TFS not showing Dev branch in target locations for merging

Question

s/w versions: TFS2008 server, VS2010, windows xp

I have the following branch structure in TFS

• $/Root/Main Branch
• $/Root/Dev/Project1

Project1 was branched off the Main Branch, few months ago. Now I need to merge the latest code in the Main Branch to the Project1 branch. During that time, some new folders were added to the Main Branch.(Main Branch/CoreDataClasses/..). So when I try to merge this new folder into the Project1 branch using the merge wizard, I don't see the Project1 branch in the list of target branches. Why is TFS not showing me my dev branch in the target branches list?

Answer 1

Do your merge from the root (where you branched), not the individual folder(s). Remember that merges aren't destructive until you check in, so you can choose to only check in the new folders if you want to hold off other changes.

Answer 2

With Tfs I've had much better experience merging from branch to the trunk and I think this might be the case here. Of course this might take a rethink of your strategy but it's doable.

I know this may be way offside but if you're doing cross branch merging a lot then definitely consider a distributed version control system like mercurial. I've used Tfs lots and really like it but when it comes to branching and merging it is a distant second to hg merge (mercurial command)