Tracking file history using version control function

Version control is one of the Document Depot tools that facilitate sharing files and managing documents collaboratively. In the blog from February 2, 2007 we described Checking Files In/Out feature and how it allows multiple users of the system modifying the same file simultaneously, without interfering with each other’s editing work.

In addition to Checking File In/Out feature, Document Depot also allows you to store file version history. With file version history available, users can trace changes that were introduced to a file and access older versions. Every available file version can be viewed or downloaded by a user who has “Read” access to it.    

Information on a file version
Version history for a file is displayed on the “File Properties” page; it lists all the file versions that were added into the system (whether by means of checking out/in or simply replaced). Along the version number and file size, each version carries the following information:

• name of the user who performed uploading/checking in
• date of the version upload
• changes that were added to this version of the file (if entered by the user during checking in)

The picture below shows the version history for “Presentation Notes.doc”, also used in the example described in Checking File In/Out blog post:

Here is what the picture above tells us: Version #2 of “Presentation Notes.doc” is the latest stored in Document Depot. It was uploaded by Jeff, who had also specified that comparing to the previous version he had “added last slide”. The previous version (#1) was placed in the system by John Smith; he didn’t provide any information on the changes made to “Presentation Notes.doc” at that time.

Later on the file was checked out by other users and checked back in once they performed required modifications. The version history page displays all the information on all the previous and current versions:

Putting a limit on number of older versions
With enabled version control, you can indicate maximum number of a file’s old versions that should be kept in Document Depot (unlimited by default):

Be careful when you put a limit on allowed number of versions: if a newly uploaded file version exceeds the maximum number of version allowed, the oldest version will be removed from Document Depot. If number of older versions for “Presentation Notes.doc” was limited to 5, version #7 will be uploaded; however version #1 will be removed and not accessible.