Fileset Revisions
- Fileset Revisions Overview
- Associate a Specific Fileset Revision
- Editing Filesets that have Revisions
- Managing Revisions
- "Default" Revisions
- Creating a New Revision
- Editing Fileset Revisions
- Removing/Deleting a Revision
Fileset Revisions Overview
What
Fileset revisions let you keep two or more versions of the same fileset or payload inside a single FileWave fileset object.
When/Why
Revisions are useful when a payload changes over time, especially for application upgrades.
For example, assume you are deploying Firefox v79 and need to test Firefox v80. Without revisions, you might duplicate the fileset or create a new one, move test devices from the v79 association to a new v80 association, and then, after testing, remove the old production association and replace it with the new one.
That production cutover can become a timing problem. If removing the old association also removes the old app before the new one is ready, admins may have to carefully overlap or sequence the old and new associations so users are not interrupted during the upgrade.
With fileset revisions, v80 can live in the same fileset that already contains v79. You can then choose which revision an association uses, instead of replacing the whole fileset or rebuilding the association from scratch.
How
When a fileset has multiple revisions, the association workflow includes a revision choice. In the example below, the association can use the default revision, the initial revision, or the newer v80 revision:
You do not have to use fileset revisions. If you ignore revisions, filesets continue to work the way they always have. When you do need staged application updates or controlled testing, revisions can make that workflow cleaner.
Related Content
Associate a Specific Fileset Revision
What
When a Fileset has revisions, FileWave Central asks which revision the new association should use. A Fileset without revisions follows the normal association workflow.
When/Why
For example, a Firefox Fileset might contain separate revisions for versions 79 and 80. Select the revision you want the target devices to install when you create the association.
How
Create the association in FileWave Central, then choose the required revision in the prompt shown below:
The default option follows whichever revision is marked as the Fileset's default. See "Default" Revisions below before using that option in production.
Related Content
Editing Filesets that have Revisions
What
You may need to edit an existing Fileset after it has more than one revision. The revision selector controls which revision you are changing.
When/Why
For example, assume a Firefox Fileset has two revisions: v79 and v80. You might need to change a file only in v80, or you might need to make the same change in both revisions. Check the revision selector before editing so you know which Fileset revision is open.
How
In both the Fileset editor and the script editor, use the Revision drop-down menu to choose the revision you want to edit. In the screenshots below, the Fileset window is showing v79 and the script editor is showing v80:
To switch revisions in either window, change the value in the drop-down. If you do not use Fileset revisions, leave the selector at the default revision and continue editing the Fileset the usual way.
Related Content
Managing Revisions
What
FileWave revisions let you keep multiple versions of a Fileset, profile, or script available for testing, rollback, and production deployment.
When/Why
The revision management actions are:
- Edit revision metadata to change the revision name or description without changing the revision contents.
- Create a revision to add another version within the current Fileset.
- Delete a revision when that version should no longer be available.
- Set a revision as Default to control which revision existing associations use for testing or production.
How
Access these actions through the Manage Revisions button in the Fileset Editor, Script Editor, or Fileset Properties window, as shown below:
Use the related articles below for the step-by-step workflow for each revision action.
Related Content
"Default" Revisions
What
Default revisions let you point an association at whichever Fileset revision is marked as the default, instead of hard-coding that association to a named revision. This is useful when you test a new revision with a small group first, then promote it for production without editing every production association.
When/Why
In this example, Firefox v79 is assigned to all devices through two associations:
In the screenshot, the Production group is associated to <default> (currently v79), while the Beta Testers group is associated directly to v79. Both groups install v79 today, but only the Production association will follow the default revision when that default changes.
How
Test the new revision before promoting it. In this example, edit the patch testers association first so that group receives v80:
Once we save this association and update the model, all patch testers will get the new version. No deleting of the association or creating a new one is required.
After testing, you could edit every production association one by one, but default revisions are designed to avoid that. The Production association points to the default revision of the Fileset, not directly to v79.
Change the Fileset's default revision to v80, then update the model.
Once we save that change, and update the model, you'll see the change reflected in the association:
And, upon next check-in, all "Production" devices will upgrade to v80.
FileWave handles the revision transition through the model update and normal client check-in process. Use a test group first so you control when the new revision reaches production devices.
Related Content
- Managing Revisions
- "Default" Revisions
- Creating a New Revision
- Editing Fileset Revisions
- Removing/Deleting a Revision
Creating a New Revision
What
Create a new Fileset revision when you need to update an existing Fileset without losing the earlier version.
When/Why
Fileset revisions are useful for applications and payloads that will be updated over time. For example, you can keep the current Firefox revision assigned while preparing a newer Firefox revision for testing or rollout.
How
Add a revision from the Manage Revisions view by clicking the plus icon:
Choose the revision type that matches the change. Start empty when you do not want files from the previous revision. Duplicate the previous revision when you want to keep existing content, scripts, or properties and edit from there. Once the revision is created, edit it like any other Fileset.
When creating a new revision, choose how much of the previous revision should be copied:
You can duplicate everything, duplicate only the properties, or duplicate only the content from an earlier revision.
Drag-and-drop revisions
You can also create Fileset revisions by dragging files from the file system onto an existing Fileset. FileWave will prompt you to create a new Fileset or add revisions to the existing Fileset.
If you add revisions, FileWave will ask which revision should be the default after import:
Related Content
Editing Fileset Revisions
What
A Fileset revision has two editable properties: its name and its description.
When/Why
Use the Manage Revisions window when you need to rename a revision or add a clearer description. For example, the first revision is named Initial Revision by default. Replacing that with a short description can make later associations easier to understand.
How
Open Manage Revisions for the Fileset, select the revision, then choose Edit:
Use descriptive values in both fields so admins can tell which revision they are associating later.
Related Content
- Managing Revisions
- "Default" Revisions
- Creating a New Revision
- Editing Fileset Revisions
- Removing/Deleting a Revision
Removing/Deleting a Revision
What
You can delete a Fileset revision when it is no longer needed.
When/Why
Keep the previous revision when you may need it for rollback. Older revisions that are no longer useful can be removed to reduce clutter and save disk space.
How
In the Manage Revisions view, select the revision and click the minus button to remove it. If no associations use that revision, FileWave shows a confirmation prompt:
If an association still uses the revision, choose whether to remove that association or move it to another revision:
