The new AccuRev beta release is customer’s first look at Version 5.0 of the AccuRev server.  The key new element has been porting the AccuRev server to an ODBC database.  Initial reports show that this will provide enhanced scalability and more flexible IT architectures that large AccuRev deployments have been looking for, without degrading the one-user path length. While the functionality will be familiar to any post-R4.5 customer, there are many enhancements and bug fixes that have migrated into 5.0, making this an even larger improvement from R4.0 than it was from R3.0.

The first database supported by AccuRev, and the only one supported with the beta test of Version 5.0, is the PostgreSQL DBMS.  PostgreSQL (pronounced “post-gress”) is a sophisticated DBMS with good concurrency support for complex locking models, rich support of database features, and broad platform availability.  The postgreSQL.org site contains lots of ancillary material, including a list of books on PostgreSQL for the interested developer.

One of the features of ODBC database support is the ability to use familiar database tools to create reports and real-time dashboard data.  The AccuRev server schema is very complicated with multiple databases, many tables, and complex fields.  To simplify reporting, AccuRev has developed a database View that abstracts AccuRev database internals into a more user friendly form, perfect for use with report generation tools.  This database view is available from the AccuRev User Forums, and will be updated to include other features based on customer request.  The database is not directly customer accessible for modification and users should not make modifications or additions to the AccuRev database. Fortunately, Views in PostgreSQL are read-only, which is another safety guard against accidental database modification.

Tools such as Crystal Reports® or BIRT™ provide user interfaces for report generation that work directly with tables in a relational database.  They provide a simple drag-and-drop, wizard driven, interface, making report generation and formatting much simpler than coding SQL statements directly.  Business Objects (owned by SAP, and maker of Crystal Reports) and Actuate (BIRT provider) both have real-time update report tools, for creating near-real-time dashboards.  These are not covered by this blog, but would use the same PostgreSQL view.

The first report we want to develop is one that shows the transactions in a stream, broken out by users.  I like this graph because it shows exactly who contributed changes to a particular release candidate. We used Crystal Reports to generate the template.

Crystal Reports Transactions Template

All the “action” is in the design area at the bottom.  We used the Group wizard to add the name, sum the number of promotes, and generate the graph.

Crystal Reports Change Contribution

Another report is the rate of changes to a series of streams.  This shows the rate of instability in a project, which might not be reflected in the issue tracking system.  Here we show the number of transactions in a series of streams each week, for the past ten weeks.

CrystalReport Rate of Change Template

And we’ve limited the report to just show the three streams of most concern.

Crystal Reports Stream Changes

In conclusion, Version 5.0, coupled with AccuRev’s new Web User Interface, is an exciting new version of AccuRev that promises to provide benefits to the AccuRev community, both large and small, for a long time.

Vlad Romanescu &

Rob Mohr