[Solar-talk] svn branch

[Paul M Jones]

On Aug 31, 2006, at 2:06 AM, Jeff Surgeson wrote:

> Excuse the ignorance but why the branch in svn, it all appears the  
> same except
> for Session and Request. Both appear to me to be normal additions  
> to the
> existing dev of Solar, or am I missing something?

We're trying an experiment in the development process.

One of the things about keeping all the code in the trunk is that,  
when it comes to release time, I have to remove the pieces I don't  
think are really ready.  Did that last time with an early version of  
Solar_Request, two view helpers, etc.  It caused a fair amount of  
confusion and consternation from some Solar devs.

To avoid that situation in the future, Clay suggested that we start a  
"development" branch where we can make changes, then as those changes  
firm up, merge them into the main trunk.  That way there's no need to  
remove stuff at release-time.

Also, if we add a new piece (like Solar_Session) and then want to  
change other pieces based on it (like Solar_Auth) then the  
development branch gives us a separate space to do that work in.   
Then we can merge the changes into the trunk at the same time,  
instead of leaving some parts unfinished while waiting.

Now, I'm not completely sold on having a development branch; I've run  
into some problems of my own keeping track of two separate lines.   
Having said that, I want to give Clay's idea a fair try before I  
decide for or against it.


> Are there going to be two differant directions of dev on Solar?

No, it's all going in the same direction.  Trunk is the "mostly  
solid" part, and the dev branch is the "more fluid" part, but they're  
all headed the same way.  :-)


> or will they join and become one at some point.

The plan is to have them join just before every release.  That is, to  
merge the development stuff that's "ready" into the trunk, and leave  
the stuff that's "not ready" in the development branch.


> Sorry if this is obvious or has been asked and answered before, I  
> just need to
> know so I can make my own decision on which direction to go in.

Not obvious at all, sorry I didn't talk more about it before.  Hope  
this makes sense, let me know if it does not.



--

Paul M. Jones  <http://paul-m-jones.com>

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