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Set PDI Version Control and Comment Tracking Options

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Pentaho Data Integration (PDI) can track versions and comments for jobs, transformations, and connection information when you save them.  You can turn version control and comment tracking on or off by modifying their related statements in the repository.spring.properties text file.

By default, version control and comment tracking are disabled (set to false).

Editing the Version Control Statement

  1. Exit from the PDI client (also called Spoon).
  2. Stop the Pentaho Server. For instructions, see Start and Stop the Pentaho Server for Configuration.
  3. Open the pentaho-server/pentaho-solution/system/repository.spring.properties file in a text editor. 

To Enable Version Control

Edit the versioningEnabled statement and set it to true.

versioningEnabled=true

To Disable Version Control

Edit the versioningEnabled statement and set it to false.

versioningEnabled=false

If you disable version control, comment tracking is also disabled.

  1. Save and close the file.
  2. Start the Pentaho Server. For instructions, see Start and Stop the Pentaho Server for Configuration. 
  3. Start the PDI Client (also called Spoon).
  4. Verify that version control is set as you intended.

Verifying the Version Control Option

  1. Connect to the Pentaho Repository
  2. In the PDI Client, click Tools > Explore.
  3. In the Repository Explorer window, click on the Browse tab, then click on a file name.  
  4. Verify that version control is enabled or disabled:
  • Enabled - You can see the Access Control  tab, and the Version History tab is visible.

Version History tab is visible.

  • Disabled - You can see the Access Control tab, but the Version History tab is hidden. 

Access Control tab is visible - Version History is invisible.

Editing the Comment Tracking Statement

  1. Exit from the PDI Client (also called Spoon).
  2. Stop the Pentaho Server. For instructions, see Start and Stop the Pentaho Server for Configuration.
  3. Open the pentaho-server/pentaho-solution/systems/repository.spring.properties file in a text editor.

To Enable Comment Tracking

Edit the versionCommentsEnabled statement and set it to true.

versionCommentsEnabled=true

To Disable Comment Tracking

If you want version control, but not comment tracking:

  • Edit the versioningEnabled statement and set it to true.
  • Edit the versionCommentsEnabled statement and set it to false.
versioningEnabled=true
versionCommentsEnabled=false
  1. Save and close the file.
  2. Start the Pentaho Server. For instructions, see Start and Stop the Pentaho Server for Configuration.
  3. Start the PDI Client (also called Spoon).  
  4. Verify that Version Control and Comment Tracking are set as you intended.

Verifying the Comment Tracking Option

  1. Connect to the Pentaho Repository.
  2. In the PDI Client, click Tools > Explore.
  3. In the Repository Explorer window, click on the Browse tab, then click on a file name.
  4. Verify that comment tracking is enabled or disabled.
  • Enabled - The Version History tab appears with the Comments field. When you save a transformation, job, or connection information, you are prompted to enter a comment. 

Comment Field Enabled

  • Disabled - The Version History tab appears and the Comment field is hidden. When you save a transformation, job, or connection information, you are no longer prompted to enter a comment. 

Versioning, but not comments