Self Help Desktop Studio - Version Management
A Self Help project version contains a selection of procedures authorized to be run by certain user groups. When you create a version, this consists of locking the content of procedures at a given time, so that you can run tests, perform acceptance or release the version.
- Each version is created via a publication process run in the Desktop Studio in edit mode.
See the procedure. - This process:
- Locks the current version, which can no longer be modified. It will be moved to publish mode.
- Duplicates the current version. This duplicate will become the new modifiable version in edit mode.
See the examples.
- There are two types of versions:
- Major version: This is a planned version in the continual improvement process of the Self Help project.
- Minor version: This version is used to correct errors and/or bugs.
Notes
- You create a major version when you publish the Self Help project in the Desktop Studio in edit mode.
- You create a minor version in publish mode, using a previously published Self Help project. The new version will be moved to edit mode so that it can be modified.
- Publication can be run immediately or at a scheduled date and time.
- Published versions can be deactivated. Their procedures will no longer be available to users.
- Several activated and deactivated versions can exist at the same time for a given Self Help project. See the examples.
Version numbering
- Each version is identified by a number displayed after the project name.
example EndUserPackage [v2.0]
- The number is made up of two parts, i.e. major version number and minor version number.
- The number is incremented by one unit from the previous number, based on the type of version created.
example
- A major version is created. Current version: 1.0 ==> New version: 2.0
- A minor version is created. Current version: 1.0 ==> New version: 1.1
Examples
Publish a Self Help project
The current version of the Self Help project is 2.0. You can modify it in edit mode.
The Self Help project is published. Version 2.0:
- Is locked. It will disappear from the tree structure in edit mode and will be moved to the tree structure in publish mode.
- Is duplicated and its new name is 3.0. This new version appears in the tree structure in edit mode. It is the modifiable version of the Self Help project.
Activate or deactivate Self Help project versions
- Version 1.0 is published and activated.
- Versions 2.1 and 2.2 are published and deactivated.
- Version 2.3 is published and activated.
Users can access the procedures in version 1.0 and version 2.3 depending on their access rights.
Caution
- As long as a version has not been published (e.g. scheduled publication), only Self Help project owners or the domain administrator can modify the Self Help project.
- Once the version is published, the contents of the Project recycle bin folder in the Self Help project will automatically be emptied.
Best Practice
- Run the publication of versions in scheduled tasks to avoid slowing down the server. See How to publish a Self Help project.
Procedures
How to publish a Self Help project
HowToPublishProject
Step 1: Select the Self Help project to be published.
1. Right-click the Self Help project in the tree structure of the Explorer pane.
2. Select Publish from the contextual menu.
3. (optional - if linked resources are opened) Click Yes if the following message appears: "There are opened editors associated with this Self Help project".
Step 2: Select the user groups authorized to run Self Help project procedures.
1. Select the authorized groups from the list on the left called Existing groups.
2. Click 
.
3. Click Next.
Step 3: Select the executable procedures.
1. Tick each authorized procedure.
2. Click Next.
Step 4: Display the version history.
1. Enter the description of the version.
2. If the version to be published is the final version, tick the option called Keep the next version of the Self Help project in the workspace.
3. Select one of the following activation/deactivation modes for the new and previous versions:
- Publish and Replace: This activates the new version and deactivates the previous versions.
- Publish and Activate: This activates the new version without deactivating the previous versions.
- Publish and Not Activate: This deactivates the new version without deactivating the previous versions.
4. Tick the option called Automatically switch to the publication perspective when finished to open the publish mode automatically at the end of the processing.
5. Click Finish.
Step 5: Run the publication task.
- You can run the publication task immediately using the Publish now option.
- You can schedule the publication task using the Publish at option:
- Specify the publication date and time.
- Tick the option called Prevent Self Help project modifications before publication.
Step 6 (optional): Send an information email to users after publication.
1. Tick the option called Send an email.
2. Enter the email subject and body.
Step 7: Run the publication.
1. Click Finish.
- The task will be run immediately or at the scheduled date and time.
- A new working version will be created in the Explorer pane in the Desktop Studio in edit mode.
- The published version will be created. You can access it in publish mode.
- Publish mode will automatically open if you ticked the option in step 4.