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mergediffclearcasebeyondcompareclearcase-remote-client

ClearTeam Explorer - CCRC - integrate with Beyond Compare


I am using IBM Rational Clear Case. Due the current world wide health situation, I am forced to work from home.

The best way and may be the only one, when using Visual Studio, is working with a Web View (Please correct me if there is a better way) - I assume this is called CCRC (Clear Case Remote Client). It is similar to a Snapshot View but without constant connection to the Clear Case server at work (This statement is not entirely correct).

When working with a snapshot view or for that matter with a dynamic view, I can change the setting to use Beyond Compare as the tool used for merge and compare in Clear Case.

Now for my questions:

1) Is there a way to do this also for ClearTeam Expolrer, which is where I control and manage my web view?

2) Any other workaround to use Beyond Compare with a web view?


Solution

  • I found the answer on IBM support page: Changing the Diff/merge Type Manager in CCRC 7.1.1 and later. Where it is explained how to change this setting in the ClearTeam Explorer.

    The description do not exactly match my version of Clear Case (9.0.1.07) :

    1. In CCRC 7.1, go to the menu

      Window > Preferences > ClearCase Remote Client > Integration > Compare Merge > Manage Providers

      Blockquote

    Should probably be:

    1. In ClearTeam Explorer, go to the menu

      Window > Preferences > IBM Rational ClearTeam Explorer > Integration > Compare Merge > Manage

      enter image description here

    In addition the following is probably valid for kdiff3.exe:

    1. Choose 'Supports Compare Operations'

      Fill in the arguments for compare:

      %contribs% -fname "%filename1%" -fname "%filename2%"

    2. Choose 'Supports Merge Operations'

      Fill in the arguments for merge: %contribs% -o %merge_out%

    On Scooter Software site I actually found the correct arguments.

    These are the modification for Beyond Compare:

    1. Choose 'Supports Compare Operations'

      Fill in the arguments for compare:

      %contribs% /vcs1="%filename1%" /vcs2="%filename2%"

    2. Choose 'Supports Merge Operations'

      Fill in the arguments for merge:

      %contrib1% %contrib2% %base% /mergeoutput="%merge_out%"

    My Settings example:

    enter image description here

    • Make sure to write BComp.exe and not BCompare.exe. Because of that, I had a problem opening the compare more than once.

    And:

    You need to select beyond compare and Apply the changes

    Doing the instruction recommended by IBM and Scooter Software did the trick and I could compare my code:

    enter image description here