Working with the code review tool

The code review tool is a web-based review tool that integrates with Rational Team Concert source control and work items. The tool provides a code review presentation that you can attach to a work item type. The procedure in this topic illustrates a typical code review workflow, which involves an author and reviewers.

Before you begin

You must configure the code review for a project area and set any related process preconditions.

Note: The Code Review page does not display content in Microsoft Internet Explorer if the browser is set to compatibility mode. To change the mode, click the Tools icon and select Compatibility View settings.

About this task

To start a code review, one or more change sets must be associated with a work item, at least one change set must be complete, and the target stream must be specified. The typical workflow starts with a developer being assigned a work item and creating changes sets to complete the work item. The recommended workflow for requesting a review uses the Submit for Review action. This workflow applies to the Eclipse client and the Rational® Team Concert® Client for Microsoft Visual Studio IDE.

Procedure

As an author, select the change sets to review, right-click the selection, and click Submit for Review.
In the Submit changes for review wizard, associate a work item, select approvers, and, optionally, provide a subject for the review.
On the Submit for Review page, you can set the target stream in the Code Review Configuration section. The target stream is used to resolve file path names in the code review. If the target stream was set in the work item, such as during a previous review iteration, that stream is listed.

Note: Although the Submit for Review workflow is recommended, you can also associate your changes sets with a work item, ensure that they are complete, and then use the web client to select the target stream.

Results

After the author submits the change sets for review, the reviewers receive an email notification. If a reviewer raises an issue, the author receives an email notification with a link. The author can click the link to go directly to that issue.
Note: If someone updates an issue, such as adds a comment, changes the status to Must Fix or Resolved, or changes the summary, an email notification is sent to all reviewers, change set authors, approvers, and the creator of the issue. The person who updated the issue does not receive an email notification.
In the email notification, you can omit the issue summary and comments by setting the Suppress details in email notifications property. By default, email notifications are enabled. You can disable email notifications by using the Disable email notifications from code review property. Both properties are located in the advanced server properties
A link to the code review is added to the work item comment and on the Links tab. You can also configure the project area to add the link to the Quick Information section of the work item.