Perforce Usage Question

[Paul S. Person]

When I got to configuring my Windows 8.1 computer for Open Watcom, I
tried to rename my Client from "psperson_newguy_winxp" to
"psperson_newguy_win8.1" (or "psperson_newguy_win8_1" if the "."
causes problems) but found that this could not be done directly.
Instead, I would have had to create a new ClientSpec and remove the
old one, something not feasble with open files. Not to mention that
the change history of "psperson_newguy_winxp" would (I presume) be
lost.

I am using P4Win, which may be limiting my options.

This is a question about alternative techniques:

Is it possible to use p4 to edit a Clientspec so as to change its
name? Will this transfer the change history to the new name?

Note: it's not possible here because the command-line client persists
in using an incorrect command line for viw. Any ideas on where the
command-line client is getting its information from? Not the registry,
and not P4Win.

And this is one about the normal practice in Open Watcom:

Does it matter if the history is lost? If so, is it considered proper
to leave the old ClientSpec unremoved?

[Paul S. Person]

On Thu, 25 Dec 2014 17:37:42 -0800, Paul S. Person

Post by Paul S. Person
When I got to configuring my Windows 8.1 computer for Open Watcom, I
tried to rename my Client from "psperson_newguy_winxp" to
"psperson_newguy_win8.1" (or "psperson_newguy_win8_1" if the "."
causes problems) but found that this could not be done directly.
Instead, I would have had to create a new ClientSpec and remove the
old one, something not feasble with open files. Not to mention that
the change history of "psperson_newguy_winxp" would (I presume) be
lost.
I am using P4Win, which may be limiting my options.
Is it possible to use p4 to edit a Clientspec so as to change its
name? Will this transfer the change history to the new name?

This has been solved, and it appears that editing the ClientSpec
simply creates a new one, leaving the question below.
**

Post by Paul S. Person
Note: it's not possible here because the command-line client persists
in using an incorrect command line for viw. Any ideas on where the
command-line client is getting its information from? Not the registry,
and not P4Win.

**

Post by Paul S. Person
Does it matter if the history is lost? If so, is it considered proper
to leave the old ClientSpec unremoved?

[Frank Beythien]

Am 26.12.2014 um 02:45 schrieb Paul S. Person:

Hello Paul,

Post by Paul S. Person
Note: it's not possible here because the command-line client persists
in using an incorrect command line for viw. Any ideas on where the
command-line client is getting its information from? Not the registry,
and not P4Win.

I use environment variables for controlling my OS/2 P4 client...

set path=E:\p4;%path%
set P4Editor=E:\x2\x.exe
set P4PORT=perforce.openwatcom.org:3488
set P4USER=FrankB
set P4CLIENT=FrankB_ecs_VB_bldsrv
set P4PASSWD=xxx
p4.exe client

Post by Paul S. Person
Does it matter if the history is lost? If so, is it considered proper
to leave the old ClientSpec unremoved?

I don't think the history is lost as I still can see changes for an old
no longer existing client of mine. See change 35786.

[Paul S. Person]

Post by Frank Beythien
Hello Paul,

Post by Paul S. Person
Note: it's not possible here because the command-line client persists
in using an incorrect command line for viw. Any ideas on where the
command-line client is getting its information from? Not the registry,
and not P4Win.

I use environment variables for controlling my OS/2 P4 client...
set path=E:\p4;%path%
set P4Editor=E:\x2\x.exe
set P4PORT=perforce.openwatcom.org:3488
set P4USER=FrankB
set P4CLIENT=FrankB_ecs_VB_bldsrv
set P4PASSWD=xxx
p4.exe client

On OS/2 or Linux that may well be the only option.

On Windows, these items (or some of them) also exist in the Registry.
If P4EDITOR is not defined in the environment (and it isn't in the
example set in the myvars.bat), then the registry value is used.

That value was set initially, when I installed the client. The value
of WATCOM has changed since then, but the P4EDITOR value was not
updated.

In fact, p4 set P4EDITOR=<correct path> would probably have worked,
had I found it soon enough. Using regedit found it quite quickly.

Post by Frank Beythien

Post by Paul S. Person
Does it matter if the history is lost? If so, is it considered proper
to leave the old ClientSpec unremoved?

I don't think the history is lost as I still can see changes for an old
no longer existing client of mine. See change 35786.

When I use P4Win and select "ClientSpec" from the menu bar, the
drop-down menu includes "View changes by <client name>". That is what
I am wondering about, as it would seem likely that deleting the
ClientSpec would disable this feature. Of course, other histories of
changes exist.

But I don't know if this matters, even to me. That is why I asked what
the general practice is. If there is one; I don't suppose this comes
up very often. I suppose I can simply leave it in place for now, and
switch to the new one.