Source code versioning guidelines.

Hello all,

Could I get some suggestions from anyone and everyone for resources on the
handling of source and objects on the iSeries.  We are starting to use WDSCi
and iSeries Projects on an experimental, learning basis and I'd like to know
some best practices for handling source and objects.  Right now on the
iSeries we have basically 3 source libraries.  A test library for new source
and changes to existing source and the objects compiled from them, a
production library for objects and source and a versions library where we
save production source that's being replaced.  We are a small shop, only 2
iSeries/java programmers and 1 Java specialist programmer.

We have legacy applications on the iSeries that need to be maintained and we
now have web applications that use procs and programs on the iSeries as well
along with their associated source.

We are using WSAD/WDSCi and CVS for our web application programming and
WDSCi for iSeries programming, experimenting with CVS and iSeries projects.

One of the issues that we've already had is with the web development and
iSeries projects.  Please forgive me but versioning is a new concept to me
as far as in the way it's handled with CVS and web development.  The issue
that we had was when we were both working on a new version (version 2) of
our web application and at the same time doing a couple small bug fixes on
the current production version (version 1).  It seems like what we needed on
the iSeries was instead of just a test library was a test library and a bug
fix library.  The conflict we had was that we were changing procs for
Version 2 of our web app but when we were trying to do the small bug fixes
we ran into the changed procs in our test library and needed versions of
those procs that were the same as production.  I hope someone out there is
picking up on what I'm laying down here.

We talked about possibly moving to a true versions library system on the
iSeries for everything but data objects but we are open to anything at this
time.

Well, I'm ready to do a lot of reading and research on the subject but I
need a place to start so if anyone out there has any suggestions on either
material to do research or their own ideas on the subject I'd greatly
appreciate it.

Thank you.

John.

John C. Wallroff
Senior Programmer/Analyst
IBM Certified AS/400 Programmer
UNIVERSITY OF NE FOUNDATION
1010 Lincoln Mall, Suite 300
Lincoln, NE 68508-2886
(402) 472-0109
jwallroff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx