configuring ganttchart for clearquest

CM-Consult Company and

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Configuring GanttChart for ClearQuest

Tuesday, 20 July 2010 1. Introduction 2. Requirements to package use 3. Requirements to ClearQuest schema

1. Requirements to the record type fields 2. Requirements to actions 3. Requirements to record type dependencies

1. Use case 4. Configuring ALM schema to use AMWorkActivitySchedule packag

1. Adding AMWorkActivitySchedule package 2. Editing AMWorkActivitySchedule package

5. Configuring GanttChart for ClearQuest with supplied configuration 13

1.1. 1. Introduction

To facilitate installation and use of our GanttChart for ClearQuest solution, we provide special configuration files within the installation package that allow automatically configure the program to use the ALM schema. You can also download the configuration files from our web site. Configuration files allow facilitating the GanttChart for ClearQuest configuration if the ALM schema is used (see 5. Configuring GanttChart for ClearQuest with supplied configuration). If you use another schema, it is recommended that you read the User Guide to be able to configure GanttChart for ClearQuest manually according to your ClearQuest schema. Our solutions are compatible with any ClearQuest schema. If you have difficulties with configuration, contact our support service. In complex cases we can release the package for your ClearQuest schema that will allow you to use our solutions to the maximum.

1.2. 2. Requirements to package use

To work with GanttChart for ClearQuest you do not need special ClearQuest packages. It is enough to have fields, listed and described in the section 3.2. Besides, the solution supports use of AMWorkActivitySchedule package that is used for integration with MS Project. For detailed description of AMWorkActivitySchedule package configuration and customization, see section 4.

1.3. 3. Requirements to ClearQuest schema

In GanttChart for ClearQuest, two types of records can be used:

1. Non-planned or partially planned. Record types that do not use planned and actual dates, or use one field (for example, Resolve before). Such record types are used mainly for representing some high-level requests (for example, expansion




request or defect) which are further decomposed into final tasks. 2. Planned. Record types that use fields containing planned and actual dates. Such

record types mainly represent owner tasks, which can be further decomposed into smaller sub-tasks.

Depending on the record type, different requirements can be imposed on it. These requirements are listed in the table below.

3.1. Requirements to the record type fields The following reqiurements (see Table 1. Requirements to the fields used for planning) are put on the fields used for planning in GanttChart for ClearQuest. The requirements for the fields representing dependencies between records are listed in the next section (see 2.2 Requirements to record type dependencies).

Table 1. Requirements to the fields used for planning

Field name Field type Mandatory/ Optional

Additional description Non-planned Planned

1 Headline STRING Mandatory Mandatory Contains the name of a task or high-level request

2 Owner REFERENCE REFERENCE_LIST Optional Optional

Contains the owner name. If during planning it is necessary to specify the owner, then this field is mandatory.

3 Plan start date DATE_TIME Optional Mandatory The fields contain

planned dates and are mandatory for the planned record types. 4 Plan end

date DATE_TIME Optional Mandatory

5 Fact start date DATE_TIME Optional Mandatory

The fields contain actual dates. If it is necessary to track actual completion rate of final tasks, then these fields are mandatory.

6 Fact end date DATE_TIME Optional Mandatory

7 Completing percent INT (0..100) Optional Optional

Contains the completion rate of the current task. If it is necessary to track the completion rate of final tasks, then this field is mandator

3.2. Requirements to actions




For GanttChart for ClearQuest to be able to save changes made to planned dates and owners, you will need to specify at least one action in the selected record type settings. It can be one of the following actions:

1. Modify - action used for changing the record data (planned dates and owner). It is recommended that you use this action.

2. Assign - action used for assigning an owner to a task. This action will save new data concerning planned dates and owner, and automatically transit the record into the next state (according to the transition matrx of the selected record type).

3.3. Requirements to record type dependencies GanttChart for ClearQuest supports two types of dependencies between records:

1. Hierarchical dependencies - parent-child relations are represented as aggregate tasks in the GanttChart for ClearQuest plan. Number of nesting levels for records is not limited. Certain requirements are put on the parent records (aggregate tasks):

1. For aggregate tasks, actual dates are not used. 2. For aggregate tasks, completion rate is not used. It is calculated on basis of

child task comletion rates. 2. Sequential relations - represented as execution sequence arrows in the GanttChart

for ClearQuest plan.

The following requirements are put on the record type fields that represent these relations regardless of the relation type:

1. The field must be of the REFERENCE or REFERENCE_LIST type. 2. For reference fields, it is recommended that you create a backward reference from

the record type they refer to.

1.3.1.1 3.3.1. Use case One of the possible use cases is represented in the figure below.

Figure 1. Use case




In this use case, the following record types are represented:

1. Request - record type that represents a change request or high-level request. It can be an expansion request, defect, etc. A high-level request can have planned dates, but it is not necessary for this record type.

