Checking out an element

If you use IBM® Rational® ClearCase® for source control management, you must check out an element (a functional test script, a functional test project, an object map or a Java™ file) before you modify it.

About this task

You can check out an entire project or one or more files at a time.

If you modify an element without checking it out of a snapshot view, this version of the file is "hijacked". For example, you edit a file from the file system, the file is hijacked. The hijacked file is displayed under Details of <scriptname> with the warning symbol (warning symbol) next to it. You can convert hijacked files to check them out and work on the files when you check out an element.

If you use Rational® ClearCase® Multisite and want to modify or create a test asset, you must request mastership when you check out or check in a test asset. When you check out or check in a test asset and you are using Rational® ClearCase® multisite, Rational® Functional Tester displays the Request Mastership checkbox in the appropriate dialog box if a test element is not mastered locally.

Eclipse compiles projects when an element changes. If you are using a dynamic view, automatic compilation might be time-consuming depending on the size of the project. To disable the Eclipse compile feature, click Window > Preferences, and then clear the Build automatically check box.

Procedure

  1. From the Projects view, right-click one or more elements.
  2. From the menu, click Team > Check Out.
  3. In the Check Out column, clear the checkbox of any element you do not want to check out.
    If you see the not-ready symbol (not ready symbol) in the State column, you cannot check out an element. When you select the element, you see an explanation of the problem.
  4. If an element is hijacked, under Some of the files in selection have been hijacked, take one of the following steps:
    • Click Convert hijacked files to checkout to check out the hijacked version of this file and continue working on the hijacked version. When you check in this file, you replace the version in the VOB with the hijacked version.
    • Click Replace hijacked files (save each hijacked file to a file with a _keep extension) to check out the version of this file from the VOB and stop work on the hijacked version. When you check in this file, Rational® ClearCase® checks in the version from the VOB and creates a copy of the hijacked version with a _keep extension, in case you need the changes later.
  5. If you use Rational® ClearCase® in a multisite environment and if one or more of the files that is associated with the selected scripts, shared maps, shared datasets, or Java™ files does not have mastership locally, click Request Mastership to request mastership of the file.

    For more information, see Support for geographically-distributed project teams.

  6. Select Reserved for a reserved checkout.

    Clear this checkbox to check out the element as unreserved. A reserved checkout gives you the exclusive right to check in the element when you are finished. With an unreserved checkout, you might be required to merge your changes at checkin, if someone else checked in the same element before you. For more information, see Unreserved elements.

  7. Click Finish.