Work with branches¶
Branches let you work on an experimental design without disturbing the team's main line. GitM exposes branch management on the Branch tab.
Prerequisites¶
- You are signed in to a repository.
- For switching branches: no SolidWorks documents from this repository should be open. GitM enforces a safety check.
See and switch branches¶
- Open the Branch tab. It lists local and remote branches and shows the current branch.
- To switch, select a branch and confirm.
Branch switch safety check (mandatory). If any SolidWorks documents inside the working folder are open, GitM blocks the switch and offers to close them first. Switching branches with an assembly open can corrupt your session, so this check is not optional.
When you switch, GitM warns you about: - Open SolidWorks documents (must be closed). - Files you have checked out (locks remain, files update to the new branch). - Unpublished local versions (check in first or they may be lost).
Create a branch¶
- On the Branch tab, choose to create a new branch.
- Name it and create it from the current branch.
Create a pull request¶
GitM does not have an in-app PR review UI. To propose changes for review, use the Create Pull Request action, which opens github.com's compare page in your browser.
Expected result¶
- After a switch, the top bar shows the new branch and the Files tab reflects that branch's files.
- LFS downloads for the new branch may take a moment.
Troubleshooting¶
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Switch is blocked | Open SolidWorks documents from this repo. | Let GitM close them, or close them yourself, then retry. |
Push to main is refused |
main is branch-protected on GitHub. |
Create a branch and open a pull request instead. |
| Files didn't update after switch | LFS still fetching, or files are placeholders. | Wait for fetch; make files available as needed. |
Known limitations¶
- No in-app PR review. Pull requests open in the browser.
- Conflict resolution for branches is "use mine / use theirs" only for binary CAD files — no CAD-aware merge.
- Branch history is presented linearly.