The following scenario is an example of a situation that requires selective merging from a subbranch.
The project manager wants to incorporate into new development several lines of code that were added in a particular version (for example, version /main/r1_fix/4 on the UNIX® system or \main\r1_fix\4 on the Windows® system; see the figure below).
It is critical that you merge only the lines of code as written in this version: it was used and verified to fix a specific bug that prevents further development on the new project.
Selective merges can be tricky: versions you exclude as contributors to the merge may contain needed revisions. For example, if the function that you added in one version (/main/r1_fix/4 or \main\r1_fix\4) relies on a variable definition that was added in another version (/main/r1_fix/2 or \main\r1_fix\2), you must include version 2 in the merge.
Merging a range of versions
You can also specify a single range of consecutive versions to contribute to the merge. For example, if you need the variable definitions added in one version (for example, /main/r1_fix/2 or \main\r1_fix\2) and the code added in another version (for example, /main/r1_fix/4 or \main\r1_fix\4), you can include versions 2 through 4 in the merge.
Task overview
Merging selective versions from the r1_fix branch involves the following tasks:
- Preparing a destination view
The view must select the target version, which in the figure, is opt.c@@/main/8.
- Finding changes
Use the Version Tree Browser and the History Browser. In a snapshot view, use the cleartool get command or use the Send To command (on Windows systems only) to see the contents of versions not loaded into your view.
- Merging changes
Use the cleartool merge command to merge selected versions or a range of versions.
- Testing and checking in merge results