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<title>BranchView functions</title>
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<h1>BranchView functions<a name="top"></a></h1>
<blockquote> 
    <h2><a href="#compact"> General representation of version information</a></h2>
    <h2><a href="#expanded">Representation of extended version information</a></h2>
    <h2><a href="#functions">Funktions table</a> </h2>
    <h2><a href="#menu">Menu: examples</a></h2>
    <h2><a href="#mouse">Mouse usage: short overview</a></h2>
    <h2><a href="#keyboard">Keyboard usage: short overview</a></h2>
    <h2><a href="../BranchViewWrapper.html">BranchView plugin for Eclipse</a></h2>
    <h2><br>
        Representation of version information<a name="compact"></a></h2>
    <p>What BranchView shows is closely depend on BranchView configuration.</p>
    <p>If BranchView were started with default configuration, information about all revisions from all 
        branches, which P4 Client can offer to selected file/directory, is gotten. For the designed example 
        file //depot/perforce/testroot/itest/Test.java it looks in such a way:</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr> 
            <td><img src="../images/p4_explore_all.gif" width="429" height="356"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr> 
            <td>Fig. 1: Representation after the start with default configuration</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
	<ul>
        <li>
            <p>Each revision is represented by a grey filled, black bordered rectangle.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>Over the upper revision stands the shortened P4 depot path of the file.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>In the rectangle is painted the revision number and besides the change
                number.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>The fact that the revisions are black bordered means that BranchView
                has all revision information.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>Some revisions has arrows go off, which refer to other revisions from
                same branch (green) or the other branch (blue or red).</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>The kind of the connection (branch, edit, merge etc..) is placed over
                the arrows.</p>
        </li>
    </ul>
    <p>If you starts BranchView for some files in depot without to have permissions to see them, following 
        picture would be shown:</p>
    <table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_explore_one.gif" width="429" height="356"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 2: Representation after the start without permissions for some files in P4 depot</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>The difference: fewer revisions are represented, some are orange and dotted,
        other red bordered.</p>
    <ul>
        <li> 
            <p>In addition the red bordered revisions contain no change number, instead a question mark. 
                That is, that &quot;the red&quot; revisions known &quot;indirectly&quot; and the information, 
                which P4 supplied, contains still no change number.</p>
        </li>
        <li> 
            <p>&quot;The orange&quot; revisions contain all information about itself, but possibly further 
                information about the following revisions from the same branch is missing.</p>
        </li>
        <li> 
            <p>As is the case for &quot;the red&quot;, the information about &quot;the orange&quot; revisions 
                came on indirect way.</p>
        </li>
        <li> 
            <p>If you 2x click on one of these revisions, then missing information will be gotten by Perforce 
                and represented as in the Fig.&nbsp;1.</p>
        </li>
    </ul>
    <p>If you close now BranchView and starts in the &quot;-offline&quot; mode, the program tries to load 
        and show the old log file. Since the information is now only &quot;second-hand&quot;, BranchView 
        draws all versions with orange dotted borders.</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_explore_offline.gif" width="513" height="356"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 3: Representation after the start only with &quot;-offline&quot; parameter </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>And in the next picture all kinds of the relations are represented, which BranchView
        knows: <span class="code">branch, copy, ignored, merge, edit, integrate, delete</span>.
