A workspace is a private branch which a user uses to perform work on CodeMatrix controlled files. Workspaces are functionally similar to branches, with the added feature that the contained file revisions may be mounted on a user's computer.

To work on the files within a branch a workspace is created and mounted as described below. The user can then perform the mounted file operations described in work with controlled files. Because workspaces are private a user is free to check in individual changed files without impacting other users.

Completed changes are returned to the parent branch with the promote option. Changes to the parent by other users are merged into the workspace with the integrate option.

A workspace may be moved between computers with the mount and unmount options.

A branch is a virtual copy of a set of file revisions used to support multiple strands of development; for example multiple versions of a software product or website. For more information on how branches are used in practice to support various development strategies see our report CodeMatrix strategies.

Workspaces in CXInsight are denoted by the following icon .

The CXInsight folder view is arranged to show branch ancestry as shown below.

In this example the three workspaces are all based on the 'cyprus' branch.

CXInsight provides a wizard to guide you through the process of creating workspaces. To use the wizard right click the parent branch or repository that contains the files to be included. The operation of this wizard is identical to the branch wizard, except for the mount function described below. Usually you will use the 'quick' mode, this needs no parameters (although you may change the name, class and add a description if you choose). If creating a workspace from a subset of a branch or multiple sources, care should be taken to create a functionally complete set of files. Any validation and testing of the files is performed within the workspace and promote as a block to the parent branch.

To mount the files on your computer select the 'mount' option on the first screen. An extra screen shown below will be displayed. The workspace is mounted at this location after creation. A default location is suggested, and it is recommended that this location be used as this will ensure that intra workspace dependencies will work correctly on another users computer.

You can change the mount location by clicking the browse button.

Alternately you can use the mount function to mount the workspace after creation.

Workspace classes

Once mounted, a workspace becomes 'active'. In an active workspace newly added files are automatically added to the database. In normal use programs used within the workspace, such as editors, compilers and design tools will create temporary files which should not be added to the database. A workspace class defines the types of files which should be excluded by default for a newly created workspace. To create a new workspace class;-

1) Click the drop button to the right of the toolbar 'New' button.
2) Select 'Workspace Class' from the drop menu. The following dialog appears;-

3) Enter a name and description, and use the add option to add types to exclude; e.g. to exclude files with the .tmp suffix add the value tmp.

Changing a workspace class

Select the workspace class from the CXInsight tree, from //Admin/Classes/Workspace, and select 'Modify' from the right click menu. A similar dialog to that above is shown. Use the add and remove options to change the excluded file types. This operation affects newly created workspaces of this class. Existing workspaces of this class are unaffected.

Changing excluded types for a workspace

Select the workspace from the CXInsight tree, and select 'Modify' from the right click menu. This function is not available if the workspace is mounted on another computer. The dialog below is shown. Use the add and remove options to change the excluded file types for the selected workspace.