Hello Michael,

That typically happens when customers are not using the VM File Server and there is a conflict between required shared permissions on the files and permissions that get applied by end users.
Any time someone writes a .ser file that no one else can get to anymore, the contents of the project disappear (for everyone except the one user).
When someone else rebuilds the project (through Import Archives or whatever), it will create a new .ser file, effectively undoing the changes of the person who damaged it.

Hope this helps.

Hello, we aren't using the VM File Server but rather our own Windows share. How can the problem with the permissions typically happen ? At witch point a .ser-file will be written ?

Thanks !

Hello Michael,

The .ser file for a project is written whenever the project is modified, e.g. when someone adds or removes a file or subproject. By using a Windows share you are at the mercy of Windows privileges. Make sure those are setup such that every user of the share only create files and directories that every other user can read, write, modify and delete.

Using the VM File Server can avoid all of this, in addition to avoiding Windows Explorer manipulation, which is why we strongly recommend it.

The next time you get the problem find out which .ser file is in play by running:

pcli list -caDirectory -pr"ProjectDatabasePath" -id"UserID:Password" "EntityPathToProject"

Example:

C:\>pcli list -caDirectory -prC:\ProgramData\Serena\vm\SampleDB -idAdmin /chess/server

Serena PVCS Version Manager (PCLI) v8.6.0.0 (Build 370) for Windows/x86_64

Copyright (C) 1985-2017 Serena Software. All rights reserved.



server

Directory=C:\ProgramData\Serena\VM\SampleDB\Pf4\Plf



C:\>

This shows that the pvcsproj.ser file for the project /chess/server is located in the directory C:\ProgramData\Serena\VM\SampleDB\Pf4\Plf.

Check for the existence of the pvcsproj.ser file in the directory that is shown, and confirm it is accessible by the user(s) who cannot see the contents of the project. The change.log should indicate the last person who updated the project via VM.

With kind regards,

- Richard.