ReleaseFolder

Applied Parameters: None

Summary

This command is used to access the Release Manager dialog. The Release Manager provides a centralized release 'console' with which to release multiple source files to a target Altium Vault, en masse. In addition, the Release Manager provides a range of migration tools, aimed at enabling you to quickly migrate your existing library components – stored in accordance with other component management methodologies – across to an Altium Vault.

Access

This command can be accessed from any editor by choosing the File » Release Manager command from the main menus.

Use

After launching the command, the Release Manager dialog will appear. Use the dialog to nominate the source files that you wish to be released, in a nominated source folder location. The following source document types can be released using the Release Manager dialog:

• CMPLIB - Component Library (*.CmpLib)
• OUTJOB - Output Job Configuration File (*.OutJob)
• PCBLIB - PCB Library Document (*.PcbLib)
• SCHDOC - Schematic Document (*.SchDoc)
• SCHDOT - Schematic Template Document (*.SchDot)
• SCHLIB - Schematic Library Document (*.SchLib)
• SIMMODEL - Simulation Model File (*.SimModel)

You have full control over how your source data is released, in terms of where in the target vault corresponding Items are stored, and the naming scheme employed for the creation of those Items. You also control how revisions of those Items are named, and the lifecycle definition they will adhere to.

With the required options set, the Release Manager has all it needs to proceed with the release. This process involves three distinct steps, executed using the corresponding buttons at the bottom-left of the dialog:

1. Analyze Folders - analysis of source folders and target vault folders (and Items) based on your chosen options will be performed and the source files detected (of the chosen type) will be listed. For each entry, the target Item will be displayed, its current and/or next revision (as applicable) and the action that will be performed by the release process. Enable the source entities that you wish to release.
2. Prepare Items and Documents - preparation of both sides for release. On the vault side, any new folders that need to be created, will be created, in readiness to accept any new Items. The Items themselves will be created, with initial revisions in the Planned state. If re-releasing to an existing Item, the next planned revision will be created. This is important, so that these Items, and the unique IDs assigned to them, are essentially locked-down, so no-one else releasing to the vault can create Items with these same IDs, or release to the same revision of an existing Item, before this release process is finalized. On the document side, the source documents are saved with the link information. This is the link to the target vault and folder, along with the Item naming, lifecycle definition and revision naming schemes. At the lowest level, each entity in a source file will store information that links it to the corresponding named-revision of the Item in the vault that will receive and store the release data for it. Once the preparation phase is complete, the Action-Status field will display Ready To Release.
3. Release Items - proceed to release. The Confirm Release dialog will appear, allowing you to review the release actions either at a summary level, or at a more detailed level. If the release actions are correct, proceed to release by pressing OK. The Action-Status field will display Release Running.... When the process completes, the Action-Status field will change to Release Succeeded – provided the release was successful.

Once released, use the Vaults panel to browse the released Items.

Back in the Release Manager, pressing the Analyze Folders button again will present updated link and status information and ready the source entities for possible re-release. The action for an entity that is being re-released now appears as To New Revision.

Tips

1. While you may be familiar with the Release Manager from having linked and released individual source library files (e.g., SchLib, PcbLib, CmpLib), bear in mind that at that level, it is a 'trimmed' version of the full Release Manager being discussed in this document - concerned with the active document only.
2. If any changes are made to the options using the controls above the grid (design side and/or vault-side), you will need to re-analyze to ensure the correct link and action information is calculated and presented. If this is required, an Alert will display at the bottom-left of the dialog. Pressing the Analyze Folders button will refresh the information and remove the Alert.
3. After preparing the documents, if an attempt to close the Release Manager before releasing is made, a warning dialog will appear. The warning indicates that the link to the new target Item revisions – already written to the source document(s) as part of the preparation phase – will become invalid. It is strongly recommended to proceed with the release at this stage, but you do have the opportunity to revert the process, in effect cancelling the previous preparations.
4. While the Release Manager makes releasing a great many source entities a simple affair, it does require the source files to be retained, and maintained with any necessary design changes. If you'd rather not have to maintain the original source files, consider using the Release Manager to perform the intial batch release, then switch to using the Direct Editing paradigm to address key individual Item changes thereafter. Direct editing frees you of the shackles of separate version-controlled source data. You can simply edit a supported Item type using a temporary editor loaded with the latest source direct from the vault itself. And once editing is complete, the entity is re-released into a subsequent planned revision of its parent Item, and the temporary editor closed. There are no files on your hard drive, no questioning whether you are working with the correct or latest source, and no having to maintain separate version control software. The Altium Vault handles it all, with the same great integrity you've come to expect, and in a manner that greatly expedites changes to your data. A supported Item can be edited in this way directly from the Vaults panel. Access to direct editing is provided through the Edit command on the respective right-click menu.