Re: branching question

[Todd Denniston]

Tim Velten wrote, On 09/20/2007 03:13 PM:
> Hi,
>
> We always have multiple major releases in progress at any one time, so we 
> develop each release on a separate branch.
>
> So right now we have an August release patch branch and an October release 
> branch.  The trunk reflects current production ( August release ).
>
> Now we are ready to create Feb release branch.  Normally we would branch 
> from the trunk and then merge the October release into it, but it seems 
> that we should just be able to create the Feb branch from the October 
> branch ( instead of trunk ) since we want Feb branch to look just like 
> October at the beginning.
>
> Is this correct ?   Can I branch from another branch ?
>
>
> Tim Velten
> address@hidden

Spiro's response was a good technical reason why not to do the branching from 
a branch from a branch from a branch...

Which would be the pretty much logical way to continue on with what you have 
now.
May I suggest some reading?

 From the FAQ we have
[1] 
http://ximbiot.com/cvs/wiki/index.php?title=CVS_FAQ#Source_Configuration_Management_Best_Practices
[2] 
http://ximbiot.com/cvs/wiki/index.php?title=CVS_FAQ#What_is_the_best_branching_practice_to_use_with_CVS.3F
[3] http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/

I suspect the following sections might help:
[4] http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/#BranchingUsage
[5] http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/#BranchingStyle
I think you are using Early Branching[6] &| Overlapping Releases[7]
and are finding that "pay[ing] the price of additional merging and 
propagation"[5] is becoming more than its benefits of "a high degree of 
fine-grained isolation and control"[5].


And of course look at the advice of those who have studied branching/parallel 
development[8].

So are you ready to look at WHY you are currently using the pattern you are, 
and see if something else might work better?  CVS can do the one you are on, 
but as was said, it will eventually get painful (if you don't at least 
occasionally say 'Ok everyone out of the branches, and back to the trunk!').

[6] 
http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/patterns.html#EarlyBranching
[7] 
http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/patterns.html#OverlappingReleases
[8] http://www.cmcrossroads.com/bradapp/acme/branching/#BranchingAdvice

--
Todd Denniston
Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane)
Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter