View tags and view access

Nearly every operation that accesses a view refers to the view by its tag.

A view tag holds the following information:
  • The name of the host on which the view’s server processes run. These processes run on the host where the view storage directory is located unless that directory is on a supported NAS device.
  • The view UUID, copied from the view object.
  • A network pathname to the view storage directory, expressed in a form that is valid for all clients that use the view. The pathname is used by client programs that need network access to the view storage directory.
  • An optional description, which is displayed by various commands and GUIs.

A dynamic view must be started before it can be used. All operations that start a dynamic view refer to the view by its tag. A view without a tag cannot be started.

A snapshot or Web view does not have to be started. However, all operations that alter the contents of the view (update, for example, or checkout) must access the view database, which cannot be accessed if the view does not have a tag.

As with VOB tags, view tags are referenced by users and applications as though they were file system directories.
  • On a client running Linux or the UNIX system, each dynamic view is displayed as a subdirectory of the /view directory.
  • On a client running Windows®, each dynamic view is displayed as a share under a special network name (\\view by default) as well as a directory under the client’s MVFS drive (drive M by default).
  • On all platforms, snapshot and Web views are displayed as directories in the local file system.

View tags must conform to the host platform’s file-naming conventions with respect to length and character set.