GIT version control

Applications
#1

Hi All,

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read this post.
I would like to know if Opto code has become friendlier to version control tools such as GIT. I know this has been discussed a number of times, for instance (note I have removed the https://forums.opto22.com bit to bypass the link restrictions) :

  • /t/comparing-versions/586
  • /t/source-control/581
  • /t/revision-control-subversion/277
  • /t/code-tracking/976

However, all posts seem to date back to 2012-2016, so I was hoping there has been some improvements to better support GIT version control since then. My main interest will be a way to easily track changes between versions and easily swap around branches to benchmark different implementations of the same pseudocode.

If not much has changed, could you please let me know if there is an “accepted” workaround, say exporting the strategies as a text file (albeit one less obscure than the compiled cdf file).

Thanks a lot for your help.

Andres

#2

No improvement there, maybe everyone gave up and quit asking? :upside_down_face:

I myself keep the archive features turned on and clean up the folder every once in a while. I also found that placing a comment box in the power up chart and recording dated changes in there helps too.

It sure would be nice to be able to compare changes and track things like proper source control though. A text export and import feature would be nice, especially when I accidentally upgrade shared subroutines to a newer PAC Control version :crazy_face:

#3

Yeah, we get about 1 request every 5 or so years. Hard to commit any resources to such a low volume request.

As per the posts you linked to:

  • Save to file the Database.
  • Save to file the Chart Instructions.
  • Save to file the Cross Reference.
  • Export the OTG.
  • Turn on full debug and retain the compiled Forth file.

Keep those in GIT and track changes in your strategy.
That seems to be the best ‘accepted’ workaround that people are using.

#4

Thanks @philip and @Beno

Just as a note to myself and any future users:

  • Save to file the Database, Save to file the Chart Instructions, Save to file the Cross Reference. As explained in another post by varland (Way to compare prject files), in PAC Control go to File>View/Print and choose “Database…”, “All Chart Instructions” and “Cross Reference”, respectively. Note varland’s comment of using a script to split the “All Chart Instructions” file into chart-specific files.
  • Export the OTG. In PAC control, right click the I/O unit in the strategy tree and select export. See /t/any-way-to-send-otg-file-to-a-controller-using-linux-instead-of-pac-manager/377/7 and /t/otg-file-format/667/2 for more details.
  • Turn on full debug and retain the compiled Forth file. See /t/revision-control-subversion/277/2 for details
1 Like
#5

Following on the previous. I assume the above files (.txt, .otg, .cdf) get also committed along with the corresponding zip that was last archived when downloading to the PAC.
I assume it also makes sense to save the .idb, .ini and all charts (.cht, .ccd) files.
What about the other extensions (.crf, .inc, .inf, per, libd, .crf)? Are these important or are they recreated/recompiled from the database (idb file)? Further, are all these files even necessary, considering that they are likely already included in the archived zip?

Thanks again for your time,

Andres

#6

You just need to check the Archive on Download box and keep that archive.
Everything you need will be in there.
If you look at Windows Explorer ‘live’, you will see that if you unzip the archive, then open it in PAC Control, all those other fluffy files will be created as needed.