Editing topics in DRM

In IXIASOFT Dynamic Release Management (DRM), when you edit a topic, you must decide if the changes are for some or all of the Branches that topic appears in.

IXIASOFT CCMS Web keeps track of all the Branches topics are in. When you edit a topic, you can choose whether to edit the topic across all Branches or only some Branches.

If you choose to edit the topic in only some Branches, then the topic is forked. This means the topic in Branches you did not edit remains the same, but a new instance of the topic is created for all the Branches you want to make changes for. Two instances of the topic now exist, and you can update them independently.

Unavailable Branches

In some cases, you cannot edit a topic in all the Branches it appears in because one or more Branches are unavailable.

In this case, you can only fork the topic. However, you can still choose which available Branches to fork in if the topic is in more than one available Branch.

Branches can be unavailable for the following reasons:

  • The Branch is closed
  • You might not be able to edit the topic due to Content Level Security

Assignments and forked topics with context maps

After forking a topic, assignments can change. You might not be assigned to the new instance.

When a user forks a topic, the following happens:

  • If users were assigned to the topic in the same context map as where the new instance is created, their assignment switches to the new instance. These users are no longer assigned to the original topic. They are now assigned to the new instance.
  • If users were assigned to the topic in a different context map from where the new instance is created, the users remained assigned to the original topic.

For example, Martin is assigned to Topic A in Context Map 1, and Arata is assigned to Topic A in Context Map 2. Martin forks Topic A in Context Map 2. Arata is assigned to the new instance of Topic A in Context Map 2. Martin is still assigned to the original version of Topic A in Context Map 1.

Note: The user who forks a topic is not automatically assigned to the new instance. Users are never assigned to a new instance unless they were already assigned to the original topic.

Assignments and forked topics without context maps

If the assignment for a topic has no context map, then the assignments do not change. Any users who were assigned to the original topic without a context map are automatically assigned to the new instance. They are now assigned to both objects.

For example, Emma is assigned to Topic B without a context map, and Mia is assigned to Topic B in Context Map 1 as part of a different assignment. Emma forks Topic B in Context Map 1. Emma is still assigned to the original version of Topic B, but now she is assigned to the new instance of Topic B as well. Mia is assigned to only the new instance of Topic B in Context Map 1.