Daley Ponderings

Whether you know the program as Merant, Serena or PVCS, the setup is difficult, and despite the sales department insistence that you don't need a full-time person to run their servers, I am starting to doubt it. Here are the instructions to setup a new project using the file server model with split archives.
I am using Version 8.0.2.3, so be aware what stuff applies to you, and what does not. For example, I am using the new File Server model, where the archive files are not copied 3 times for every operation.
My company doesn't use any security/access control, but you still need to set things up as if you do, otherwise you will have weird problems every once in a while, where users don't have permission to import an archive, or checkout it out, etc. The quick solution is to make the problem user a superuser. To avoid the problem in the future, follow these instructions:
These instructions have specific server names for my company, but you should be able to make them generic for your use.

Use Remote Desktop/MS Terminal Server to connect to dvoxpitparnd1

Open up my computer and navigate to D:development
Create a folder with the project name.
Please don't use funny characters or spaces in your name.
Create "proj" and "rev" directories under the newly created directory.

Open Internet Explorer and go to: http://localhost:8080/merantfs/Admin

Admin login:
Username: Admin
Password: Admin

Go to Path Maps.
Hit the + sign.
Check "Enabled" and "Publish PDBs".
Uncheck "case-sensitive user id".

In the "Client name" field, type:
\\PVCS\PROJECT_NAME
Please don't use spaces or other funny characters.

In the "Project DB path", type:
D:\development\PROJECT_NAME\proj

In the "Revision path", type:
D:\development\PROJECT_NAME\rev

Hit OK.

Go to the Log panel.
Scroll to the bottom, and make sure that there aren't any
errors related to your newly created project.


Open up a Version Manager client on your own machine.
From the Admin Menu, pick "Create Project Database".
Type in PROJECT_NAME
Click the "..." button for the location.
Navigate to the top of the list and pick File Servers.
You should see a long list of projects, starting with PVCS...
Find PVCS\PROJECT_NAME (the icon should be only a yellow
folder, instead of a blue dot inside the yellow folder)
Hit OK.
Click the "Advanced" tab, and
Click the "Use an existing Access Control Database"
Click the "..." button, and pick
"File Servers->PVCS\Global_data\archives\ami5f3b10.db"
Hit OK.
Hit OK.
The project should now be created.
Now, highlight your new project, and choose Admin->Configure Project.
Choose Security->Access Control Database
Uncheck "Enable access control database security"
Choose Security->Login Sources
Check "Host ID" and uncheck "Login Dialog"
Highlight "Host ID"
Check "Auto create users"
Click the "..." button and pick "Superuser" instead of "Unlimited".
(This is due to a bug in Version manager where unlimited users, even with
the access control database unchecked, still do not have privileges to do
everything, so until Serena fixes this, all users have to be superusers.
This bug has existed from at least 6.x through 8.0.2, and Serena has
refused to believe this bug exists, though I have gotten support to
duplicate it)
Uncheck "Case-sensitive user ID".

Hit OK.
Now you can import your archives, or add Workfiles.
whew.