Version Control

PhixFlow provides version control for applications, and any packages they use, using a Git repository. This allows the export and import of "snapshots", which are a specific version of an application and any packages associated with that application from specific branches within a Git repository.

Initial Setup

Local Properties File

Set where snapshots should be saved to.

1. In the webapp directory on the PhixFlow Server update local.properties with a git directory path*:
   
   1. For example:

      Windows:
      'git.default.path=C://app//tomcat//webapps//phixflow//git'
      

      Linux:

      'git.default.path=opt//phixflow//data//git'
2. Ensure the new empty directory is created
3. Restart tomcat and start the PhixFlow instance for the git repository to be configured

*the git directory needs to be in a location accessible to PhixFlow, so that Tomcat is able to write to it.

Privileges and Roles

In order to take and restore snapshots, users must either:

• be an Administrator to get full access
• or, be assigned the  Role, Git Configure, to get full access
• or, be assigned the relevant  Privilege(s):
  • Configure Git Repository
  • Create Snapshot for Git
  • Restore Snapshot from Git
  • View Git History

Creating an Application Snapshot

These are the steps to create a snapshot version of your application. For creating a snapshot of a package, the steps are similar and can be found by right-clicking on the package in the Repository.

1. Right-click on an application (or package) in the Repository and select  Version Control
   
2. In the sub-menu, choose Take Snapshot
   
    
   1. On the Take Snapshot window, provide the following:
      1. Name: A useful name that identifies this version
      2. Description: A useful description that identifies this version
      3. Application: This is a read-only field containing the application's name
      4. Packages: This is a list of all packages used by the application
         1. These packages can be included in the snapshot by clicking the tick box
   2. Select Take Snapshot
3. PhixFlow will take a snapshot export of your application and save it to your Git server folder, found in the PhixFlow webapps folder
   1. The folder that the snapshot is saved to is the folder specified as part of the Initial Setup section above

Restoring from an Application Snapshot

1. Right-click on an application (or package) in the Repository and select  Version Control
   
2. In the sub-menu, choose Restore from Snapshot
   
   1. Alternatively, on the  Administration menu, select  Restore from Snapshot, then choose either:
      1.  Applications: lists all applications where a Git version has been previously created
      2. or,  Packages: lists all packages where a Git version has been previously created
         
   2. On the Restore from Snapshot window, select the version to be restored, and click Next
   3. Select any packages that also require restoring and click Restore