IBM Rational Build Forge Adaptors

Question

I want to ask if anyone knows how to build XML files that can be used in Build Forge as an adaptor, what I mean is if there is any reference on how to write this type of XML files, and how this XML file deals with the varaibles because sometimes I can see that there are some ocurrences of this pattern ($1, $2 ... etc), I do not know what those patterns refers to...

Appreciate your help and thank you...

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the documentation included with the Build Forge application isn't the most complete. I often have to use their online documentation.

You are most likely looking at the Command or ResultBlock section of the adaptor.

IBM Build Forge adaptors use Perl syntax inside the XML.

I would suggest watching this video IBM posted online.

https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/Using+Build+Forge+adaptors/0_9g8f456l/33943992

Answer 2

The accepted answer is a bit stale and some of the links have changed. I'm deep in this particular Hell myself, so this is for those that have to deal with Build Forge and the quirky API and the spotty documentation.

The video has moved. It's now found here: https://mediacenter.ibm.com/media/Using+Build+Forge+adaptors/0_9g8f456l/33943992

After you watch the video, there is a cookbook instruction set on how to make a basic adaptor in ClearCase for Build Forge here: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/rational/library/continuous-integration-build-forge-clearcase/

I have managed to make a perl cli script that will fire a Build Forge project build, but it doesn't get the tagging correct yet. So far, the best method I've found is to schedule the build job within Build Forge, then the deploy is run separately with a cron job that fires off another perl cli script. I played games with the tagging to smoothly hand it off from the build to the deploy by having the build process write the tag to a file outside of Build Forge where the perl api deploy script picks it up. That is a broken kludge, but it's the best I've got so far. I'm hoping that the adaptor can make that process more precise. I'll update this entry once I have a full solution, but this is the crankiest tool set I have ever had to deal with for Continuous Integration.