CMS copy element doesn't preserve history

[Stephen Daddona]

I had to recreate one of our CMS libraries when we moved to a new system, and I used the the COPY ELEMENT command to move the elements. However, I was told by one of our analysts that the elements' histories didn't get copied. I looked at the help for COPY ELEMENT and didn't see anything about history. Is there a way to copy an element and preserve its history?


Thanks in advance!

[Ian Miller.]

According to
http://h71000.www7.hp.com/doc/73FINAL/5607/5607_.htm#cop_elem

"The generation history, file characteristics, and element attributes are preserved and copied in full."

[Peter Quodling]

The exact syntax of your CMS COPY ELEMENT command was?

The help says

The COPY ELEMENT transaction
preserves all element attributes, data, and generation/variant
information.

The only other thing that comes to mind - was the original flagged as a reference copy?

[Stephen Daddona]

Here's the relevant portion of the DCL procedure that did the copying:

$ create/dir personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables]
$ create/dir personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source]
$!
$ cms
create library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables] ""
create library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source] ""
exit
$!
$ create/dir personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables.refcopy]
$ create/dir personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source.refcopy]
$!
$ cms

set library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables]
modify library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables] -
/reference_copy=personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.executables.refcopy]
copy element *.* /library=disk$dga207:[personnel.cmslib.executables] *.* ""

set library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source]
modify library personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source] -
/reference_copy=personnel_cms_disk:[personnel.cmslib.source.refcopy]
copy element *.* /library=disk$dga207:[sierra.cmslib.personnel] *.* ""

exit
$!


The reference copy for the two source libraries are defined as:

disk$dga207:[personnel.cmslib.executables.refcopy]

and

disk$dga207:[sierra.cmslib.personnel.refcopy]

[Robert_Boyd]

What do you see when you do commands such as CMS SHOW HISTORY *.* ?


Robert

[Stephen Daddona]

Just the remark that the COPY ELEMENT entered, eg:

9-AUG-2005 10:09:28 CSMALLEY COPY
ELEMENT/LIBRARY=DISK$DGA207:[SIERRA.CMSLIB.PERSONNEL]
PERSONNEL_UPDATE.SCO PERSONNEL_UPDATE.SCO ""

[Peter Quodling · Accepted solution]

I mentioned that there was a concern about reference copies - but for the life of me, I can remember where I saw this, but...

I just noticed. in $CMS help copy examples.. the following text.


The SHOW HISTORY command that is executed after the copy
transaction indicates that the library history contains **only
records of transactions performed on the new library (CREATE
LIBRARY and COPY transactions). The SHOW GENERATION/DESCENDANTS
command shows the generation history for one of the elements.**
The COPY ELEMENT transaction preserves the generation history
for each element; thus, the record of replacement transactions
(also the CREATE ELEMENT transaction that produced generation 1
of the element) is maintained from the old element to the new.

take particular note of the section between the two sets of **'s.

Q

[Stephen Daddona]

The SHOW GENERATION/DESCENDANTS command is it!!

Thanks!

I guess the lesson for me here was "When all else fails, read the directions (help)"