ClearCase Reference Manual, Release 4.0, Windows

reformatvob

Updates the format of a VOB database.

APPLICABILITY

ClearCase (cleartool subcommand), Attache (command)

SYNOPSIS

reformatvob [ -dum·p | -loa·d ] [ -rm ] [ -f·orce ]: [ -hos·t hostname -hpa·th local-pname -gpa·th global-pname ]
vob-storage-dir-pname

DESCRIPTION

Always back up a VOB's storage directory before entering this command.

reformatvob is a one-way command. The dump and load phases must be allowed to complete (although they can take place at different times). You cannot abort and undo a reformat operation after you have started it; you can only restart and complete the operation.

reformatvob changes the format of a VOB database from a format used in a previous ClearCase release to the current format. A new release may use a different database format to support new product features, to enhance storage efficiency, or to improve performance.

reformatvob also performs the actions of the checkvob -setup command. This checkvob setup processing must be completed to use the checkvob command. If this processing is interrupted during the reformatvob command execution, you must run the checkvob command manually. (See the checkvob reference page for details.)

You can use reformatvob in other situations:

When moving a VOB storage directory between hosts of different architectures, that is, hosts with different binary formats for the files that implement the VOB database
To clean up a VOB database, physically deleting records that have been logically deleted by vob_scrubber

In both cases, the VOB database has the same internal format, and checkvob -setup is not invoked.

reformatvob locks the VOB before reformatting it. If the VOB is already locked, reformatvob proceeds with the reformatting and then unlocks the VOB.

NOTE: reformatvob does not overwrite the old, invalid VOB database; it renames the old database to db.date. The old database remains in the VOB storage directory until you delete it with a standard operating system command.

Dumping and Loading

VOB database reformatting involves two phases:

Dumping the existing VOB database to a set of ASCII files. This phase is performed by the db_dumper program. reformatvob evaluates disk-space availability before beginning its work, and displays a message if disk space is insufficient. See the Working with Limited Disk Space section.
Loading the ASCII files into a new VOB database that uses the current format. This phase is performed by the db_loader program.

By default, both phases are performed at the same time. The -dump and -load options enable you to perform them separately.

See the db_dumper reference page for more information.

Registering the VOB (Again)

reformatvob updates (or creates, if necessary) the VOB's entry in the network's vob_object registry file. However, reformatvob does not affect the vob_tag registry file. If the reformatted VOB does not have an appropriate VOB-tag registry entry, reformatvob displays a message advising you to create one or more VOB-tags with mktag. For more information on VOB-tags and registries, see the mkvob and registry_ccase reference pages.

Restrictions

The VOB storage directory must physically reside on the host where you enter this command.

The current working directory must not be at or below the VOB storage directory.

Your command interpreter must not have a view context-neither set view nor working directory view.

Working with Limited Disk Space

Running reformatvob can substantially increase the amount of disk space that the VOB storage directory uses. By default, the old VOB database is preserved in a renamed subdirectory of the VOB storage directory. You can use the -rm option to discard the old VOB database. Alternatively, you can use a standard operating system utility to discard it at a later time-for example, after you have mounted the reformatted VOB and verified its accessibility.

Following are reformatvob's disk-space requirements, based on the size of the existing VOB database as the unit:

Data Structure	Space Required	Need for Space Eliminated by
Existing VOB database	100%	-rm
ASCII dump files	100%	(Always required)
Elbow room	10%	(Always required)

Thus, if you do not use -rm, reformatvob's disk-space needs are approximately 210% of the size of the VOB database.

Restarting an Interrupted Reformat

There are no ill effects if a reformatvob command is interrupted (for example, by a system crash). Enter the command again to complete the reformatting. If reformatvob is interrupted after the dump phase completes, reentering the command starts with the load phase.

PERMISSIONS AND LOCKS

Permissions Checking: For each object processed, you must be one of the following: VOB owner, member of the ClearCase group. See the permissions reference page.

Locks: No locks apply.

OPTIONS AND ARGUMENTS

PARTIAL REFORMAT. Default: Performs a complete reformat, including both the dump and load phases.

-dum·p: Performs only the first phase of the reformatting process-creating an ASCII dump of the current VOB database.

-loa·d: Performs only the second phase of the reformatting process-creating a new VOB database using a previously created ASCII dump.

PRESERVING A BACKUP OF THE VOB DATABASE. Default: The original VOB database directory (subdirectory db of the VOB storage directory) is preserved through renaming. During the dump phase, it is renamed to db.reformat; during the load phase, it is renamed again, to a name that includes a date stamp (for example, db.02.18).

-rm: Deletes the original VOB database during the load phase.

CONFIRMATION STEP. Default: Before beginning its work, reformatvob prompts you to confirm that you want to reformat the VOB database.

-f·orce: Suppresses the confirmation step.

VOB REGISTRY OPTIONS. Default: Using the vob-storage-dir-pname argument, reformatvob creates or updates the vob_object registry file; it leaves the vob_tag registry file unchanged. The following options update the VOB-tag entry; see the mkvob reference page for more information.

-hos·t hostname

-hpa·th local-pname

-gpa·th global-pname

SPECIFYING THE VOB. Default: None.

vob-storage-dir-pname: The pathname of a VOB storage directory.

: See also the descriptions of -host, -hpath, and -gpath in the mkvob reference page.

EXAMPLES

Examples including wildcards or quoting are written for use in cleartool interactive mode. If you use cleartool single-command mode, you may need to change the wildcards and quoting to make your command interpreter process the command appropriately.

In cleartool single-command mode, cmd-context represents the command interpreter prompt. In cleartool interactive mode, cmd-context represents the interactive cleartool prompt. In Attache, cmd-context represents the workspace prompt.

Reformat a VOB whose storage directory is C:\users\jones\tut\tut.vbs.
NOTE: This example shows selected status messages only; reformatvob actually produces more verbose messages. See the checkvob reference page for the setup output.

cmd-context reformatvob C:\users\jones\tut\tut.vbs

Reformat versioned object base "C:\users\jones\tut\tut.vbs"? [no] y Dumping database... Dumper done. Dumped versioned object base "C:\users\jones\tut\tut.vbs". Loading database... Loader done. Loaded versioned object base "C:\users\jones\tut\tut.vbs".