EMF Compare/Specifications/ModelMergeUI

Evolution Specification: Model merge UI

Current status is DRAFT

Preamble

Model merge UI.

_Relevant tickets_ (links to the Bugzilla tickets which are related to the change):

• Bug 398361 - Model merge UI

Introduction

The goal is to provide a graphical user interface that will guide the user through the merge and conflict resolution process and that will let him choose how to solve a conflict whenever possible.

Detailed Specification

When the user wants to merge a difference, he can be confused with the numerous other differences that may need to be merged. This is caused by the dependencies between differences. For instance, if the user tries to merge the addition of a state in an activity diagram, he also has to merge the addition the activity diagram first (if it did not previously exist).

Currently, EMF Compare displays the list of all detected differences that can be merged, but it does nothing to make the links between differences (requirements, equivalences...) explicit. We should offer a preview of the merge of each required difference and allow the user to merge the dependencies step by step. EMF Compare should also give the user the ability to choose how to merge independent conflicts.

We will provide a graphical user interface that will guide the user through the merge and conflict resolution process and that will let him choose how to solve a conflict whenever possible.

User interface

When a user select a difference in the structure merge viewer, the differences required for the merge of this difference will be highlighted in green. If some differences will become "unmergeable", they will be highlighted in red.

It exists two cases of comparison :

• one side of the merge is in a read-only mode
• both sides are "writeable"

When one side is in a read-only mode

Four buttons will be added to the structure merge viewer toolbar.

TODO : update with real icons

• Accept button : accept the difference and apply it immediately.
• Reject button : reject the difference and apply it immediately.
• Accept all non-conflicting changes button : accept all non-conflicting differences and apply them immediately.
• Reject all non-conflicting changes button : accept all non-conflicting differences and apply them immediately.

For example, we'll suppose that you are trying to use EMF Compare on models shared under git. If you're launch a 3-way comparison of your local model with the HEAD Revision, the HEAD revision model is in a read-only mode. You can only merge differences from the HEAD Revision model to your local model.

TODO : add example

When both sides are "writeable"

Four buttons will be added to the structure merge viewer toolbar.

TODO : update with real icons

• Copy Current change from Right to Left button : merge the current difference from Right to Left.
• Copy Current change from Left to Right button : merge the current difference from Left to Right.
• Copy all non-conflicting changes from Right to Left button : merge all non-conflicting differences from Right to Left.
• Copy all non-conflicting changes from Left to Right button : merge all non-conflicting differences from Left to Right.

With this mode, you have to choose the way of merge (Right to Left or Left to Right). The default way of merge is from Right to Left.

TODO : add icons

For example, we'll suppose that you are trying to use EMF Compare on local models. If you're launch a 3-way comparison of your local models, you can merge from right to left or from left to right.

TODO : add example

Backward Compatibility and Migration Paths

Metamodel Changes

TODO. (Document any change to the metamodel. If they require a migration operation, mention it and describe the general idea of how migration process. If any information can be lost during the migration, mention it clearly. If validation rules must be added/modified, mention it also.)

API Changes

TODO. (List every API addition, removal and deprecation. For each removal and deprecation, indicate the migration path for existing code.)

User Interface Changes

TODO. (List every user-visible change in the interface. Here "user" includes not only end-users but also developpers.)

Documentation Changes

TODO. (List every documentation needing an update here, starting by the New and Noteworthy documentation.)

Tests and Non-regression strategy

TODO. (This part of the document should describe the strategy to use to correctly test the evolution and guarantee the non-regression.)

Implementation choices and tradeoffs

TODO. (Any important tradeoff or choice made during the implementation should be referenced here with pros/cons leading to the final decision.)