    </p>
    <ul>
        <li>
            <p>The program shows the revisions, which are deleted, red through-crossed.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>The arrows to revisions, which with were &quot;ignored&quot;, are red.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>The pulled through lines mean that it exist a direct relationship between
                the connected revisions.</p>
        </li>
        <li>
            <p>Dotted grey lines mean only the affiliation of the versions to the
                same Branch.</p>
        </li>
    </ul>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_branch_ignored_copy_merg.gif" width="594" height="475"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 4: Further characteristics of the representation (after the start with default configuration)</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <h2>Representation of extended version information<a name="expanded"></a> </h2>
    <p>BranchView can represent much more then the information shown already. If you
        goes with the mouse over one of the revisions, BranchView draws a &quot;ToolTip&quot;,
        that contains extended information about the revision:</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_explore_tipps_after.gif" width="537" height="289"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 5: Representation of the extended information about a &quot;well-known&quot;
                revision</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <h2>Function table<a name="functions"></a></h2>
    <p>There are many functions, which are reachable on three different ways: by mouse,
        keyboard or two menus, which appear by 1x right click on the background or
        revision. For nearly each function an appropriate menu entry exists.</p>
    <p>BranchView offers two different context sensitive menus: one for the general
        operations and one, which is revision-depend. If a menu option is not activated
        (light grey), it means that this operation is not possible in the current
        context.</p>
    <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="3" bgcolor="#E5E5E5">
        <tr>
            <td width="14%" bgcolor="#E5E5E5"><b>Menu name</b></td>
            <td width="37%" bgcolor="#E5E5E5"><b>Description of the function</b></td>
            <td width="33%" bgcolor="#E5E5E5"><b>Characteristics /<br>
                enabled if</b></td>
            <td width="16%" bgcolor="#E5E5E5"><b>Shortcut or mouse usage</b></td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td colspan="4"><br>
                <b>Special revision - menu</b></td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>collapse/expand this branch</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Make less/more space between &quot;uninteresting&quot;
                revisions.</td>
            <td width="33%">One revision must be clicked.</td>
            <td width="16%">-</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>get info's for this branch</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Fetch information about the selected branch from Perforce.</td>
            <td width="33%"> One as &quot;unknown&quot; represented revision must
                be clicked.</td>
            <td width="16%">2x left click</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>diff to...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">
                <p>Mouse: by marking of the two versions one after then other a custom
                    configured Diff tool is automatically started.</p>
                <p>Menu: a help dialog shows.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="33%">
                <p>In the &quot;offline&quot; - mode not available.</p>
                <p>&quot;deleted&quot; revision cannot be compared with another.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">1x left click on &quot;from&quot; - revision and then
                1x left click on &quot;to&quot; - revision</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>copy path to clipboard</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Copies P4 depot path of the selected version into the
                clipboard.</td>
            <td width="33%">
                <p>One revision must be select/clicked.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + C</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>copy data to clipboard</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Copies information about the selected version into the
                clipboard.</td>
            <td width="33%"> <p>One revision must be select/clicked.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + D</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td colspan="4"> <b><br>
                General menu</b></td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>save as image(s) + html...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Shows a dialog to store the entire view as a set GIF -
                pictures with one overview HTML file.</td>
            <td width="33%">Needs a lot of time.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + S</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>save data to file...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Shows a dialog to store the entire received data into
                log file.</td>
            <td width="33%">This file will contain text data, formatted like data
                from:<br>
                &quot;p4.exe -s filelog -l -i&quot;.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + T</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>copy data to clipboard</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Copies the entire received data into the clipboard.</td>
            <td width="33%">Only if nothing selected.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + D</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>set properties...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Open a properties dialog.</td>
            <td width="33%">Setted properties are valid for all opened BranchView
                windows.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + P</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>clone view / open new window</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Open a new window with the same view.</td>
            <td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + N</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>view another depot file...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">
                <p>Menu: open a dialog to select a new depot file to show in the same
                    window.</p>
                <p>Keyboard: the possible path information from the clipboard will
                    be evaluated. This path information will be used to retrieve new
                    data from P4 and to show in the same window.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="33%">
                <p>Selecting directory with lot of files can lead to OutOfMemoryError (~by over then 300 
                    revisions).</p>
                <p>Don't working, if clipboard contains invalid path or path is not
                    under client's root.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + V</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>load view from logfile...</b></td>
            <td width="37%">
                <p> Shows a &quot;open&quot; dialog. You can select file, that contains
                    previously stored BranchView log. View data will be reloaded with
                    information from this file.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="33%">
                <p>The file must contains text data, formatted like data from:<br>
