To automate the merging process and assist teams with refactoring code, SCM solution provider Codice introduced XMerge/XDiff 2.0. The tool set is included in Plastic SCM 3.0, the latest version of Codice’s SCM solution, which was unveiled today.
Based on text-similarity algorithms, XMerge/XDiff 2.0 aids development teams by automating part of the code refactoring process, which Codice CEO Pablo Santos said can present errors if done manually. XMerge/XDiff helps locate moved or modified code by recognizing it as the same code.
“Refactoring is very common nowadays. Developers are always renaming functions and moving code around,” he said.
This system, made up of two tools, “shows what’s differing after changes are made; shows and locates moved code; and is capable of automatically merging the changed code,” reducing the chances of conflicts, Santos explained. The initial version of this tool did not include the XDiff tool and could not detect moved code, he added.
Also included in the release is Plastic SCM Explorer Shell Extension, a new extension for Windows Explorer. The feature allows users to perform actions (such as workspace creation and checking code in and out) from the Windows Explorer desktop tool. Users can also access Plastic’s branch explorer as well as other GUIs, Santos said.
Additionally, Plastic SCM includes new code-review functionality to help with defect prevention. This capability enables development teams to review tasks and branches prior to merging them into the main line of code. Also included is support for external data storage. According to Santos, this feature is especially desirable to the gaming industry, which normally has larger files to store. The external storage can be accessed anytime from either the server or client.
Today’s release also includes two new data importers to assist teams moving from Perforce and Subversion to Plastic SCM 3.0, available in whole-site or per-seat licenses. A 30-day, five-user trial license is also available.
