Re: Sticky branching problem

[Jeff Bowes]

Thanks Jim,

I will try two models. (1)  Import as Vendor Branch and then Set up a 
db2 branch (2) Run the postgres version as one project and the DB2 
version as another. We would then make generic changes to the postgres 
version and do exports from that version and import them into the db2 
version .


> Your branching model does not need to be very complex.
>
> What you've described boils down to a problem with portability. 
> Branches are not the solution to portability. The portability problem 
> is best solved by using distinct files (possibly in distinct 
> subdirectories, depending on the complexity).
>
> The CVS import command automatically creates a "vendor branch", which 
> is where all the vendor-supplied files will go. You make your 
> customizations on a different branch (probably the trunk). When the 
> vendor supplies an update, just re-import it onto the vendor branch, 
> and merge the changes from the branch to the trunk.
Yep, I'm using the vendor branch.

> Make sure you keep your portability modifications distinct from the 
> other changes you need to make. This may be a little more complex to 
> set up initially, but it will vastly simplify your life in the long run.
>
> Since the software is open source, you may want to consider submitting 
> your portability changes as patches to the original source code. This 
> will simplify things even more for you, since the vendor updates will 
> already be portable and you only need to merge in your customized code 
> (which, by the way, if it's useful in the general case, you may also 
> want to consider submitting as a contribution to the open-source 
> project ;=).
Yes of course we are submitting what is useful back to the open-source 
project :-).  However, I think at the moment they only want to maintain 
a source tree for their default db postgres.

Jeff

--
Jeff Bowes M.Sc.
DBA/Technical Architect, Xenbase
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4
CANADA
Tel: (403) 220-2824 
Fax: (403) 284-4707