P4V, the Perforce Visual Client, provides quick and easy access to versioned files through a graphical interface that is consistent across multiple operating systems. P4V is available on Windows, Solaris, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, and Linux.

Details

Versioned files in a familiar file/folder hierarchy

P4V represents the files in a project in the same file/folder hierarchy employed by the native operating system. File state information indicates which file versions are currently on the user's workstation and on the Perforce Server.

Collaboration

P4V provides state information representing which files are currently checked out and by whom. Icons displayed with each file indicate whether the file is being added, edited, or deleted. Multiple users modifying the same file use a full featured three-way merge utility to reconcile conflicts before check-in. Text files, HTML pages, audio, and video files can be previewed from within P4V.

Folder and file history

The folder compare feature displays two versions of the same folder side by side in expandable tree views. Users can see the evolution of individual files within the folder hierarchy as they have been added, edited, and deleted. This includes the ability to compare differences between the files in a user's client workspace and those in the depot. A 'Reconcile Offline Work' feature helps developers to more effectively reconcile modifications to files after working disconnected from the Perforce Server.

Graphical branch history

Branching code lines can be inherently complex regardless of the branching model employed. A hallmark of Perforce is the intelligent management of multiple software releases using its Inter-File Branching system. The Revision Graph [video - 5:25 min.] displays a tree-style representation of the branch history of a specified file, including all file branch points, edits, and merges.

Code changes over time

The Time-lapse View [video - 6:27 min.] tool provides a graphical view of the complete content history of an individual file. In a single window, developers can instantly visualize how the entire content history of a file has evolved over time. This unified view can include change history across integration branches, providing a complete record of every line that is or was in a file. Users can see when pieces of code were added, changed, or deleted at any point in the file's history. Each change is identified by date and time, file revision number, and the user responsible for the change.

Administration

Visualizing and modifying user permissions can be performed within the familiar graphical motif of P4V [video - 8:43 min.].  Super users can create, modify, or delete file depots, as well as individual users and groups.  User permissions can be visually managed with drag-and-drop functionality, or by using the protections table editor, and new users and groups can be created from administrator-defined templates. The appearance and setting of P4V can be preconfigured for custom deployments.

Perforce Plug-in for Windows Explorer

The Perforce Plug-in for Windows Explorer, P4EXP, can be used to access Perforce directly from Windows Explorer. P4EXP makes SCM a natural extension of Windows Explorer for both developers and end users. Checking files in and out is straightforward and relevant file state information is displayed clearly.