What is the logic behind file version numbering in build and configuration management?

Question

In our project , we are using baseline conversion as follows.

ProjName-... (For ex Proj-2.0.1.20)

We use to do update our fileversion number as 2.0.1.20.

After we have created components in Clearcase UCM, often we tend to leave some components as not build. (due to no changes done there)

Though we could apply baseline for all the components we could not update fileversion number when it is not build.

So baseline number and file version number are no more same.

My question is this: Should we follow same version number in fileversion and in baseline, so that traceability would be easier? Is that the standard practice being followed?

Answer 1

There is no standard when it comes to Baseline naming convention: you can chose any versioning number policy you want.

However, one important "feature" of Baseline is:

a non-modified component is not baselined.

Ie when you are setting a baseline on a Stream, only components with modifications since the last baseline receive a new baselines.
The others (not modified) do not.

One best practice, when you want to "remember" the non-modified component baselines (unchanged) and the newly modified component (with new baselines) is to use a composite baseline.
That link to your previous question "What is composite baseline in UCM and when it will be used?".