Query about branching shared folders

[alan.bowens]

Hello,

We have a suite of applications in which there are a couple of server apps, and a bunch of client apps. All of the apps share common folders specifying, e.g., the comms protocol for clients and servers to talk to each other. For instance, the basic folder layout for a client is then:

Code: Select all

\client x
\client x\source
\client x\source\shared files

We have a generic client app that can be used as the basis of new clients. My question is: what is the best way to create a new client given this layout - or how should we layout our code to make it easy to create new clients?

I have tried branching the generic client folder to create a new client, which works fine, but it breaks the shares in the 'shared files' folder. We then run the risk of some clients being out of sync with the current version of the comms protocols.

TIA

Alan

[Beth]

Branching a shared folder turns that folder into a Branch. It's a methodology used by VSS. The best thing to do in that case is to delete the branched share, and then create a new share to the branched area.

Will you ever be performing any merges between the branches?

[alan.bowens]

OK, thanks for the advice, I suspected as much.

To answer your question: I doubt it - or at least, it hasn't happened yet. The idea of the generic client is that it's a framework with all the comms handling etc that will be required by any client application. New clients build on this framework, and are by and large completely independent of each other.

Regards

Alan

[Beth]

You might find reading the Branching Chapter of Eric Sink's Source Control How To to make sure you are branching in the right situations. You can branch without merging, but it helps to be aware of the benefits and pitfalls before starting.

[alan.bowens]

Noted.

This isn't really a situation where branching is truly applicable, I was looking for the closest analog to what I was trying to do. Which would be 'clone folder and subfolders, retaining shares'. Or something equally pithy

I'll stick to your suggestion of branching, deleting the shared folders, and re-sharing them to keep them up to date.

Thanks

Alan

[Beth]

One other option would be to perform a Get of your code and check it into a new folder to start a new line and then add in the shares that are needed. You don't end up with any of the history linked to your new folder though.

I have a feature request open to allow a person to copy/paste files and folders in Vault. I can add your "vote" to that feature if you want.

F: 11568

[alan.bowens]

Yes please, that sounds like the sort of thing I'm after.

Regards

Alan

[Beth]

Got it. Thanks.