                    &quot;p4.exe -s filelog -l -i&quot;.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">Strg + L</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>redo layout</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Redo layout. All custom user layout changes will be lost.</td>
            <td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + R</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>collapse/expand all branches</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Make less/more space between &quot;uninteresting&quot;
                revisions (like edit-&gt;edit...-&gt;edit-&gt;edit in the same branch).</td>
            <td width="33%">One revision must be clicked.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + E</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>get info's over all branches</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Fetch information about all branches, which are currently
                not &quot;well-known&quot; </td>
            <td width="33%">it must be at least one &quot;unknown&quot; revision</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + I</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>zoom</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Increase / decrease view zoom.</td>
            <td width="33%">
                <p>Can lead to OutOfMemoryError by over then 300 revisions.</p>
            </td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + '+' zoom in, Ctrl + '-' zoom out</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>x space</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Increase / decrease the distance between the branches
                in the view.</td>
            <td width="33%">Can lead to OutOfMemoryError by over then 300 revisions.</td>
            <td width="16%">-</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>y space</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Increase / decrease the distance between the changes in
                the view.</td>
            <td width="33%">Can lead to OutOfMemoryError by over then 300 revisions.</td>
            <td width="16%">-</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>help</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Shows short online help.</td>
            <td width="33%">&nbsp;</td>
            <td width="16%">F1</td>
        </tr>
        <tr valign="top" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
            <td width="14%"><b>about</b></td>
            <td width="37%">Shows some information about the system, Java runtime environment, BranchView 
                version etc.</td>
            <td width="33%">If you submit a bug, please copy this information to your message. You can 
                simply select all information from about screen with mouse and then copy selected data 
                to clipboard.</td>
            <td width="16%">Ctrl + A</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <h2>&nbsp;</h2>
    <h2>Menu: examples<a name="menu"></a></h2>
    <p>Here the information about all branches is already complete and therefore menu entry for requesting 
        the data from Perforce is deactivated.</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_menu_copy.gif" alt="Menu if information about all branches is already complete" width="519" height="394"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 6: Menu if information about all branches is already complete</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>If you clicks one revision 1x left, this will be represented as &quot;selected&quot;, and a thin 
        line follows the mouse. That means that the first revision for the Diff tool was selected and 
        now a second revision must be clicked.</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_menu_diff_start.gif" width="578" height="322"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 7: Start selection of revisions for the Diff - tool</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>Now the second revision is selected, and a configured Diff tool is started
        automatically. In order to delete this marking later it is enough to simply
        click with the mouse 1x left somewhere on the background or on the first selected
        revision.</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_menu_diff_stop.gif" width="578" height="322"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 8: End of the selection of revisions for the Diff - tool</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <p>In configuration dialog you can specify all run time parameters of BranchView. This properties 
        are shared between all BranchView windows started withhin the same Java VM. BranchView will save 
        settings on close. You can found BranchView property file <span class="code">tp4branchview.ini</span> 
        in <span class="code">%user home%</span> directory. Don't edit this file if BranchView is running: 
        BranchView will overwrite them on exit.</p>
    <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2">
        <tr>
            <td><img src="../images/p4_menu_settings.gif" width="439" height="279"></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Fig. 9: Configuration dialog</td>
        </tr>
    </table>
    <p>&nbsp;</p>
    <h2>Keyboard usage: short overview<a name="keyboard"></a></h2>
    <p>Keyboard usage:<br>
        CTRL + E collapse/expand either selected or all branches<br>
        CTRL + N open new window with same content<br>
        CTRL + V change view to path from clipboard, if clipboard contains valid P4
        depot path<br>
        CTRL + C copy P4 depot path of selected revision to clipboard<br>
        CTRL + D copy information over selected revision to clipboard <br>
        CTRL + D copy information over all known revisions to clipboard, if nothing
        selected<br>
        CTRL + S open dialog to save view as GIF-image<br>
        CTRL + R redo view layout<br>
        CTRL + P open properties window<br>
        CTRL + L open dialog to load data for view from log file<br>
        CTRL + T open dialog to save all view data as text<br>
        CTRL + '+' increase zoom<br>
        CTRL + '-' decrease zoom<br>
        'Pos 1' jump up<br>
        'End' jump down<br>
        F1 show online help</p>
    <h2>Mouse usage: short overview<a name="mouse" id="mouse"></a></h2>
    <p>2x left click over revision fetch more data (if available) from Perforce.<br>
        1x click over empty background skip current selection.<br>
        1x left click and drag over revision move this revision,<br>
        1x left click and drag over background scroll the view<br>
        1x left click + CTRL + SHIFT hold and drag over a revision move entire view.<br>
        1x right click, (or 1x left click + CTRL hold) and drag over a revision move
        entire branch.<br>
        1x right click over background open a general menu.<br>
        1x right click over a revision open a special revision menu.<br>
        1x left click select first revision for a diff-tool, (deleted revisions cannot
        be compare!) everyone other clicked revision will be a second revision for
        a diff-tool.<br>
    </p>
</blockquote>
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# Change User Description Committed
#4 2735 andrei_loskutov sources are now included to binary distribution at http://andrei.gmxhome.de/perforce/index.html
#3 2553 andrei_loskutov Docu update for 1.3 version
#2 2222 andrei_loskutov #13.10.2002 22:16 Revision 1.2.1
1)  Documentation task is finished... Yes!!!
2)  New feature: copy P4 depot path
3)  Some small fixes to menu shortkeys belongs ctrl + c and ctrl + d
4)  Clipboard fix because of JDK 1.2 - 1.3 bug
5)  Smallest refactoring on some methods.
6)  Html help updated
#1 2007 andrei_loskutov english documentation now available