1. Through Packages referencing Packages in different CM tool projects.
2. Through the sharing of Package files in the CM tool environment.
You can create a CM tool project solely for the purpose of storing reusable Packages, in which case you can choose not to check in a Model to the CM tool project. Not having a Model stored in a CM tool project means that the ModelerATFiles subfolder files typically associated with a Model are not stored in the CM tool project.
Packages referencing Packages in different CM tool projects
When you store a Model in a CM tool, Packages (or the Model itself) can reference Packages that reside in other CM tool Models. If a referenced Package is updated in its CM tool Model, the updated information is picked up next time a user performs a get latest or check out operation on that Package in their Modeler environment. This means that you can create reusable Packages that can be referenced by many CM tool Models.
To reuse a Package from a different CM tool Model, you right-click the Package (or Model) that is going to own the referenced Package, point to Tools > Configuration Management, and then click Import New Packages.
If you are using ClearCase, you must use the Package Import/Export > Import command.
The advantages of this approach are as follows:
• Can be achieved if your CM tool does not support file sharing.
• The Package appears in only one CM tool project, so it may be easier to control access rights to the Package.
Example
In this example, we reuse the TCP_IP Package in the Ticketing System Model.
Initially the CM tool Model is not in our Modeler environment, so we create a replica of the Ticketing System CM tool Model. We then check out the Ticketing System Model. The Ticketing System Model needs to be checked out, because we are going to add the TCP_IP Package to it.
We then add the TCP_IP Package to our Modeler Model. To add the TCP_IP Package to the Ticketing System Model, from Modeler, right-click the Ticketing System Model, point to Tools > Configuration Management, and then click Import New Packages. The dialog that appear depend on the CM tool you are using. For Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, you select the Library project, and then select the TCP_IP file.
We now check in the Ticketing System Model and its Packages.
Notice that the TCP_IP Package is not checked in to the Ticketing System CM tool Model. This is because the Add Package from Another Model command has created a reference to the TCP_IP Package in the Library Model.
If a user now creates a replica of the Ticketing System Model, the Modeler Model will include the Ticket Allocation Package from the Ticketing System CM tool Model and the TCP_IP Package from the Library CM tool Model.
