How tools are organized in DevOps ClearCase Explorer

Toolbox tab

The Toolbox page accesses icons for shortcuts to run both DevOps Code ClearCase tools and user-selectable tools and to access documentation and URLs. Tools are organized by tool groups divided into two pages: UCM for project-related tools and Base ClearCase for tools not related to UCM projects. The tools provided by default are classified as developer tools. To access other DevOps Code ClearCase tools classified as project manager or administrator tools, in the Windows Taskbar, click Start > DevOps Code ClearCase > Administration.

The Toolbox page also presents a Getting Started page that provides access to the Help, online versions of printed documentation, and tutorials.

Shortcut menu support

ClearCase Explorer provides access to tools through the following types of shortcut menus:

• For the DevOps Code ClearCase integration with Windows Explorer, in the Folder pane and in the Details pane
• For user customizations of the DevOps Code ClearCase shortcut menu
• For customizing the Shortcut pane
• For the UCM integration with Rational® ClearQuest®

When you right-click in the Folder pane and in the Details pane, a context-sensitive shortcut menu offers access to file-handling operations, or element-processing functions. Provided by the DevOps Code ClearCase integration with Windows Explorer, this shortcut menu contains commands that are activated based on the type and state of the item you select. If the item is under DevOps Code ClearCase source control, you have available DevOps Code ClearCase commands for element processing functions and Windows commands for file-handling operations. If the item is view-private, you have available file-handling operations and the DevOps Code ClearCase command Add to Source Control.

You can use the Context Menu Editor to customize the DevOps Code ClearCase shortcut menu. The editor allows a DevOps Code ClearCase administrator or you to add shortcuts to or remove shortcuts from the menu. The steps to do this are described in the Context Menu Editor Help. You can also add tool shortcuts to your Send To folder to access your favorite integrated development environment (IDE), your favorite editor, or a command shell. Any tool shortcuts newly added to your Send To folder are displayed on the shortcut menu Send To command the next time you start ClearCase Explorer.

When you right-click in the Shortcut pane, another type of context-sensitive shortcut menu enables you to add your own tool groups and tool and URL shortcut icons. If the Toolbox tab is active, you can use the shortcut menu commands to add shortcuts to your favorite tools and URLs and add page controls for your own tools. If the Views tab is active, you can use the shortcut menu to add and remove view shortcuts and add pages to organize view shortcut icons. You can also perform some operations on views.

Tool context

A tool started from the Shortcut pane or from a shortcut menu command can have view context, if applicable. For example, when you start the History Browser, you can view the event log for the currently selected element in the Details pane. If you start a project file (for example, a .DSW or a .VPB file) from within ClearCase Explorer, you can perform element processing functions from within the IDE. As you work with DevOps Code ClearCase objects within the IDE, you can refresh the ClearCase Explorer display to see the state change of the elements in the Details pane.

Site shortcuts

ClearCase Explorer supports defining tool and URL database shortcuts that can be shared among DevOps Code ClearCase users. Called site shortcuts, this type of shareable shortcut is defined externally by a project manager or DevOps Code ClearCase administrator and can be made available to you. (View shortcut definitions can only be locally defined.) The external location for the shortcut definitions is specified during DevOps Code ClearCase site preparation. The location for the definition file is stored in the Windows registry on each DevOps Code ClearCase client computer. You can access these site shortcuts by configuring ClearCase Explorer to import the shortcut definitions at startup. At any time, you can reset system tool shortcuts to remove all modifications or deletions you made to any system or site shortcuts.