Check out: Attempt Automatic Merge / Do not merge

[Tri]

Hi,

When a user works in disconnected mode, he/she modified some files which were checked in. When the connection to Vault Server is restablished, Vault client shows the file status as renegade.

The user then checks out the files in order to commit the local changes. The default setting for Local Modified File is "Attempt Automatic Merge". Some colleagues feel safer with "Do not merge / Merge later" option.

According to the Vault Help, these two options work differently but are functionally equivalent.

Question1: Can you please explain the practical differences of both options? Especially in terms of safety. Especially if the check in will occur several days later.

Question2: File ABC.txt has been checked in. Both User1 and User2 modified it offline (and therefore have had the status of ABC.txt file as Renegade). User1 checked out, merged, checked in. User2 does the samething later. Will User2 undo all the changes made by User1?

Thanks in advance.

[dan]

Question1: Can you please explain the practical differences of both options? Especially in terms of safety. Especially if the check in will occur several days later.

These are indeeed functionally equivalent if there have been no changes to the repository version. Attempt Auto Merge will try to merge changes that another user has checked in with the changes you have made locally. If there is a conflict, the file status will be Needs Merge, and you have to manually resolve it before checking the file in.

The Merge Later/Do Not Overwrite option simply means that a Get Latest/Checkout won't change the local file at all if it has been changed.

Question2: File ABC.txt has been checked in. Both User1 and User2 modified it offline (and therefore have had the status of ABC.txt file as Renegade). User1 checked out, merged, checked in. User2 does the samething later. Will User2 undo all the changes made by User1?

No, in fact, this is the case where the Modified Local Option matters. If you choose Attempt Auto Merge, it will merge user1's changes into user2's file. If you tell it not to merge/do not overwrite, it will not do the merge, and User2 will have to manually edit the file to put User1's changes into the file before checking it in.

You might take a look at a couple KB articles that help explain file status and the Modified Local Copy option:

http://support.sourcegear.com/viewtopic.php?t=162
http://support.sourcegear.com/viewtopic.php?t=131