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Q132971: INFO: Merging SourceSafe Files

Article: Q132971
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe310 kbSSafe304
Last Modified: 01-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 4.0, 5.0 
- Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows, versions 3.04, 3.1 
- Microsoft SourceSafe for Windows NT, versions 3.04, 3.1 
- Microsoft SourceSafe for MS-DOS, versions 3.04, 3.1 
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SUMMARY
=======

If you have shared and separated your working files in SourceSafe and have made
changes to each of the versions, you may wish to have these changes reflected in
a final project. If multiple checkouts are enabled and more than one user has
the file out for editing, you may want to have all the changes reflected in the
final project. The MERGE command (Merge Branches in Visual SourceSafe 4.0)
allows this capability.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The MERGE command (Merge Branches in Visual SourceSafe 4.0)takes the two ASCII
text files and combines them. SourceSafe merges the original file (the last
version of the file in SourceSafe prior to the separate or the multiple checkout
action) and the file copies which have been modified.

When two users have a file checked out, the first user to update can do so with
no problem. If there is a conflict (see next paragraph), the next user is told
that a conflict exists and asked if the files were merged. The file will be
copied to the Working directory with the conflicts marked. You should manually
edit the file to resolve the conflicts and update the file.

As an example of a conflict, suppose that the original file contains the
following line of code: X = 4. This original file is checked out by two users
through either the multiple checkout or the share and separate (Branch in Visual
SourceSafe 4.0). If one user changes the line of code to read: X = 5 and the
other user changes the same line of code to read: X = 3, there is now a
conflict. The first person to check in changes and merge has no problem. When
the second person tries to check in the file and merge, the following message is
given:

  An automatic merge has occurred and there are conflicts. Edit
  <path>\<filename> to resolve them.

The file has the following:

        <<<<<<< $/<project1>/<filename>
        X = 3
        =======
        X = 5
        >>>>>>> $/<project2>/<filename>

When manually editing, you have to strip out the >>>>>>>
comments and decide which of the two changes should really be there. Then when
you try to check in the conflict modified file and merge, you get the following
message:

  <filename> has been merged with no conflicts. Update Now?

This message just makes sure that the conflicts have been fixed. Answer Yes and
continue with your work. The changes are now merged.

NOTE: Merging only works correctly on ASCII files. For instance, FoxPro's SCX and
SCT files or Visual Basic's FRX files are binary files and will not be merged
correctly by SourceSafe.

To summarize:

1. Checkout, modify, and Update (Check in Visual SourceSafe 4.0)
  $/PROJECT/STARS.BAS. Highlight the file in the SourceSafe interface.

2. Select Merge (Merge Branches in Visual SourceSafe 4.0) from the SourceSafe
  menu.

3. The dialog lists a shared version of the file, as well as separated versions.
  Highlight the specific version you wish to merge with.

4. Select the Merge push button.

5. If there are any conflicts, you will be asked to resolve the conflicts and
  update the resulting file.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe310 kbSSafe304 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3 kbSSafe304 kbSSafe304DOS kbSSafe310 kbSSafe310DOS kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe304NT kbSSafe310NT
Issue type        : kbinfo

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