[p4] Integrate and Edit - what is good practice and why?

[Shawn Hladky]

Check out this white-paper, under the section called "dirty branch".  It
explains the distinction in gory detail.  Basically, the difference is when
you merge back, Perforce will pick a different file for the base.
http://perforce.com/perforce/conferences/us/2005/presentations/AntonPaper.pdf

>From a tracking standpoint, it's sometimes handy to know that #1 of a
branched file is identical to the parent at the point of branch.  This is
the reason I like to submit the branch and then re-open.  The only exception
is for re-names... where often the code has to change at the same time as
the re-name to keep the build from breaking.

On 8/9/07, Ildefonzo Arocha <ilde.web at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> New P4 user here.
>
> If you would to branch a file and then make some changes, what is
> considered best practice and why?:
>
> p4 integrate //depot/main/foo.c //depot/v1/foo.c
> p4 submit
> p4 edit //depot/v1/foo.c
> p4 submit
>
> -or-
>
> p4 integrate //depot/main/foo.c //depot/v1/foo.c
> p4 edit //depot/v1/foo.c
> p4 submit
>
> In the first case p4 filelog reports:
> //depot/v1/foo.c
> ... #2 change 40 edit on 2007/08/09 by iar at iar (text) 'Test 2 '
> ... #1 change 39 branch on 2007/08/09 by iar at iar (text) 'Test '
> ... ... branch from //depot/main/foo.c#1
>
> In the second case p4 fielog indicates:
> //depot/v1/foo.c
> ... #1 change 41 add on 2007/08/09 by iar at iar (text) 'Test 2 '
> ... ... branch from //depot/main/foo.c#1
>
> Funny though, P4V reports in the second case 'add'.
>
> Besides the obvious difference of doing an extra step like on the
> first case.  What are the Pros and Cons of doing it one way or the
> other?  Does it make any difference for p4 interchanges?  Will I have
> any possible problems/restrictions/limitations of I tell my users to
> edit their newly branched files without needing to submit them first
> (like in the second case)?
>
> Thanks,
> Ildefonzo
> _______________________________________________
> perforce-user mailing list  -  perforce-user at perforce.com
> http://maillist.perforce.com/mailman/listinfo/perforce-user
>