Version Number Format
Xi Software now uses semantic versioning (semver) standard with the format:
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH+BUILD
Example: 1.7.0+6654775c
MAJOR version (1) : Significant changes, possible breaking compatibility
MINOR version (7) : New features, backwards compatible
PATCH version (0) : Bug fixes, no new features
BUILD suffix (+6654775c) : Git commit hash identifying exact source code state
Product Naming
Products include _legacy suffix to indicate sunset status:
xibatch_legacy : Xi-Batch maintenance releases
xitext_legacy : Xi-Text maintenance releases
xiutil_legacy : Xi-Util utility programs
The legacy designation indicates these versions receive maintenance and support but are not the primary development focus.
Distribution File Naming
Distribution archives follow this structure:
CPU-MFR-OSNAME-PRODUCT-BLEND-VERSION.tar.gz
Example Xi-Batch:
x86_64-linux-rockylinux9.3-xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz
Example Xi-Text:
x86_64-linux-rockylinux9.3-xitext_legacy-standard-1.24.0+6654775c.tar.gz
Naming Components
CPU architecture (x86_64) : Processor type - x86_64, aarch64, parisc, powerpc, sparc
Manufacturer/OS family (linux) : Operating system family - linux, hp-ux, aix, solaris
OS name (rockylinux9.3) : Specific distribution and version
Product (xibatch_legacy) : Which Xi Software product
Blend (standard) : Build variant - "standard" or custom blend name
Version (1.7.0+6654775c) : Semantic version with build identifier
Extract Folder Format
Archives extract to directory named:
PRODUCT-BLEND-VERSION
The build suffix is excluded from directory name.
Examples:
- xibatch_legacy-standard-1.7.0/
- xitext_legacy-standard-1.24.0/
- xiutil_legacy-standard-1.0.3/
Why Versioning Changed
Platform diversity : Linux distributions vary in libraries and system configurations
Build traceability : Build suffix identifies exact source code and build time
Automated builds : Standardised naming enables automated build and test processes
Industry alignment : Follows established versioning standards (semver)
Customer clarity : Clear identification of product, platform, and variant
Checking Installed Version
Use the whatvn utility to display version information:
Xi-Batch:
bash
whatvn /usr/spool/progs/btsched
Xi-Text:
bash
whatvn /usr/spool/progs/spshed
Output displays product name, version number, build date, and platform.
Version Compatibility
Within same MAJOR version : Minor and patch updates are compatible. No migration needed.
Example: Upgrading from 1.6.5 to 1.7.0 requires only stopping service, installing new binaries, restarting.
Between MAJOR versions : May require migration. Follow migration procedures documented in Administrator Guide.
Example: Moving from 0.x to 1.x would require data export/import.
Identifying Custom Builds
Standard blend : Unmodified release suitable for general use
Custom blend name : Specific configuration for customer requirements
Custom blends appear in filename:
x86_64-linux-rockylinux9.3-xibatch_legacy-customername-1.7.0+6654775c.tar.gz
Contact Xi Software support to request custom blends or verify blend requirements.
Build Suffix Interpretation
The build suffix (e.g., +6654775c) is the Git commit SHA-1 hash. This enables:
Exact source identification : Trace build to specific source code state
Rebuild verification : Confirm rebuild produces identical binaries
Support diagnosis : Xi Software support can identify precise code version
Quality tracking : Link reported issues to specific builds
Multiple Builds of Same Version
The version number (1.7.0) represents the code version. Multiple builds of the same code have different build suffixes:
- 1.7.0+6654775c - Original release
- 1.7.0+8a9b1234 - Rebuilt for different platform
Both contain identical code (version 1.7.0) but were built at different times or for different targets.