Chapter 8 Managing document versions in the repository

Managing repository branches

A branch is a ramification in the version tree, which contains document versions. You use branches to organize team operations and create different work environments. You can also use branches to better organize archived documents. Branches exist independently of document versions in the repository, you can find empty branches in the repository.

In the version tree, a branch can depend on another branch or be autonomous. When a branch depends on another branch, this supporting branch is called base branch. A base branch can have a base branch itself: there is no limitation in the level of interweaving of branches.

Each time you connect to the repository, you have a current branch. The current branch is your work environment in the repository. It applies a filter to the display of the browser: you only see the document versions existing in the current branch and its base branch(es) if the current branch has any.

In the following example, the base branch of Branch 3 is Branch 2, and the base branch of Branch 2 is Branch 1.

If you connect with Branch 3, the display of the repository browser is filtered in order to display the latest version of Branch 3 for Model.CDM, which is V2.1.2.1.2.

Case study

Let's consider a development team working on a software project.

The software project includes the following steps: specification, development, major release / minor release, maintenance. A major release comes with fundamental changes in the software, a minor release is made of bug corrections and minor features.

The development team works on three documents:

• Requirements.doc, to specify the software architecture.
• Model.PDM to design the software.
• Implementation.OOM to develop the software implementation.

The project includes three branches used to perform different tasks:

• The MAJOR branch is used to work on the major release of the software: by specifying new requirements, designing and implementing major features.
• The MINOR branch is used to work on a minor release to correct bugs and add small features.
• The EBF (Emergency Bug Fix) branch is created after the minor release to let engineers correct bugs on a released software version.

Each engineer will choose the appropriate branch to display the document versions required to perform the task he/she is assigned.

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