I love track based development in the NWDI.
I hate track based development in the NWDI.
Unfortunately both the statements are true.
I plan to write few blogs on practical difficulties in Track based development in the Java Stack. My objective is not to criticize but to inform SDN colleagues about possible problem areas which can be better managed in their projects.
In this first blog I will discuss Development Component Type - Dictionary.
You can create Simple Data Types, Structures and Database Tables using Dictionary DC. These are reusable and can be used in any other DC project. The first problem is related to Database tables.
In track based development the process for creating and deploying dictionary DC's are listed below.
- From development configurations perspective, Create DC of type dictionary.
- All resources created will be assigned to an activity
- Create Database Table in this DC.
- Checkin the Activity and Activate
- TheTable will now be created in the Development Server configured in the track.
- Release the activity and import the activity in consolidation server configured in the track
- Assemble and approve for moving the table to production landscape
Till now things go pretty smooth. I've not seen such a smooth transport of development anywhere else (Apart from ABAP).
The problem comes when you want to change the table definition which you have created. CMS/SDM (in Release 6.30/6.40) doesnt supports changing (Drop columns/Change Column Width...) Tables in a Dictionary DC and transporting the change through the landscape. Its planned for future releases. This is really a bottleneck for the Java Development Infrastructure. The problem is further complicated by the fact that there is not sufficient documentation about this restriction.
