mkeltype

In some cases, you can specify a merge behavior for an element type when you create it. This is true for element types used in a UCM deliver or rebase operation. (See the deliver and rebase reference pages). There are four kinds of merge behavior, described here with their associated keywords.

To specify a behavior, use one of the keywords as the argument to the –mergetype option. If the option is not specified, automatic merge behavior is in effect for elements of this element type.

When you create a new element type, you must specify an existing element type as its supertype. The new element type inherits the type manager of the supertype, unless you use the –manager option. The type manager performs such tasks as storing/retrieving the contents of the element's versions. (See the type_manager reference page.)

For example, you create an element type c_source, with text_file as the supertype; c_source inherits the type manager associated with the text_file supertype—the text_file_delta manager.

You can use the lstype command to list both the supertype and the type manager of an element type.

Each VOB is created with the element types that correspond to the type managers that are described in the type_manager reference page.

You can use any of these element types as the –supertype specification.

The information in this section applies to the element types text_file and compressed_text_file, to all subtypes of these types, and to all user-defined element types derived from them through the supertype mechanism.

When a load operation is issued from a snapshot view, or a user program accesses a version through a dynamic view, the type manager handles it as follows:

1. Extracts the text lines of that particular version from the data container.
2. Stores the extracted lines in a cleartext file, within the cleartext storage pool directory associated with the element.
3. Arranges for the program to access the cleartext file (not the structured data container).

On subsequent accesses to the same version, steps 1 and 2 are skipped; the program accesses the existing cleartext file, which is cached in the cleartext storage pool.

Operating systems vary in their use of text-file line terminators. To avoid confusion, each VersionVault view has a text mode, which determines the line terminator for text files in that view. (See the mkview reference page.) After the type manager constructs a cleartext file for a version, its line terminators may be adjusted before the version is presented to the calling program. Adjustment of line terminators can also occur when the checkout command copies a version of a text file element, creating a view-private file (the checked-out version).

Default

An error occurs if an element type named type-name already exists in the VOB.

–rep/lace

Replaces the existing definition of type-name with a new one. If you do not include options from the existing definition, their values are replaced with the defaults. (Exception: the type's scope does not change unless you explicitly specify a –global or –ordinary option.)

If you specify a comment when using –replace, the comment appears in the event record for the modification (displayed with lshistory –minor); it does not replace the object's creation comment (displayed with describe). To change an object's creation comment, use chevent.

You cannot change the following:

• The type manager (–manager or –supertype option) if there are existing elements of the type type-name, or if there are existing elements that are of subtytpes of the type type-name.
• The definition of a predefined element type (such as file or text_file)

Also, when converting a global type to ordinary, you must specify the global type as the element-type-selector argument. You cannot specify a local copy of the global type.

Default

Creates an ordinary element type that can be used only in the current VOB.

–glo/bal [ –acq/uire ]

Creates an element type that can be used as a global resource by the VOBs in the administrative VOB hierarchy. With –acquire, mkeltype checks all eclipsing types in the VOBs and converts them to local copies of the new global type.

For more information, see the Help.

–ord/inary

Creates an element type that can be used only in the current VOB.

Default

None. You must specify a supertype; the new element type inherits the type manager of this supertype, unless you use the –manager option.

–sup/ertype elem-type-selector

The name of an existing element type, predefined or user-defined. Predefined element types are listed in Predefined element types. You can specify –supertype file_system_object only if you also specify a type manager with –manager.

Specify element-type-selector in the form [eltype:]type-name[@vob-selector]

Supertype / type manager inheritance

type-name	Name of the element type See the cleartool reference page for rules about composing names.
vob-selector	Object-selector for a VOB, in the form [vob:]pname-in-vob. The pname-in-vob can be the pathname of the VOB tag (whether or not the VOB is mounted) or of any file system object within the VOB (if the VOB is mounted)

The lstype command lists a VOB's existing element types.

–man/ager mgr-name

Specifies the type manager for the new element type, overriding inheritance from the supertype. The sectionPredefined element types lists the type managers. For more information about these type managers, see the type_manager reference page.

Default

For all elements of the newly created type: when a new version is checked in, its time stamp is set to the checkin time.

–pti/me

For all elements of the newly created type: preserves the time stamp of the checked-out version during checkin. In effect, this establishes checkin –ptime as the default for elements of this type.

Default

Instantiations of the new element type use automatic merging.

–mer/getype keyword

Specifies the merge behavior for an element type, using one of the keyword arguments listed in Setting merge behavior for an element type. This is in effect only when the element type is used in a UCM deliver or rebase operation.

Default

Creates one or more event records, with commenting controlled by your .versionvault_profile file (default: –cqe). See the comments reference page. Comments can be edited with chevent.

–c/omment comment | –cfi/le comment-file-pname |–cq/uery | –cqe/ach | –nc/omment

Overrides the default with the option you specify. See the comments reference page.

Default

The element type is created in the VOB that contains the current working directory unless you specify another VOB with the @vob-selector argument.

type-name ...

Names of the element types to be created. Specify element-type-selector in the form [eltype:]type-name[@vob-selector]

Naming the element types

type-name	Name of the element type See the cleartool reference page for rules about composing names.
vob-selector	Object-selector for a VOB, in the form [vob:]pname-in-vob. The pname-in-vob can be the pathname of the VOB tag (whether or not the VOB is mounted) or of any file system object within the VOB (if the VOB is mounted)