Managing client specifications

Client specifications define which portion of the depot a client can access, and specify the location where local copies of files in the depot are stored, called the client workspace. A client computer can contain multiple workspaces. The mapping of depot files to local files is called the client view. P4V enables you to define the client view graphically; see Defining a client view for details.

To change the client specification you are using, choose File>Open Connection... from the Connection window and specify the desired client in the Client field.

To view the client specifications for the server to which you are connected, go to View>Clients. To display details about a client specification, click the desired specification, then click the Details arrow. To display the form in its own window, double-click it.

To create a client specification:
  1. Go to View>Clients.
  2. Choose Specs>New Client.... The New Client dialog is displayed.
  3. Enter the name of the new specification and click OK. The Client form is displayed.
  4. Enter the required information as follows:
Client The name of the new client specification.
Owner The user that created the specification.
Host (optional) The computer where the workspace resides.
Description (optional) Your description of the client specification.
Root Specifies the top level of the client workspace; the lowest-level folder that includes all the files and folders that you'll be working with. Use platform-specific syntax to specify the folder.
AltRoots For client specifications used from hosts on different platforms, a list of client roots in host-platform-specific syntax.
Options
  • ALLWRITE: All files in the client workspace are writable (can be modified).
  • CLOBBER:   Syncing files overwrites writable files on the client workspace.
  • COMPRESS:   Compresses data sent between the client workspace and the Perforce server.
  • LOCKED: Allows only the owner to use, change, or delete the client specification.
  • MODTIME: Modification time for files edited in the client workspace is set to the time when the file is submitted to the depot.
  • RMDIR: Deletes a client workspace folder if all the files contained in the folder are removed.
LineEnd The line-end convention used for storing text files on the client computer:
  • LOCAL: Uses the client platform default
  • UNIX: LF
  • MAC: CR
  • WIN: CRLF
  • SHARE: Line endings are LF. Any CR prior to a line ending is removed for storage or syncing (for disks shared between UNIX and Windows)
View Describes which files and folders in the depot are available to the client workspace, and where the files in the depot will be located within the client workspace. For details, see the next section, "Defining a client view."

Click Save to save your entries and create the client specification.

Note: you cannot delete your current client specification in P4V.