Branching and merging code......
Sep. 7th, 2007 04:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr1On Thursday morning, we received a request to add a new claim type to the list of claim types our system already handles. The problem is, I'm already doing some code upgrades that are due out in November, and They want this other fix out and in production by 1 October. Argh.
So, after making the usual round of griping, teeth gnashing, and asking, "Are you sure they know this may impact the schedule?", I started work. Our software librarian set up a "branch" in SourceSafe (that's what we got so we're using it) so I can work on a different set of code without disrupting or losing my other work. I hate juggling multiple versions of the same piece of code; something might get lost or forgotten. About 8 hours later, the code enhancements were done. They won't be checked into the SourceSafe until after we test the code and make sure it works as expected.
(I know, a lot of this doesn't make sense if you're not into the fine art of configuration management.)
Putting these code changes back into the other stream of code was made MUCH easier with WinMerge. It compares files side-by-side, and I can select a change in one file to be copied to the other file. I can even do manual code edits, if necessary. And it's freeware! If you do software development, or keep multiple versions of text files around, I highly recommend it.
Now that it's done, I can now celebrate the rest of my day as a Slacker Friday. :)
So, after making the usual round of griping, teeth gnashing, and asking, "Are you sure they know this may impact the schedule?", I started work. Our software librarian set up a "branch" in SourceSafe (that's what we got so we're using it) so I can work on a different set of code without disrupting or losing my other work. I hate juggling multiple versions of the same piece of code; something might get lost or forgotten. About 8 hours later, the code enhancements were done. They won't be checked into the SourceSafe until after we test the code and make sure it works as expected.
(I know, a lot of this doesn't make sense if you're not into the fine art of configuration management.)
Putting these code changes back into the other stream of code was made MUCH easier with WinMerge. It compares files side-by-side, and I can select a change in one file to be copied to the other file. I can even do manual code edits, if necessary. And it's freeware! If you do software development, or keep multiple versions of text files around, I highly recommend it.
Now that it's done, I can now celebrate the rest of my day as a Slacker Friday. :)
