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p4 branch

Synopsis

Create or edit a branch view specification

Syntax

p4 [g-opts] branch [ -f ] branchspec p4 [g-opts] branch -o branchspec p4 [g-opts] branch -d [ -f ] branchspec p4 [g-opts] branch -i [ -f ]

Description

p4 branch allows you to store a mapping between two sets of files for use with p4 integrate. This command displays a form: enter a view that expresses the mappings between the files you're integrating from (the fromFiles) and the files you're integrating to (the toFiles), specifying both sides of the view in depot syntax.

Once the branch specification has been created and named, you can integrate files by typing p4 integrate -b branchspecname; the branch specification will automatically map all toFiles to their corresponding fromFiles.

Calling p4 branch has no immediate effect on any files in the depot. Perforce will create the branched files in the client workspace the first time you call p4 integrate -b branchspecname.

Form Fields


Field Name	Type	Description
`Branch`	read-only	The branch name, as provided on the command line.
`Date`	read-only	The date the branch specification was last modified.
`Description`	optional	A short description of the branch's purpose.
`View`	mandatory	A set of mappings from one set of files in the depot (the from files or source files) to another set of files in the depot (the to files or target files). The view maps from one location in the depot to another; it can't refer to a client workspace.

Options


`-d`	Delete the named branch specification. Files are not affected by this operation; only the stored mapping from one codeline to another is deleted. Only the user who created the branch can normally use this flag.
`-f`	Allows superusers to delete branches they don't own. Also lets superusers change the modification date of the branch specification.
`-i`	Read the branch specification from standard input without invoking an editor.
`-o`	Write the branch specification to standard output without invoking an editor.
`g_opts`	See global options section.

Usage Notes


Can File Arg Use Revision Specifier?	Can File Arg Use Revision Range?	Minimal Access Level Required
<NA>	<NA>	`open`

A branch view usually expresses the relationship between two related codelines. For example, if the development files for a particular project are stored under //depot/project/dev/..., and you want to create a related codeline for the 2.0 release of the project under //depot/project/r2.0/..., the branch view would be specified as

//depot/project/dev/... //depot/project/r2.0/...

Branch views may contain multiple mappings. See the Views chapter for more information on specifying views.

Branch views can also be used with p4 diff2 with the syntax p4 diff2 -b branchname fromFiles. This will diff the files that match the pattern fromFiles against their corresponding toFiles as defined in the branch view.

Related Commands


To view a list of existing branch specifications	`p4 branches`
To copy changes from one set of files to another	`p4 integrate`

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