Merging Folders

Merging folders is quite similar to merging files, except you are merging folder contents instead of file contents. However, if two files in a folder have differences, you can open a file comparison on those files from the folder comparison pane.

You can only merge folders using the standalone File Compare/Merge.

  1. From the Windows desktop, choose Start > Program Files , navigate to your StarTeam program installation group, and choose File Compare Merge.
  2. Choose File > New Folder Comparison ( Ctrl+Shift+N ), or File > New Folder Merge ( Ctrl+Shift+M ) to open a new folder comparison tab.
    Note: Using the New Folder Merge command opens the folder comparison results with Auto Commit Off. To open a folder comparison with Auto Commit On, choose File > New Folder Comparison . Once File Compare/Merge is opened, you can click Auto Commit Mode on the toolbar to toggle between Auto Commit On or Auto Commit Off.
  3. Click the Open New Comparison buttons above each editor pane, and browse to the folders you want to compare.

    Alternatively, you can click the DOWN ARROW to the right of the Open New Comparison button and select a folder from the history list, or you can type the path for each folder in the directory to the left.

    By default, File Compare/Merge immediately compares the selected folders, and the results display in the two panes of the File Compare/Merge window. You can change this and other default settings in the File Compare/Merge Options dialog box on the General and Folder Comparison pages.

  4. Optionally, right-click and choose Switch Comparison Modes to choose a different comparison mode display.

    If you choose one of the 3-Way comparison modes, you will have a third pane for viewing and editing the merged base folder.

  5. Perform any required changes to the folders directly in the edit panes. You can move, delete, and copy folders from one pane to the other, and are prompted to commit your changes.

    The toolbar and context menus are different for folder compare/merge than for file compare/merge. For folder comparisons, you have items for moving or copying files and folders left or right, deleting files and folders from the right or left panes, and several options for expanding/collapsing tree nodes.

  6. Optionally, double-click a file with differences to open a new File Comparison pane and resolve the differences.
  7. Optionally, right-click in one of the panes and choose Generate Report.

    To print the report, choose File > Print .

    Note: If you want a report of your changes, you must generate it before closing the File Compare/Merge window.
  8. Select Save Changes To Disk on the toolbar to save your changes when you are finished.