We have been using Starteam for several years now and I am evaluating TFS as a replacement. Starteam has several branching concepts that don't appear to be duplicated in TFS and I am wondering if there is a way to replicate them.

When creating a branch in Starteam there are two parameters to choose which result in three branch types that we use. The parameters are floating or fixed configuration and branch all or none. The branch types available from these choices are a hard branch, a branch on change, and a view.

The hard branch needs no explanation. The view simply means that when you are working in a branch it is the same as working in the parent. The view is simply an alias. Code changes are seen in both branches.

The branch on change means that changes in the parent show up in the child until a change is made to a file in the child. The changed file in the child then branches and truly becomes different from the parent.

Branch on change is very useful if the child branch will merge back into the parent. It is useful because most changes in the parent are automatically reflected in the child. That means that when you go back to merge the child into the parent, any files that changed in the parent but not the child don't need to merge.

More importantly it means that those developers working in the child won't be surprised by functional changes that occur int he parent unless the functionality change occured in a file that the child had already forced to branch.

QUESTION: is there a way to replicate this behavior using TFS?