[cvsnt] Re: Merging branches with mergepoints

[Tony Hoyle]

Detlef Marschall wrote:

> 
> There's a problem. The user must know that this is the first merge to B2
> for the specific source. Then he must use "-jTAG -jBRANCH" for the
> merge, otherwise he can merge with "-jBRANCH". For only a few sources is
> this OK. But there are 2816 sources, without includes, and nobody can
> say how many he must change for a problem. Only when all sources was
> merged from B1 to B2 then we can use mergepoints with no problem.

The problem is created by the fact that B2 has the wrong base.

If you're promoting HEAD->B1->B2 then B2 should be based on B1 (or 
possibly the same revision of HEAD).  By creating B2 out of a different 
revision there is no possible way of retionalising it without an 
existing mergepoint.

You've got the situation:

1.3 -> B1 + changes (eg. 1.3.2.5)
1.8 -> B2 + changes (eg 1.8.2.21)

The 'common ancestor' of both branches is 1.3, so the only possible (and 
logical) merge of B1->B2 is the entireity of B1 onto B2.  Once a 
mergepoint is there it fixes this as it knows where the first merge was.

The only revisions being considered during such a merge are 1.3->1.3.2.5 
(common ancestor to branch head) being patched onto revision 1.8.2.21 
(current sandbox revision).  There are no mergepoints within that frame 
of reference.  Once a mergepoint is registered at 1.3.2.5, any future 
merges will use that as their starting point.

Tony