Complex examples

More complex alias commands can be formed using redirection and special operators.

• Cherry picking.

  This alias definition:

  cherry-pick-change $(cl) $(s) $(t) = integrate //depot/$(s)/...@$(cl),$(cl) //depot/$(t)/...

  turns the command:

  $ p4 cherry-pick-change 1015978 p15.2 main

  into:

  $ p4 integrate //depot/p15.2/...@1015978,1015978   //depot/main/...

  Another cherry picking example that creates a little merge script:

  cherry-pick $(cl) $(s) $(t) $(msg) = \
                 integrate //depot/$(s)/...@$(cl),$(cl) //depot/$(t)/... &&
                 resolve -am -Ac //depot/$(t)/... &&
                 submit -d $(msg) &&
                 sync

  You could then execute a command like the following:

  $ p4 cherry-pick 1015978 two one "line a merged into one"

  which would run the following commands:

  p4 integrate //depot/two/...@1015978,1015978 //depot/one/...
  p4 resolve -am -Ac //depot/one/...
  p4 submit -d "Cherry-pick change https://swarm.perforce.com/@1015978[1015978]
                from //depot/two/... to //depot/one/..."
  p4 sync

• Simple pipelining.

  Starting with a simple example:

  newStreamsDepot $(dpt) = depot -o -t stream $(dpt) > $(depotSpec) &&
                           depot -i < $(depotSpec)

  Note that when using redirection, the $ variables used in the transformation side of the definition do not need to correspond to the arguments specified on the left side of the equation. In the example above, depotSpec is a variable created during the execution of the newStreamDepot alias.

  Here are aliases for merge down copy up:

  mergedown $(b) = fetch &&
                   switch $(b) &&
                   merge &&
                   resolve -am &&
                   submit -d "Merged down from main"
  
  copyup $(b)    = switch dev &&
                   merge --from $(b) &&
                   resolve -as &&
                   submit -d "Copied up from $(b)" &&
                   push
  
  # Note the use of the branch name in the submit message of the copyup alias.

• DVCS: Aliases to communicate with multiple servers.

  Use aliases like the following when copying spec objects from the shared server to your personal server.

  copy-user $(p4port) = -p $(p4port) user -o $(u) > $(spec) &&
                      user -i < $(spec)
  
  copy-job $(p4port) $(j) = -p $(p4port) job -o $(j) > $(spec)  &&
                      job -i < $(spec)
  
  copy-stream $(p4port) $(s)  = -p $(p4port) stream -o $(s) > $(spec) &&
                      stream -i < $(spec)