14.3 Using Your Own Merge Tools

You can create a merged version of an element manually or with any available analysis and editing tools. Check out the target version, revise it, and check it in. Immediately before (or after) the checkin, record your activity by using the merge command with the -ndata (no data) option:

Z:\avob> cleartool checkout nextwhat.c
Checkout comments for "nextwhat.c":
merge enhance branch
.
Checked out "nextwhat.c" from version "\main\1".

Z:\avob> <invoke your own tools to merge data into checked-out version>

Z:\avob> cleartool merge -to nextwhat.c -ndata -version ...\enhance\LATEST
Recorded merge of "nextwhat.c".

This form of the merge command does not change any file system data; it merely attaches a merge arrow (a hyperlink of type Merge) to the specified versions. After you've made this annotation, your merge is indistinguishable from one performed with ClearCase tools.