Merge allows you to handle cases where you have modified a file locally on your client and someone else then checks in another version on the server underneath you. In this situation, the changes applied on the server must be merged into the local version before a checkin can take place, otherwise the server changes would be overwritten when you check in your file.

This command has two different, but similar, functions:

The first case will arise when the you specify Merge Later on the Get Latest Version dialog box, or when an attempt at an automatic merge has failed. When either of these situations happens, select Show Merge to specify how the conflicts should be resolved.

The second will arise when you specify Attempt Automatic Merge on the Get Latest Version dialog box and the automatic merge succeeds. In this case, select Show Merge to examine precisely what was done by the automatic merge.

To activate the Merge window, select Show Merge in the Source menu or from the context menu.

Background

A merge involves four files:

A successful merge will replace the local working copy with the merged file. This is true for automated merges that have produced no conflicts as well

If the repository (server) copy is revised again after a local merge has been completed, then the baseline file changes to the version of the file that was merged against locally. This essentially becomes a new merge at that point, and if an automatic merge reveals a conflict based on the new baseline, you must manually resolve them again. If there is no conflict, the results of the automated merge will replace the local working copy.

You have the ability to view a merge that has occurred on the current baseline only. If you do not like how the file was merged, click Undo on the Merge window to revert back to a local file’s pre-merge state.