Nearly every operation that accesses a view refers to the view
by its tag.
A view tag holds the following information:
- The name of the host on which the view’s server processes run. These processes
run on the host where the view storage directory is located unless that directory
is on a supported NAS device.
- The view UUID, copied from the view object.
- A network pathname to the view storage directory, expressed in a form
that is valid for all clients that use the view. The pathname is used by client
programs that need network access to the view storage directory.
- An optional description, which is displayed by various commands and GUIs.
A dynamic view must be started before it can be used. All operations that
start a dynamic view refer to the view by its tag. A view without a tag cannot
be started.
A snapshot or Web view does not have to be started. However, all operations
that alter the contents of the view (update, for example, or checkout) must
access the view database, which cannot be accessed if the view does not have
a tag.
As with VOB tags, view tags are referenced by users and applications as
though they were file system directories.
- On a client running Linux® or the UNIX® system, each dynamic view is displayed
as a subdirectory of the /view directory.
- On a client running Windows®, each dynamic view is displayed
as a share under a special network name (\\view by default)
as well as a directory under the client’s MVFS drive (drive M by default).
- On all platforms, snapshot and Web views are displayed as directories
in the local file system.
View tags must conform to the host platform’s file-naming conventions with
respect to length and character set.