Re: [TSVN] Re: TortoiseMerge: Editing conflicts

> I did not see where any of the meld screenshots show how it presents a
> merge. Not saying it doesn't do it wonderfully, just saying that
pointing
> Windows users at a tool that does not run on Windows and does not show
how
> it does what you want, doesn't help.
Good observation; I've never noticed that. Attached to this message are
two screenshots of my own showing the 3 panes. It's not the best, but you
get the idea. The second shows quick access to add above/below/both
(could use the context menu too).

I'm not affiliated w/ Meld in any way. I suggested it because it seems to
provide all the features that TSVN list members have mentioned included
(but certainly not limited to):
 - Direct SVN integration (for diff)
 - Directory view (1, 2, and 3 way diff), direct integration w/ SVN
 - True 3-way merge (base, Theirs/Head, Yours)
 - Inline editing (diff updates on the fly)
 - Detailed difference (highlight the part(s) of each line that are
different--not just the line)

> I do
> not see the value of showing the Base version as it's own pane in the UI

> since each of the two modifications show as their diff against Base, and

> then how they relate to each other.
When you are merging two files, they must have a common base. The diff
view in TMerge shows the conflicting lines between the modified files. It
says nothing about the original (base) file. If there is a conflict, you
must determine what each modification is for. The head's modifications
are made for some purpose, your modifications are made for (most likely)
another. As such, the merge process is just that--"merging" two
modifications. I find it's rarely as clean cut as just one or both. So
to properly merge, you need to determine the reason of each change first,
then _edit_ your version to incorporate both sets of functionality. The
only way to accurately determine the purpose of each modification is to
see what it changed from--the base.

> Tmerge is a 3-way merge. I do not
> see how showing Base adds anything not already present?
As I explained above, w/out the base you cannot determine what
functionality was incorporated in the Head, what functionality was
incorporated in your own version, and then how to merge the two.

> Also, the "merged" result automatically merges the non-conflicts, you
just
> have to deal with the conflicts. Since it is a conflict, there is no
> "right value" so I do not see how it is relevant whether you feel it is
> being applied to the "Theirs" version or the "Yours" version. There is
> really just a single "merged" version where you have to resolve the
areas
> of conflict.
As I mentioned, it's intuitive to apply the merge to "Yours" since that's
the version to be committed. You're not just merging two files--you're
merging the changes in a single file that have been committed since you
last obtained it. You're synchronizing your version w/ the head so all
changes are properly captured. You don't apply the merge to "Theirs"
(Head) since that's already in the repository. Your changes are not. So
you need to prepare your version before committing.

> I do not think anyone is going to take offense at the sincere desire to
> make this a better product. The only thing I find offensive is your use

> of "Windoze". I would rather use OS X all the time, but I can't. Grow
up
> and save that crap for your Linux lists.
Habbit; sorry if I offended you.

Regards,
Nick G

Mark Phippard <MarkP@softlanding.com>
09/24/2004 01:44 PM
Please respond to dev
 
        To: dev@tortoisesvn.tigris.org
        cc:
        Subject: Re: [TSVN] Re: TortoiseMerge: Editing conflicts

Nick_Gianakas@sybari.com wrote on 09/24/2004 12:14:13 PM:

> I've mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again since I'm not the
> only one who is dissapointed w/ TMerge.
> Look at meld (http://meld.sourceforge.net/)

I did not see where any of the meld screenshots show how it presents a
merge. Not saying it doesn't do it wonderfully, just saying that pointing

Windows users at a tool that does not run on Windows and does not show how

it does what you want, doesn't help.

> I feel like my hands are tied when using TMerge. And although it
displays
> 3 panes--it's not a 3-way merge. The panes are: Theirs, Yours. That's

a
> 2-way diff. The 3rd pane in TMerge is a conglomeration--the merged
output
> It's not part of the "diff". To make an effective merge, you need 3
> distinct views: Base, Theirs, Yours. The actual merged result can be
> done in a 4th pane, but it's more intuitive to do it over Yours since
> that's the copy to be committed.

I haven't had to use it enough to know what I think. Generally, I like
it, although I think some of the recent requests seem real valid. I do
not see the value of showing the Base version as it's own pane in the UI
since each of the two modifications show as their diff against Base, and
then how they relate to each other. Tmerge is a 3-way merge. I do not
see how showing Base adds anything not already present?

Also, the "merged" result automatically merges the non-conflicts, you just

have to deal with the conflicts. Since it is a conflict, there is no
"right value" so I do not see how it is relevant whether you feel it is
being applied to the "Theirs" version or the "Yours" version. There is
really just a single "merged" version where you have to resolve the areas
of conflict.

As others have indicated, I think that being able to work on a merge and
save it for later would be useful. Also, possibly some abilitty to
manually hack a resolution to a conflict would also be nice.

> Please don't take offense. I think the TSVN group (especially Stefan)
has
> done a spectacular job w/ TSVN; it's a superb tool--and I don't even use

> Windoze often.

I do not think anyone is going to take offense at the sincere desire to
make this a better product. The only thing I find offensive is your use
of "Windoze". I would rather use OS X all the time, but I can't. Grow up

and save that crap for your Linux lists.

Finally, as others have pointed out, it is possible to plug in another
merge tool. I do not know if it is possible to plug in Araxis Merge, but
historically that seems to be one of the better Windows merge tools. I
have never used it, and I do not think there is a free version of it. I
think WinMerge is OK, but I also like TMerge and usually only use the
former to compare entired directory structures.

Mark

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