Working in a Branch

Read this section if you want to develop a new MercuryDPM Kernel feature.

• Before you can develop a new MercuryDPM Kernel feature, you need access to the development version of the code. Please contact one of the MercuryDPM 'managers' to get access.
• You now should have read access to the Trunk/ and read-write access to the Branches/ directory of the repository. You can check that that you have access using svn list:

  svn list https://svn.mercurydpm.org/SourceCode/Trunk 

• All new Kernel features should be developed in a branch, i.e. in a subdirectory of Branches/. For example, say you want to develop a new wall type called StarShapedWall. The first step is to create your own branch using the following command:

  svn copy https://svn.mercurydpm.org/SourceCode/Trunk https://svn.mercurydpm.org/SourceCode/Branches/StarShapedWall -m '' 

• Checkout your new branch.

  svn checkout https://svn.mercurydpm.org/SourceCode/Branches/StarShapedWall

• Now start working in your branch. This branch is only for you, so you can commit as often as you like, even if your code does not compile. I fact, we urge you to commit regularly.

Once your feature is developed fully, you are ready to merge the feature back to the Trunk:

• Make sure all your changes are committed to your Branch. Executing "svn status" in the source directory should not return any output.
• Make sure all your code compile correctly. Executing "make fullTest" in the build directory should return "100% tests passed".
• Make your Branch up-to-date with the Trunk. See Merging Trunk updates to your Branch.
• The final step is to merge your Branch back into the Trunk, and remove the Branch. Updating the Trunk is a sensitive issue, so only the 'managers' are allowed to do it. So please ask one of the managers (see http://mercurydpm.org/about-the-code/team) to merge your changes.
• Now you have developed your (first?) Kernel feature, and earned the right to appear on the MercuryDPM team website. Congratulations!