Re: create an archive of a source member each time changed

On Thu, Nov 7, 2024 at 3:51 PM Paul Therrien via MIDRANGE-L
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have a source file called '@ARCHIVE'.
When I want to save a current copy of a source member, I call a simple CL program that copies the source member to an @ARCHIVE member. The member name of the archived source is '@YYMMDDnnn' (where nnn is a programmatically generated sequential number), and the source type is the original source member. In this way I can use PDM or RSE and see all copies of 'PGMA' by selecting Source Type 'PGMA'. I see all archived copies in date sequence. I have tied this CL program to a PDM option, and an RSE User command.
It is not source control, it is simply archiving on demand.

While Jack does have a good point (about sustainability and moving
forward), I still want to express recognition for a nice bit of
cleverness. It's an instance of making use of what's available to you
to address some need or pain point. Even if this thing gets superseded
or abandoned at some point; until that time comes, it might be
providing a noticeable net improvement in productivity.

While I think this scheme is clever and useful, it wouldn't fly (at
least as described above) at all shops because the original library,
file, or source type might need to be preserved somehow, to
disambiguate distinct same-named members. (At our shop, even the LPAR
is worth keeping track of.) Maybe this situation doesn't come up for
Paul, or he already has a way to address it that he didn't bother to
mention; but off the top of my head, I might try to refine this by
inserting a comment at the top of the archived member with whatever
metadata is necessary.

I actually built something like this for myself, because while
management recognizes the usefulness and importance of proper change
management, it's been taking time to get it approved and funded; and
even after that happens, there will be some time for installation,
configuration, acclimation, etc. In the meantime, it's painful when we
don't have a reasonably easy way to check several past versions of a
particular source member. (My little shoe-string archive system lives
on my PC, and could be fleshed out, polished, and live on the IFS if
need be; but it looks like "proper" change management has advanced
from pipedream to actively in the process of becoming reality for us,
so there's little reason to develop it further.)

John Y.