README 6/14/94. ------ Open Track 3.0.3 - issue-tracking text database Open Track version 3.0.3 is now available via anonymous ftp at harbor.ecn.purdue.edu (128.46.128.76) in /pub/tcl/code/ot3.0.3.tar.gz. Open Track is a set of utilities developed at the Open Software Foundation and used there and by its sponsors and members for defect and issue tracking needs associated with the Motif, OSF/1, DME and DCE offerings. OSF has decided to make these utilities available generally: while retaining the copyright, the sources may be used, developed and distributed further by anyone, but the copyright in these sources must be preserved. Read the copyright carefully. The ot command enters and updates records in a mail- or news-like format (header followed by a free-text body). No Tk interface is provided with this release. For maximal generality, ot calls up a non-X text editor. The ot_bugs command performs simple Boolean queries and generates either one-line reports or full reports including the body of the record. A number of configurable and script'able features are provided via TCL interfaces. Here is a list of Open Track features: * Independent of commercial database (unlike tkgnats there is no need to purchase off-the-shelf package) * Simple type checking, including user-enumerated types * Configurable project fields via simple metatemplate mechanism * Records may contain 'user-contributed' fields (not in schema) - removes need for immediate data conversion when schema changes * Batch (command-line) update of individual records * Support for Boolean queries * Project-specific notification configuration (mail is optionally sent on record enter, update) * Validation hooks ('triggers' on enter and update) using TCL procedures * Update history and support for queries against history (eg "list all records whose field n changed from x to y in timeframe t") * TCP-IP client-server design eliminates dependency on NFS, other network file system * (Optional) storing server on server machine for performance enhancement which stores record header information for quick retrieval * Sequential search in record body (note) section for keywords This is not a substitute for a full-feature text database system like Lotus Notes for instance, but very different groups at OSF and other places have used it for new product discussion and ticket databases (hotline, computer facilities groups). We wanted to make it available for work groups or individuals with a need for groupware text database support but for whom acquiring such a package is impossible or not yet appropriate. BUILD/DIRECTORIES The build is fairly straightforward: 1) Open Track 3.0.3 requires TCL Version 7.3 or greater. To build otk (just a Tcl interpreter with OT command support, Tk) you need to get tk3.6 and build it. 2) You must have RCS tools installed in /usr/local/bin on the OT server machine. 3) Build lib/libdp, but edit Makefile's TCLLIB to reflect the location of your TCL sources or at least location of tcl.h AND tclInt.h. 4) Build lib/libot, but edit Makefile's TCLLIB to reflect the location of your TCL sources or at least location of tcl.h AND tclInt.h. 5) Build bin, editing Makefile's TKLIB and TCLLIB to reflect the location of your TCL and TK sources etc. 6) Installation instructions can be found in the administration.html file in the doc directory. The doc directory contains the following: - The man pages intro_to_ot.1, ot.1, ot_bugs.1, ot_primer.1, ot_tcl.1, otadmin.1 and otmig.1 are in an OSF nroff-based macro set but these are defined at the beginning of each file. You should read intro_to_ot.1 first, then ot.1 and ot_bugs.1. - The file internals.html gives a general overview of the sources and design. - The file administration.html is an HTML page which may be customized for your site and gives simple daily operation of OT for administrators. It also has information and how-to's on installing OT and creating new projects. The scripts directory contains the following: - otadmin and otAdmin.tcl are scripts for remote management of an OT server (see the relevant man page). - countTable.tcl is a script to do metrics. - otmig.tcl is a script to move records from project to project - hotline is a wrapper which calls ot and ot_bugs - written by OSF Computer Facilities staff for their hotline database - otPerf* are regression tests for OT. - otWrapper.sh is a wrapper for ot and ot_bugs - it regulates access on a project-specific basis. The etc directory contains model project configuration files for two projects, motif and hotline - these may be used as models for people creating their own projects. PERSONNEL/HISTORY Here is a list of the people who have worked on these utilities over the last five years. Robert Lent Developed mail-type (RFC 802) format for bug report and convention of storing OSF/1 defect reports in a single flat file. Wrote utility in awk (queries, one-line reports). John Bowe Wrote program (j-bugs) which read flat file, generated queries, one-line reports, formatted full reports. C implementation improved performance. Fred Dalrymple Designed ot (enter/update) and ot_bugs (query) utility; designed layout of data files (d00/... directory structure), use of RCS for file archiving; project-specific data schema (metatemplate) and configuration (".def files"). Peter Harbo Designed TCL interfaces for configuration, query, validation and notification, ode2ot (bridge to OSF source control); designed and implemented new client-server structure using an enhanced Tcl-DP, new TCL-based application protocol; wrote storing server (performance enhancement). Natalia Kogan Implemented ode2ot program, otqm (queue manager), header and history file building programs, test scaffold.