Process Items

Modern development practices require increased control over the entire development process. StarTeam enables developers to follow a defined development process, one that ensures that all file content changes be linked to either a change request, requirement, task, or custom component. Items used in this way are known as process items.

Specifically, a process item is a change request, requirement, task, or custom component that is specified by the user as the reason for making a given set of changes. Process items are supported by the Add Files and Check In dialog boxes. As a result, source code and content are modified only to meet clearly defined and approved objectives, as expressed in the process item.

Out-of-view Process Items

Historically, StarTeam has supported the selection of a process item from only within the current view. This functionality is useful in many processes, but it does not support a process where change requests, tasks, requirements, or custom components live in a different view than the source code files.

To support out-of-view process, StarTeam now enables you to choose a valid process item for file add or check-in operation from any view on the same server as the files being committed. You can choose an item selected in the Items pane as the active process item for the current view, an open view on the same server, or a different view on the same server.

Also, the Active Process Item toolbar button contains a list enabling you to select the active process item from any opened view.

Process Item Selection

StarTeam currently allows a process item to be selected as the active process item, which results in that process item being used by default in the File Add and File Checkin dialog boxes. The File Add and File Checkin dialog boxes also allow you to change the active process item prior to adding or checking in the files.