ClearCase: working with offline file captures, and then checking / merging

Question

I look at a scenario where I have an offline clear view and I modify the files in this view, clearing the read-only attribute (capture) in the files that modify me, and then a few days later I look online and need to get my offline changes to the stream.

What I would do is check the captured files and check them back (merging if necessary).

Is it safe to work this way?
Is it possible that when I added my changes, I would accidentally overwrite other people's changes while working offline? Any recommendations for using ClearCase offline?

Thanks!

(I ask because the college says that this standalone way of working can overwrite other changes, especially when one of them updates them after working offline for a while before converting the captured files into quotation marks. Not will offer to do merging in some cases, just completely rewrite the contents of the converted element with the contents of the captured file)

Answer 1

No, you will not redefine anything while working offline.

ClearCase has a reconception mechanism for presenting a snapshot, which, when you return online, will allow you to:

• search all captured files
• check these files
• then check them, which means that ClearCase will prompt you to merge if any new version was made in this file during your offline time.
  This merger will be a tripartite merger with:
  • root version: version before any changes by you or others
  • original version: the smallest version of checkin (made when you were offline)
  • target version: your current file

Answer 2

How about setting up a private branch, working on it, grabbing files there, and then merging your private branch on the main branch?