Merge

Changes are common in active project. When changes are loaded into an existing project the Merge Dialog is used to manage how each change affects the Fuzor Project. A user may need to use the merge dialog to handle merge changes when:

• updates are synced to fuzor with a plugin

• Two cache files are merged via drag and drop

• Central file merge is used to merge a workset into a central file

Understanding the Merge Dialog is an important skill when managing projects with merges

The Merge app can be used to create central project files and worksets to manage project version control. The Merge App is located in the Collaboration Tab of the Fuzor App Menu. With a Fuzor cache file you have the option to create a central project file. A central project file is never edited directly and changes cannot be saved. The purpose of the central file is to keep all changes and updates consistent between worksets allowing for asynchronous workflow. Changes are made in worksets and merged into the central project file.

The Promote This File to Central File button will turn your Fuzor cache file into a central project file. The Created Worksets list contains a list of all worksets of the central project.

The Create New Workset button creates a new workset and saves it as a cache file. Worksets can be distributed to collaborators. The Created Worksets list contains a list of all worksets of the central project.

The Demote This File from Central File button changes this central project file back into a normal Fuzor cache file.

Worksets can be edited as normal the only difference is that you cannot make a central project file from a workset. Once changes have been made to a workset simply drag and drop the file into the Fuzor app with the central file project open in it.

Whenever a project is updated with another project you are prompted with a dialog asking how you would like to handle the changes.

The Append button appends all objects in your imported file into your current file. If the file is exactly the same this would be equivalent to duplicating every object in your file. Use this if the projects contain completely separate information that you would like to bring into one file.

The Merge button merges the changes allowing you to manually select what changes to keep and discard using the Fuzor Project Merge Menu.

The Cancel button cancels importing the object.

The Fuzor Project Merge Dialog can be opened in another window see Workspace Management for more information. The Fuzor Project Merge dialog allows you to select changes and choose what to merge into the project. Each change will be organized by category. Changes that are conflicting will be placed into specific tabs that are expanded by default. Tabs containing automatic changes that do not conflict will be collapsed by default. For each change you can select whether to keep or discard the change. Selecting the checkbox in the Fuzor Entry column discards the change favoring the original file. Selecting the checkbox in the CHE Entry column keeps the change favoring the file that is being merged. You can search for changes with the search bar at the top of the window. When an object is selected in the merge app it is focused on in the 3D view. Each grouping of objects in the merge app allows you to use the drop down menu to change all of its contents to a specified option. The buttons at the bottom of the window affects these options globally. When you are ready to merge select Finish.

The To Preview Mode button toggles Preview Mode for the Fuzor Project Merge Dialog. In Preview Mode the Dialog Menu is smaller.

The Revert To Default option reverts all selections to default.

Merge entries are organized into different categories based on the type of change that is made. These different categories can be handled separately or as a group, prioritizing changes made in the file that is merging in, the one that is open, or the default merge behavior.

QR : QR codes for mobile Navisworks and HoloLens files

Element : any general object change

Lighting : Change to a Fuzor Lighting object

Landscape : Change to Foliage Content

Design Options : Change to a design option

Visibility Tree : Visibility override change

Paths : Change to a path object

CCTV : Change to a CCTV object

Equipment : Change to equipment animations

Pedestrians : Change to a pedestrian content placement

Custom  Columns : Changes to custom column names

Construction tasks : Changes to object assignment in construction tasks

Staging tasks : Changes to object assignment in staging tasks

Calendar : Changes to 4D calendars

Sequence Animations : Changes to Sequence animations

Conflicts occur for any inconsistency between files that we cannot determine a default behavior for. In most situations, the Merge app will prioritize more recent changes than older ones for the same object based on the time stamps in the dialog. However, in some cases specific changes conflict with others and there is not a viable way to determine the default behavior. Sometimes specific changes are prioritized regardless of their timestamp.

The following types of changes are likely to generate merge conflicts:

Conflicting Staging task Assignment : Objects cannot be assigned to multiple staging tasks. As a result if an object is assigned to different staging tasks in files that are attempting to be merged together this will generate a merge conflict.

Absence of Change Time : for any change that is made where a change time was not recorded the entry in merge will be marked as a conflict.