Branching with VP Teamwork Server

In teamwork collaboration, the term trunk refers to your main stream of development.  If you create a new project, you will spend the majority of your time making changes and committing them to the trunk of your repository.

Branch is defined as a copy of work derived from a certain point in the trunk. It sets up an extra space for users to work on and make modifications without disturbing the trunk. As soon as the modifications in branch are done, it can be merged back into the trunk.

To create a branch:

1. Select Teamwork > Branch... from the main menu.
2. When the Create Branch dialog box pops out, enter a name in Branch Name for your new branch and select an option from the drop-down menu. Finally, click OK to confirm.

   Create Branch dialog box

   The three options in the drop-down menu are Start working in branch, Checkout branch and Stay in trunk. Selecting Start working in branch means you create, checkout and open a new branch and then start working on it. Selecting Checkout branch means you create and checkout a new branch, but just keep it in repository for working on it later on. Selecting Stay in trunk mean you create a new branch, but do not checkout it out and do not show it in repository either.

After you have finished creating a branch and have committed it, you can merge it back into the trunk. To merge:

1. Select Tools > Teamwork > Merge... from the main menu.
2. When the Merge dialog box pops out, select a branch you want to merge from. A specified revision of project can be merged by checking From revision and selecting ... button from From revision and To revision respectively. Click OK to confirm selecting.

   Merge dialog box