Is there a way to force labels to the same level?

[Patrick Skelton]

Hi,

I get the feeling this question might be a bit dumb, but I'm new to the whole Git thing and struggling to see if I can do what I want (or even if it makes any sense).

I have this in SourceTree:

Capture.PNG

I am using the GitFlow methodology and menu commands, which means I always have a develop and a master branch.  When I reach a mini-milestone, can I force the develop and master labels to synchronise with each other?

Any advice very much appreciated.

Kind wishes ~ Patrick

Capture.PNG ‏28 KB

[Tim Crall · Accepted solution]

Normally in GitFlow, you would do this by merging the release branch into the master branch and the development branch both at the same time.

This will sync them up unless a new feature branch has been merged into develop since the release branch was forked off it.  If that's the case, then you wouldn't want them really synced, but merging from release back into develop will still ensure  that any last minute changes made in the release branch get incorporated into develop.

[Patrick Skelton]

Nice explanation.  Thank you, Tim.

[Patrick Skelton]

Sorry, just realised I don't fully understand this, Tim.  I use the GitFlow menu, so, when I finish a release the Finish Release function merges into master and into develop, but I still don't end up with the two on the same level in SourceTree.

• Patrick

[Tim Crall]

I'm not specifically familiar with the GitFlow menu itself, but what do you mean by "on the same level"?

[Patrick Skelton]

If you look at my screen snippet above, you can see that origin/develop is on the line beneath origin/master, and also develop is below master. When you first initialise the GitFlow process, all these labels appear on the same row in SourceTree. If you can't follow my explanation, I will go through the process of creating a new project and grab a screen snippet of what I mean. (Sorry I couldn't reply sooner. My profile score limits my posting frequency.) - Patrick

[Tim Crall]

To do that, you would have to merge develop into master, which is not really standard process in GitFlow. I'm not sure there would any benefit to it, either, other than making the picture look the way you seem to want it to.

[Patrick Skelton]

Thanks Tim. To be honest, I did suspect I was just being OCD about it. I was just curious why, once you start with GitFlow, it never again looks the way it did when you started. That said, I do understand it fine the way it is, and I take your point that to merge develop into master doesn't get you anything.