Purpose
This procedure is used to record a description of a change to software and the software items that were involved in making that change.
This function should only be used by Unipix staff and is a software developer tool, not a user function.
Data Input
Step 1 – Version Number
Version Number
Enter the version number of the software that was changed.
The version number holds the last patch number allocated for the version, plus the path on the development server for front end and back end software distribution.
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Step 2 – Patch Number
Patch Number
Enter ‘N’ to allocate a new patch number for the version, or enter an existing patch number to edit the details of the previously recorded patch.
Patch number appears in the log in page as part of the Version Number.
Base On is available if you want to copy a previous patch entry. (Useful if you are maintaining 2 versions of software).
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Step 3 – Details
Description of Problem
Enter a description of the problem in past tense. Remember your audience is probably non-technical, so make it readable for users and project managers. e.g. “Fixes to EOD Job Costing Ledger Report”.
Description of Solution
This is optional. Enter something if it could be useful for the person installing the patches.
Module
Choose the module the software change has mostly affected. This is used for statistic reporting on patching.
Issue Number
Enter the issue number where the full details of the problem and solution can be accessed.
For defect issues, enter the issue number only, for Enhancement or Incident issues, prefix the issue number with E or I. If there are multiple issues being combined under the one patch, separate the issue numbers with commas, or put the extra issue numbers in the ‘Description of Solution’ area.
Procedure
Enter ‘N’ to allocate a new patch number for the version, or enter an existing patch number to edit the details of the previously recorded patch.
Users Affected
This is optional. This can be used for statistic reporting on patches, or to let someone know at a glance which function is affected.
Distributed
Do not enter or change this. The patches are flagged as distributed once they are distributed to hosted clients on the hosted server.
Special Instructions
Enter any instructions that the patch installer needs to follow when distributing patches. e.g. For patches where menus are updated with help documentation codes, the special instruction is to ‘Run PY.190’. Other examples of use are for when the pooler service needs to stop, when conversion programs need to be run, or where things need to be deleted. The instructions are shown when using the installation tools to apply patches to a server.
Enhancement
Tick this if the patched change is a new feature. This is used in the ‘Patch Enhancement’ report which lists patch enhancements that require documentation in the ‘Post Release‘ help post.
Criticality
Estimate how critical it is that the patch get distributed. Setting Criticality to ‘High’ causes an email alert to be sent to Support so that a patch distribution can be arranged.
Step 4 – .Net Items Changed
Item
Enter the .net item changed. These can be found in the programmer notes section of the issue.
Install Path
Enter the path the .net item is to be distributed to. Most common paths are ‘Online’ and ‘Online\bin’.
Distribute
Select this if the item is a deployable item. e.g. .ascx, .aspx, .dll items are deployable .ascx.vb items are not
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Step 5 – Database Items Changed
File Name
Enter the name of the file the item changed is held in. E.g. BP, PL, SYS.TABLES etc.
File Type
This defaults to ‘Data’ for software files (BP, PL, SYS.TABLES etc), and ‘Dict’ for non-software files. This is the 2, 1 or 0 part of a SOFTWARE file key.
Item
Enter the key of the back end item changed. E.g. program name for BP item, DICT name, PL id, Menu key etc
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Finish and Links
- Analyse client source for items changed on this patch – obsolete – do not use
- Build a Patch Folder for distribution – obsolete – do not use
- Add Database items to Patch folder – obsolete – do not use
- Edit this Patch – edit the patch you just created
- Create a new a patch for release n.n – goes back to patch number entry and keeps the original version
- Create a new patch for a different release – goes back to version number entry