Clearcase 7.1.x install on Solaris X64/x86

I’ve been struggling to install the beast that is Clearcase 7.1.1 on a proof of concept server.
In this case the server is a Solaris 10 64bit install running on VMware Fusion 3.

One of the initial mistakes I made was to try and run the installation from a network mount. DON’T. Solaris must block the execution of code on some types of removable drives, which in this case was a VMWare Fusion shared folder.

A second thing that is not clear in the README files: Clearcase 7.1.1 on Solaris x86 does NOT support the GUI installation. Therefore, for me as much as any readers of this blog, I’ll document the steps to kick off a fresh/silent installation.

The install will be/have:

• A local install
• Clearcase Atria Licencing, local
• IBM Installation Manager installed first
• ClearCase installed second

1. Download your entitled product for Solaris X86, for CC7.1.1 which is:
   • CZ9XKML
   • IBM Rational ClearCase V7.1.1 Solaris x86 Platform Edition Multilingual

   If you need an evaluation copy, they are also available.

2. Copy the archive to your server, and extract it. I’ll use /var/ccinstall for my install source, but adjust as required:
   
mkdir -p /var/ccinstall
cp -p CZ9XKML.zip /var/ccinstall
cd /var/ccinstall
unzip CZ9XKML.zip
cd disk1

3. Follow the IBM documented steps for preparing a silent install. For my steps the dir /var/ccinstall/disk1 will be esd_image_root.
4. Kick off the install:
   
/var/ccinstall/disk1/InstallerImage_*/install \
--launcher.ini \
/var/ccinstall/disk1/InstallerImage_*/silent-install.ini \
-silent \
-input clearcase_response_sol_x86.xml \
-log silentinstall.log

   If you want to also show the progress, include the switch -showVerboseProgress

At this point kick back and make a few coffees.
Enjoy.

Vim Split tips

I use vim a lot of the time, mostly with splits and diffs, so the following key mappings and functions really helped me with managing the split windows. Maybe they will help you too. (Thanks to the Vim tips wiki for these).

• If you use vertical splits, this will help move left and right across the split. Put in your ~/.vimrc
  
" Map multi window keys
set wmw=0
" CTRL-H move to left window
nmap h
" CTRL-L move to right window
nmap l

• When scrolling up and down a window, you can use zz to jump the current line to the middle of the window. If you want this on always ala Scroll locking, then you can use this function. It is a toggle option. use \zz to toggle it. Put in your ~/.vimrc
  
" Map \zz to lock scroll to middle of window
map zz :let &scrolloff=999-&scrolloff

• In a window split (of any sort) if you want to maximise to the current window, this will do it for you. When you press CTRL-W then o it will maximise the current view, then when pressed again will return your split arrangement! Put in your ~/.vimrc
  
  " Max/unmax splits
  nnoremap O :call MaximizeToggle ()
  nnoremap o :call MaximizeToggle ()
  nnoremap :call MaximizeToggle ()

  function! MaximizeToggle()
if exists("s:maximize_session")
exec "source " . s:maximize_session
call delete(s:maximize_session)
unlet s:maximize_session
let &hidden=s:maximize_hidden_save
unlet s:maximize_hidden_save
else
let s:maximize_hidden_save = &hidden
let s:maximize_session = tempname()
set hidden
exec "mksession! " . s:maximize_session
only
endif
endfunction


Clearcase Tips number 01

I found myself writing down example commands in clearcase (V6), so I thought I would share them. If you have ever needed to find files like you do in UNIX, but want to be clearcase specific, then these commands will give you a quick headstart on using the cleartool find command:

How do I list all files and file versions going into a specific build that is labelled?
Assume your label is TR1_PRE_RELEASE

cleartool find . -version 'lbtype (TR1_PRE_RELEASE)' -print

How do I find the latest versions on branch xyz?
In this example, branch xyz is the tst branch

cleartool find . -version 'version (.../tst/LATEST)' -print

How do I find the latest versions on xyz branch WITHOUT a specific label?
For this example the xyz branch is the main (default clearcase) branch, and the label is TR1_PRE_RELEASE

cleartool find . -version 'version (/main/LATEST) && ! lbtype(TR1_PRE_RELEASE)' -print

How do I see what in the filesystem has changed from clearcase?
This example only works if you have set your view on the same machine where the file system to compare is.

cd //
clearfsimport -preview -recurse //* .|grep -v unchan |grep -v identi

I hope that gives you incentive to go and read the clearcase find documentation and learn more for yourself by trying.