2. Task - record type that represent a final task for an owner. A final task must have planned dates and an owner.

In this use case, Request and Task are in the hierarchical relation used for decomposition of a high-level request into individual tasks for owners. Besides, Task has a hierarchical relation with records of the same type that can be used for decomposing complex tasks into smaller tasks or assigning the same task to several owners. Again, high-level requests can have hierarchical relations with other requests (for example, the Project->Change request->Task relation can be used). This use case also contains execution sequential relations between Request 1 and Request 2, Task 1.1 and Task 2.1. GanttChart for ClearQuest does not restrict use of sequential relations between records of the same type. So, if the ClearQuest schema supports sequential relations between different record types, they will be displayed in the Gantt chart. The figure above represents an example of such use case for the ALM schema which implements the ALMRequest->ALMTast->ALMActivity hierarchy and sequential relations for records of the same type.

Figure 2. Request-Task-Activity hierarchy example

1.4. 4. Configuring ALM schema to use AMWorkActivitySchedule package

The AMWorkActivitySchedule package allows quickly configuring the ClearQuest schema for




using with GanttChart for ClearQuest. This package adds all necessary fields, such as planned and actual dates. Besides, using the package allows setting up the parallel use of GanttChart for ClearQuest and integration with MS Project.

4.1. Adding AMWorkActivitySchedule package To add the AMWorkActivitySchedule package to the schema, follow the steps below:

Open ClearQuestDesigner and connect to the required schema.

Right-click the last schema version and, in the context menu, select Apply Package.

Figure 3. Applying package

In the Package Wizard window, select the last version of the AMWorkActivitySchedule package and click Next.




Figure 4. Selecting package version

Select record types to which the packages must be applied. It is recommended, that you select ALMActivity. If necessary, select ALMTask and ALMRequest.

Figure 5. Selecting record type

If the package has been applied successfully, the following dialog window will appear, where you should click K.




Figure 6. Confirming completion

Check whether the required fields and tabs were added to the selected record types.

Figure 7. Package fields in record type fields

Figure 8. New package tab

Save changes and check in the schema.




Figure 9. Submitting changes

Enter comments for the changes and click OK.

Figure 10. Adding comments for changes

Apply changes to the user database. To do it, in the ClearQuest Database Administration tab, right-click the required database and select Upgrade Database in the context menu.




Figure 11. Updating ClearQuest database

In the Upgrade User Database window, select the last schema version and click OK.

Figure 12. Selecting schema version

4.2. Editing AMWorkActivitySchedule package By default, GanttChart for ClearQuest cannot save planned dates for record types for which the AMWorkActivitySchedule package has been applied, i.e. it works only in read and visualize mode. To allow this functionality, perform the following steps:

Allow the user who will apply changes to the schema to edit the package. For this, run the packageutil unility with the following parameters: packageutil enableediting -dbset DEMOALM admin password -enable designer, where - enableediting - parameter used for managing package editing permissions; - -dbset DEMOALM - connection name; - admin - login of a user with Super User permissions; - password - password of the user specified above; - -enable designer - list of users who must have ability to edit packages;

Run ClearQuest Designer and open the required schema for editing:




Figure 13. Opening schema for editing

Open the section Global Scripts->Basic and open the GetSchedulePermissions script for editing.

Figure 14. GetSchedulePermissions function

Replace the string 'Elseif v = True Then' by the string 'Elseif v = True Or v = "True" Then'




Figure 15. Edited GetSchedulePermissions function

Save changes and check in the schema.

Figure 16. Submitting changes

Enter comments for the changes and click OK.




Figure 17. Adding comments for changes

Apply changes to the user database. To do it, in the ClearQuest Database Administration tab, right-click the required database and select Upgrade Database in the context menu.

Figure 18. Updating ClearQuest database

In the Upgrade User Database window, select the last schema version and click OK.




Figure 19. Selecting schema version

At the last step, forbid the user who edited the schema to edit packages. For this, use the packageutil command with the following parameters: packageutil enableediting -dbset DEMOALM admin password -disable designer

1.5. 5. Configuring GanttChart for ClearQuest with supplied configuration

Before configuring the solution with the supplied configuration, you should configure the AMWorkActivitySchedule package as described in the section 4. To configure the application for working with ALM, follow the steps below:

Since GanttChart for ClearQuest for security reasons supports import/ export within one connection and database only, as a first step you need to edit the exported configuration file ALM_export.cfg . Open the configuration file (provided with the installation package) in Notepad, and set the connection and database names to required values (default value is CQALM@SAMPL). You can find the right values in ClearQuest:

Figure 20. Connection name

Save changes to the configuration file.




Figure 21. Editing configuration file

Connect to the database and open the Preferences window.

Figure 22. Opening preferences

In the Preferences window, open the GanttChart for ClearQuest section, click Import and select the configuration file.




Figure 23. Importing configuration

Check whether all parameters for record types and their relations have been imported, and check whether the Use AMWorkActivitySchedule package option is selected.

Figure 24. Imported field settings




Figure 25. Imported hierarchy settings

Figure 26. Selected Use AMWorkActivitySchedule package option

Apply changes by clicking Apply and close the Preferences window.

Downloads: GanttChart for ClearQuest configuration file for ALM scheme ALM_export.cfg.




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configuring ganttchart for clearquest

Technology

clearquest schema

clearquest configuration

record type fields

planned record types

package use

planned dates

clearquest solution

type dependencies ganttchart