Re: Branching and tags

[Larry Jones]

Thomas Tuft Muller writes:
> 
> A checkout based on the latter tag does not commit new revisions properly
> (CVS responds with 'the tag MBX-1_0_2_b1 is not a branch').

Right.  A revision tag is a snapshot in time -- you can't change it.

> A checkout base on the branch tag and a following update did *not* update
> the files in the sandbox. Why is that?

I don't understand what you mean by this -- if you have a specific
revision checked out (which you do if you've checked out with a revision
tag rather than a branch tag), then update without a specific revision
will never do anything unless someone moves the tag in one of the files.
If you check out a branch and then do an update, nothing will happen
unless someone checks in changes to the branch between the checkout and
update -- checking out a branch gives you the *most recent* revision on
the branch, not the original base revision.

> What is the proper way of checking out a specified tagged extract from a
> branch (the branch itself is a tagged extract isn't it?). The whole idea is
> that the sandbox should be "based on a particular branch", but updated based
> on a tag. Does this make any sense?

No.  A branch, like the trunk, is a "line of development".  If you check
one out (or update to it), you get the most recent revisions of the
files along that line of development.  You're free to commit changes,
thus extending the line.  A revision is a snapshot; normally, it doesn't
change.  When you check out a specific revision, you can't commit
changes, because that would be trying to change the past.  You can move
the tag, however.

-Larry Jones

My upbringing is filled with inconsistent messages. -- Calvin