ClearCase.ClearTool returns No view context available error

Question

I am trying to run the following code, but the got #error 1 at startview command, and #error 2 in desc command.

    use Win32::OLE; 
    $ct = Win32::OLE->new('ClearCase.ClearTool') or die "Could not create ClearTool object\n";  
    $view = "ccadm01_UARK_DEV";
    $output = $ct->CmdExec("pwv") or die("Cleartool returned error: ", Win32::OLE->LastError(), "\n"); 
    print ("pwv \$output = $output\n");

# error 1 : cleartool return error 0   
    $output = $ct->CmdExec("startview ccadm01_UARK_DEV") or die("Cleartool returned error: ", Win32::OLE->LastError(), "\n"); 

    $CWD = $view_dir;  
    print( "Current directory: $CWD\n");

# error 2: No view context available
    $output = $ct->CmdExec("describe -fmt \"%[versions]Cp\" activity:USR0200004985\@\\Unix_PVOB") or die("Cleartool returned error: ", Win32::OLE->LastError(), "\n"); 
    print ("desc \$output = $output\n");

For #error 1, I tried the same command from DOS, it works.

Answer 1

You need to make sure your $view is a valid dynamic view tag for cleartool startview to work.
(make sure to not use cleartool setview, as it spawns a subshell)

Also if it returns error 0, you can assume it has worked: CAL might return an "error", but status 0 should mean the command has been executed.

An error different from 0, though, means something went wrong.

And you need to cd into that view (/view/<viewTag> or m:\<viewTag>) for a cleartool descr to work.
That one, executed in the wrong folder, is supposed to fail, hence "error 2".

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The OP Jirong Hu points in the comments to Using Perl with Rational ClearCase Automation Library (CAL) and this script as an example.