Unusual merge result

I have had 2 unusual occurrences with merges with some of our software
engineers here in the last month. I wrote the first off as user error,
but a similar event has occurred - still possibly user error.

We are using subversion 1.6.12 on our server, and a mix of TortoiseSVN
1.5 and 1.6 clients on our clients, as well as some commandline usage
through an automated tool.

What has happened is that twice now, an engineer has branched some code,
and then seen unusual checking behaviour. The second instance was today,
and occurred after merging the trunk of the software module into the
branch, then checking the results back in to the branch. What actually
happened is that 2 source files were checked back in to the trunk
instead. The first instance is less clear cut. Unfortunately, in both
cases, the engineers involved discovered the problem, took steps to
correct it, including deleting and checking out the relevant working
copies again, then thought to tell me about it - not too much evidence
left to trace from.

The first time I assumed that the user involved had performed a switch
inadvertently, this time I am less sure.

What is most puzzling is that looking at the mergeinfo properties on the
branch , I see the following:

Properties for <modulepath>/Branches/
svn:mergeinfo <modulepath>/Branches/branchA:49494-49689
                <modulepath>/Branches/branchB:47790-51680
                <modulepath>/Branches/branchC:52621-53396
                <modulepath>/Trunk:54546-54710

Which seems OK,

But in a subdirectory, I see
Properties for <modulepath>/Branches/Implementation/IlluminationManager
svn:mergeinfo <modulepath>/Branches/branchA/Implementation/IlluminationManager:49494-49689
                <modulepath>/Branches/branchB/Implementation/IlluminationManager:47790-51680
                <modulepath>/Branches/branchC/Implementation/IlluminationManager:52621-53396
                <modulepath>/Trunk/Implementation/IlluminationManager:54546-54710*

Where I expected to see no mergeinfo recorded at all, since our merges
are done at the <modulepath> level only. Further, I don't know what the
trailing '*' on the last property line means.

If anyone could explain what the trailing '*' is for, and for extra
bonus points :-) explain why the mergeinfo is set on the subdirectory, I
would be quite grateful. I have looked at the subversion book for some
explanation, but could find no further explanation of the '*'.

Thanks in advance,
Tony Butt

CEA Technologies

-- 
Tony Butt <tony.butt_at_cea.com.au>