[p4] Sync updates the revision number of open files

[Chuck Karish]

On 2/2/07, Robert McKenna <robertm at bioware.com> wrote:
> Users who have a modest understanding of Perforce do not realize that
> their sync of the latest build, which may include 10000+ files has
> updated the revision number of an opened file without changing the local
> file.

For the most part they don't pay attention to those revision numbers
unless there's a good reason to do so.

> We are also accepting large
> drops from a 3rd party and integrating our own changes into those drops
> while continuing to make changes in the mainline.

Integrating drops of third-party code into clients in which there are
files open for edit?  That doesn't sound safe.

It's hard to apply a full (non-patch) third-party code drop to a live
development branch.  I'd either turn it into a patch and then apply it
or re-base my team's work - apply all the local changes to the new
code drop.

> This is technically user error and is caused in part by the pressure to
> meet deadlines. I'm trying to reduce the opportunities for error within
> less than perfect Perforce practices.

Our wrapper for p4 runs "p4 resolve" all the time.  Developers complain
when there's an open file somewhere in their client that they don't care
about right now because it would interrupt their train of thought to resolve
it correctly.

A wrapper for 'p4 sync' that runs 'p4 resolve -n' at the end would show
the user the true state of the client.

-- 
Chuck Karish   karish at well.com   (415) 317-0182