How to Branch and Merge EA Data?

[Stephan Heuscher]

Hello all,

We have a database as model repository and would like to branch a model version, edit it, and later merge the changes.

We tried exporting an EAP file, but the merge does not work on EAP files. The XMI file generated from the exported EAP file show many differences (DUID and advanced properties) even on nodes that were not changed.

What techniques do you use for branching and merging?

Help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Wowbagger]

"What techniques do you use for branching and merging?"

Short answer: you don't.

Longer answer: you are "supposed" to break things up to the point where no two people need to work on the same package at the same time.

It is unfortunate, because it *is* possible to do a merge on a graphical tool like EA: I've worked with SDL tools (Pragmadev RTDS) that did handle merging two models by graphically showing the differences as different colors, and letting you pick and choose deltas to merge.

But from what I understand, very few UML tools (if any) do this.

[Geert Bellekens]

Stephan,

I've done some merging on EA in the past, but as Wowbagger said, you better try to avoid it (at all costs).
You have already seen the compare option in EA, so that what you have to work with.
In one of the more recent versions they introduced an option to not show the advanced properties as changes. That should already help you a bit.

Geert

[EricP]

Don't replicas do pretty much what Stephan wants, or do I misunderstand his question?

I've had a fair amount of trouble with replicas in the past but things seem to have settled down to where they appear to be working pretty well.  Of course when you get a conflict it's a pain to deal with... as Wowbagger says, a tool like EA really, Really, REALLY should be able to graphically display conflicts and let the user pick the one he wants to save.

But all in all, replicas seem to work marginally well, well enough to where we're using them to keep two branches synchronized and so far, so good.