The Perforce Sample Depot

The Perforce Sample Depot provides you with a working example of a Perforce Server that can be used for testing or training. The Sample Depot demonstrates a typical depot organization along with some sensible naming conventions. It provides enough files and revision history to enable you to perform interesting and meaningful SCM tasks.

The Sample Depot contains several example projects, such as Jam, a software build tool written in C. The Sample Depot is not, however, intended to be a current archive of source code. For the latest Jam source code, see the Jam project in the Perforce Public Depot.

The Sample Depot also contains several streams, showing the Jam product's most recent development and release efforts. These streams were branched from the original Jam codelines. Other streams show new development for a product called PB, the Dynatable sample project from the Google Web Toolkit, and documents for an internal department.

The Sample Depot demonstrates several methods for arranging your source code or Web development repository. Both the source code and Web development directories are organized to support a "mainline" development model. Perforce advocates use of a mainline model for concurrent development. More information on the mainline model can be found in white papers on the Perforce Web site. In particular, see the High-level Best Practices in Software Configuration Management and Software Life-Cycle Modeling white papers. For further reference, see the book Practical Perforce.

Prerequisites

Server

2011.1 or later version Perforce Server is required. To download Perforce for your platform, go to the Perforce Downloads page. For instructions on how to install Perforce, see the Ten Minute Test Drive page.

Installing the Sample Depot

To install and use the Sample Depot:

Download the the Sample Depot from our ftp site. The Sample Depot is contained in a .zip file for Windows and a gzipped tar file for non-Windows platforms:
```
	ftp://ftp.perforce.com/perforce/tools/sampledepot.zip
```
```
	ftp://ftp.perforce.com/perforce/tools/sampledepot.tar.gz
```

Uncompress the sampledepot.zip file using a standard compression utility such as unzip or WinZip. For example, on Windows, select Start > Program Files > Accessories > Command Prompt from the menu. When the DOS command shell appears, issue the following command:

	cd C:\
	unzip sampledepot.zip

Again, if you don't have the unzip program on your computer, use WinZip or another compression utility that can extract .zip format files.
On non-Windows platforms, extract the package using:

gunzip sampledepot.tar.gz
tar xf sampledepot.tar

When the file is uncompressed, it creates a directory named PerforceSample. The PerforceSample directory contains nine items:

`checkpoint`	# a file containing Perforce metadata
`checkpoint.md5`	# checkpoint checksum
`depot`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`gwt`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`gwt-streams`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`HR`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`jam`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`pb`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files
`readme.html`	# a description of the Sample Depot including installation instructions
`spec`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files for a spec depot
`system`	# a directory containing Perforce archive files

The PerforceSample directory is referred to as your P4ROOT location.

To create your sample Perforce database, restore the checkpoint file by issuing the following command:
```
	p4d -r C:\PerforceSample -jr C:\PerforceSample\checkpoint
```
On non-Windows environments, assuming you unzipped the sampledepot.zip file in your /tmp directory:
```
	p4d -r /tmp/PerforceSample -jr /tmp/PerforceSample/checkpoint
```
The preceding step creates the Perforce database files in your C:\PerforceSample (P4ROOT) directory. Your Perforce database is now installed.

To ensure that the database format is consistent with the Perforce Server version that you are using, cd to your P4ROOT directory and issue the following command:
```
	p4d -r . -xu
```

Start the Perforce Server.
On Windows, start the Perforce Server by issuing the following command at the command prompt:
```
	p4d -r C:\PerforceSample -p 1492
```
When the server starts, it displays the message "Perforce Server starting...". The Perforce Server is now started and listening for client connections on port number 1492.
NOTE: The DOS command shell window remains open and appears inactive when the Perforce Server is running and listening for client connections. For the purpose of simplicity, this installation example uses the command shell start method. In most cases, however, Windows users start the Perforce Server as a Windows Service and not use a DOS command shell.
On Unix, assuming you unzipped the sampledepot.zip file in your /tmp directory, start your Perforce Server by issuing the following command:
```
	p4d -r /tmp/PerforceSample -p 1492
	
```

You are now ready to use Perforce Sample Depot! You can inspect the contents of the Sample Depot using either P4V, a graphical user interface, or P4, the command line interface. To verify your connection to the Sample Depot using P4, open a new command shell instance and issue the following command:

	p4 -p 1492 info

For help with Perforce command syntax and options, issue the following command:

	p4 -p 1492 help

To stop the Perforce Server, issue the following command:

	p4 -p 1492 admin stop

You can connect as user bruno with no password, and create other accounts for use.

For more information

For basic instructions on using P4V to connect a Perforce Server, see the Ten Minute Test Drive, or consult the P4V Help menu.
For additional information on setting up the Perforce Server or using Perforce applications, see the main documentation page on our Web site.
If you encounter any problems installing or using the Sample Depot, please contact Perforce Support at support@perforce.com.

Structure of the Sample Depot

The Sample Depot is organized as follows:

Stream-based Software Development Projects

//jam

//pb

//gwt-streams

Software Development Projects

//depot/Jam

(retired)

//depot/Jamgraph

//depot/Talkhouse

//gwt

Web Site Development

//depot/www

Stream-based Document Management

//HR

Miscellaneous Shared Files

//depot/Misc

Software Development Branching Methodology

The Sample Depot contains five software development projects:
PB, Jam, Jamgraph, Talkhouse, and GWT.

Ongoing development work occurs in the MAIN or trunk branch under each software project's name.
For example:

//jam/main

//pb/main

//depot/Jamgraph/MAIN

//gwt-streams/main

or, in the case of the Talkhouse project, a main-dev branch:

//depot/Talkhouse/main-dev

Branches might be created for feature development. Such branches isolate development work that might destabilize the MAIN branch.
For example:

//jam/dev-2.3

//depot/Jamgraph/DEV

When code is ready for release, a release branch is created under the project name.
For example:

//jam/rel2.1

//jam/rel2.2

//jam/rel2.3

//gwt-streams/release2.0

//depot/Jamgraph/REL1.0

//depot/Talkhouse/rel1.0

//depot/Talkhouse/rel1.5

Web Site Branching Methodology

For Web site development, the example workflow is as follows.

Web page authors edit files under:

//depot/www/dev

Files are copied to a staging area for final review before going live:

//depot/www/review

After passing review, files are copied to a live branch for publishing:

//depot/www/live

For a discussion of various strategies for using Perforce for Web site development, see Web Content Management with Perforce.

Document Management Methodology

For document management, the example workflow is as follows.

HR staff submits drafts under:

//HR/draft

Files are copied to a review area before going live:

//HR/review

After passing review by the HR manager, files are copied to a live stream for publishing:

//HR/live

Miscellaneous Shared Files

Perforce can be used to store files that are shared between your development and corporate staff. For example, manuals and marketing documents are stored in the following path:

//depot/Misc

Word documents, Excel spread sheets, and Powerpoint slides can be managed using the Perforce Plug-in for Microsoft Office (P4OFC) available from our Web site.