Merging changes done by multiple users

If you use Rational® ClearCase® as your software configuration management system, when multiple users make changes to the same file, the second user to check in the file is required to merge.

Merging is the process of combining the contents of two or more files into a single new file. The first user to check in the file creates a new version. The second user to check in the file is required to merge. If ClearCase® can manage combining the multiple edits to the file, the changes are merged into a new version of the file automatically. If the edits conflict or cannot be resolved, users must resolve the conflicts. ClearCase® starts the Diff Merge tool, in which you can view the differences and merge two or more files, if necessary.

If Rational® Functional Tester cannot merge two files, automatically, it does not complete the checkin.

The following table describes the type of Rational® Functional Tester files, the tool used for the merge, and the rules for checking in files or merging files.


File	Merge Method or Rules for Check In
Java™ files	Rational® Functional Tester merges the files automatically. If an automatic merge cannot be performed, ClearCase® starts the Diff Merge tool, in which you resolve the conflicts. For information about using the Diff Merge tool, see the ClearCase® Help.
Object map files	Rational® Functional Tester merges object map files automatically. To review the automatic merge of object map files, use the Object Map Editor. For example, if two users add the same object to the map, but the recognition information for the object differs on each user's system, two objects will be in the object map. Use the object map to unify the two objects. For information about how Rational® Functional Tester behaves when you cancel the check in of a shared or private test object map at various stages of the procedure, see Canceling while checking in a merged test object map.
Script definition files	Rational® Functional Tester merges script definition files automatically. If an automatic merge cannot be performed, ClearCase® starts the Diff Merge tool, in which you resolve the conflicts.
Verification point files	Rational® Functional Tester checks in the latest changes in the verification point file. If two users check out the same verification point file, and one of the users checks in their changes first, the second user to check in the file is not required to merge. The second user’s checked-in changes overwrite the first user’s checked-in changes.
dataset files	Rational® Functional Tester checks in the latest changes in the dataset file. If two users check out the same dataset file, and one of the users checks in their changes first, the second user to check in the file is not required to merge. The second user’s checked-in changes overwrite the first user’s checked-in changes.