Selecting a component and configuration

The name of the component that you are working in is shown on the toolbar, as part of the Current Project Component menu. The name of the configuration that you are working in is shown as part of the Current Configuration menu. Use these menus to switch components and configurations, and to complete configuration-related tasks, based on your permissions or role. To see and create links to artifacts in related project areas in other IBM® Engineering Lifecycle Management applications, select a global configuration from the Current Configuration menu.

About this task

In project areas that are enabled for configurations, use the menus on the toolbar to switch between collections of artifacts:

• The Current Project Component menu shows the name of the component that you are working with. A component is a like a building block that represents a physical or logical part of your project.
  
• The Current Configuration menu shows which collection of versioned artifacts you are working with from the selected component, and whether you are working in a global configuration or a local configuration. When you set the Current Configuration to a global configuration, you can create or see links to artifacts in related configurations in other Engineering Lifecycle Management applications. Consider this example:
  
  Note: In IBM Engineering Lifecycle Optimization Engineering Insights, to see all data, regardless of configuration, select Current Configuration > None (All Configurations). Selecting this option shows data from projects that are not configuration-enabled, and all configurations from project areas that are enabled.

When you set the Current Configuration menu to a global configuration, you have a view of the entire collection of requirements, tests, designs, and development artifacts that make up a version of a product. You can create cross-application links to artifacts in the configurations that are part of this global configuration. For example, if you create a test case and you want to link to a requirement, you see only the requirements artifacts that are part of the version of the product or system that you are working on. Working in a global configuration ensures that links resolve to the correct artifact version in another configuration, which is important when teams develop multiple products or systems in parallel. If your organization does development this way, you will likely do most of your work in the context of a global configuration. If you do not work in a global configuration context, you cannot see or link to versioned artifacts in other Engineering Lifecycle Management applications.

Remember: Multiple components can contribute to a global configuration, so you might have to select the component you want: Click Current Project Component, and if the component name isn't the in the recently-viewed list, click Choose Another Component and follow the instructions. After you choose a component, the Current Configuration menu changes to the configuration that this component contributes to the global configuration. The configuration context is now set. In both the Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next and Engineering Test Management applications, explore these menus to see how changing one menu affects the other.

The Local Configuration section tells you which collection of artifacts you are working with from a IBM DOORS Next or Engineering Test Management application. If the Global Configuration section shows a global configuration, the Local Configuration section shows the configuration that you are working in as part of that global configuration. When this section specifies a stream, you can edit the artifact versions in that configuration. When it specifies a baseline, you cannot edit the artifact versions in that configuration.

When the Current Configuration menu specifies a local configuration, you are working only in the context of a local configuration, as in this example:

Notice that the Global Configuration section does not indicate a global configuration: You can see only the artifacts in the stream or baseline that you are working in. You cannot create or see links to artifact versions in other Engineering Lifecycle Management applications.

The tasks that are available on the menu depend on the configuration management permissions that a configuration lead or team lead has assigned to you. If you think that you are missing permissions, see your configuration lead, team lead, or application administrator.

1. On the toolbar, click the Current Configuration menu, which shows the name of the configuration that you are working in.
2. On the menu that is shown, next to Configuration Context, click Switch.
3. Select the type of configuration to switch to:
   • Global Configuration: a configuration that contains other configurations, possibly from other Engineering Lifecycle Management applications. If you choose this option, you can refine your search by selecting a project area from the Project Area menu.
   • Local configuration: a configuration that contains artifacts from a configuration-enabled Engineering Lifecycle Management application such as Engineering Requirements Management DOORS Next or Engineering Test Management.
   • All Data: Available only in Engineering Insights. Select to show all data: all configurations from configuration-enabled project areas, and data from projects that are not enabled.
4. From the menu next to the search field, select a modifiable or frozen type of configuration to switch to: for example, a stream or a baseline.
5. Optional: Search for a configuration by typing part of its name. If you chose Global Configuration in step 3 and then chose a project area, you can run a query to search for global configurations.
6. Select a configuration from the list.
7. Click OK.