In a simplified version of my scenario, I am developing a VB.Net app deployed using ClickOnce, with a Live branch for production code, and a Dev branch for working in.
I want to deploy each of these branches to a different location (live for release, and dev for testing), but merging either branch into the other causes the project's "Publish location" setting to be overwritten in the target branch, meaning I might accidentally publish dev code to the live location.
Is there a way to make certain project properties (in this case, publish location) "immune" from merges, so each branch keeps it's setting?
Edit: My first idea was, if there is some "config" type file that can override certain project settings, I could cloak that file so it would not get merged... but I can't find any reference to a file like that.
We use TFS for source control.