if >> everyone uses dream weaver. Also to the best of my >> understanding, VSS can be set up to provide protected editing >> (editing user locks the file) of a web site - but that only >> works if every one has a vss aware editor. > > >I'm quite familiar with how DW's system works. We just want to >use other >tools too and still not overwrite each other. And VSS is out since our >server guys are anti-MS. > >Ah well. > > >--- >Kevin Graeme >Cooperative Extension Technology Services >University of Wisconsin-Extension > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:202738 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
