In Helix Versioning Engine, a codelineA set of files that evolve collectively. One codeline can be branched from another, allowing each set of files to evolve separately. is a set of related files — for example, all the source code required to build your software product. Copying an edit from one file set to the other is called merging or copying. Copying a set of files to create a new codeline (or equivalent) is called making a branch or branching. Branching is performed using the Merge/Integrate feature. You can perform simple branches using a file mappingA single line in a view, consisting of a left side and a right side that specify the correspondences between files in the depot and files in a client, label, or branch. The left side specifies the depot files, and the right side specifies the client files. See also workspace view, branch view, label view..
To ensure that complex branching is done in a controlled manner (for example, to prevent typographical errors when entering target directories or to make sure that complicated branches are performed correctly), you can create a branch mappingSpecifies how a branch is to be created by defining the location of the original codeline and the branch. The branch mapping is used by the integration process to create and update branches. Client workspaces, labels, and branch specifications cannot share the same name., which specifies the relationship between two codelines. When you branch, you can use the branch mapping instead of a file mapping. Branch mappings are displayed in the right pane on the Branch Mapping tab.
Helix Server Streams provide an alternative approach to managing codelines. For more information, see the "Streams" chapter in in the Helix Versioning Engine User Guide.
To create a branch mapping, choose File > New > Branch Mapping and enter the required information. To prevent the mapping from being changed by other users, check locked. To confine integration to closely related files, choose direct; to enable integration between distantly related files, choose indirect.
Use the View field to reflect the relationship between source and target codelines. For example, to create release 2 of Jam from the code in your main codeline, you might use the following view:
//depot/jam_proj/... //depot/jam_r2.0/...
To view a branch mapping, go to View > Branch Mappings
or click the View branch mappings button in
the toolbar. Use the Filter pane at the top of the Branch
Mappings tab to search for mappings by owner and branch mapping
name (or part of the name). Double-click a branch mapping to view it.
To change a branch mapping, double-click it in the Branch Mappings tab to open the Branch Mapping dialog. Click Edit to enter your changes.
To delete a branch mapping, click the mapping you want to delete, then select Edit > Delete Branch branchname.
To integrate using a branch mapping:
Right click the files you want to integrate and choose Merge/Integrate.
The Merge/Integrate dialog is displayed.
Specify other options as needed: