Two tools for configuration management are available in XOTcl. The Configuration Map Browser can be used without the version control system and the extended Configuration Browser (Menu System->Version Control->Configuration Browser) can only be used with the version control system. The Configuration Browser saves all information in the version control system. You can import and export data between the two systems.

	Warning
	It is strongly recommended to use the Configuration Browser if you work with the version control system.

A Configuration Map is a file (Tcl-script) that exactly specifies the components to be loaded and the start scripts. One script (preStartScript) will be invoked before loading components and one (startScript) will start your application after components are loaded. (see file Sample.cfmap)

The component list has the structure

{IDECore 10}
{IDEBase 12}
{IDEGUI newest}
{IDEView package}
IDEViewDB

The loader will search the components IDECore versionId=10 and IDEBase versionId=12 in the database. The newest version of the component IDEGUI will be loaded. The Component IDEView will be loaded with package require IDEView. For component IDEViewDB the loader will search first in the database and if not found it will try to load the package with package require IDEViewDB.

Launch the Configuration Browser by selecting menu System->Configuration Browser. Load the configuration map (Sample.cfmap) by selecting menu Edit->Load Configuration Map. Press the toggle button. You can see the aspects of configuration maps

You can use list boxes and buttons to specify the configuration components

Figure 4.6. Configuration Map Browser

You can edit them. Press Control-S to apply changes. Select Edit->Load Components to load components into the system (interpreter). Select Edit->Run Start Scripts to evaluate preStartScript startScript. You can make a new configuration map by using Edit->Init From System

Distribution is the set of files that you can bind for example as a tar or zip file and distribute to other parts. A Configuration map is a base to specify the distribution. First load the component with Edit->Load Components than select menu Edit->Make Distribution. Select the directory (or create a new one). The system generates the set of files:

Sample  Sample.cfmap  SampleComponent.xotcl  pkgIndex.tcl

Sample is the executable file to start the application. Take a look at it.

#!/usr/local/bin/xowish
# File generated by xotclIDE
# edit if you want

set sname [info script]
if {$sname==""} {
     # Run interactive for develop purposes
     set progdir [pwd]
} else {
     file lstat $sname stats
     # follow sym links
     if {$stats(type)=="link"} {
          set sname [file readlink $sname]
          if {[file pathtype $sname]=="relative"} {
                set sname [file join [file dirname [info script]] $sname]
          }
     }
     set progdir [file dirname $sname]
}

lappend auto_path [file dirname $progdir]
package require PlatformLogDumper
generateTclPlatformProtocol out.log

Figure 4.7. Configuration Browser

This tool saves the configuration-maps in the version control systems so configuration-maps can also have editions and versions. Therefore you can have many editions of one configuration-map. You can browse changes among different configuration-map editions.

	Warning
	Unlike other browsers, all Configuration Browser functions are available only in pop-down menus.

For example you have built a program named sqleditor. In Version 0.1 your program is built from components as below

configuration-map - sqleditor (version 0.1)

And the additional configuration-map (sub configuration map) sqlinterfaces - version 1.2

In version 0.2 sqleditor has the following configuration

And the additional configuration-map (sub configuration map) sqlinterfaces - version 1.2

The main idea of Configuration Browser and Configuration-Maps is to have a medium for component based programming. This means you have many components that are parts of many products. All these components are in one version system.

It is not yet possible to use the Component Browser to generate a distribution. You must export a versioned configuration map to configuration map file with pop-up menu Conf. Version->export to map. Then you can use this file with Configuration Map Browser