Subversion Issues

[computergenius]

I have a couple of Subversion issues that I could really do with some help with.

One issue is that a complete folder on a site is screwed up within Subversion, and I can't see how to remove it and start again. Currently, I am FTPing without Subversion.

The other is that I want to duplicate some code, and updates to that code, across various sites, and I suspect that Subversion would be ideal for this. The resulting sites would use the same code, and different database data to give different pages..

[speed]

If you are on Windows then the best client I've found so far is http://tortoisesvn.net/ with that you can browse the repository from the right click content menu in explorer and delete the folder directly from the repository. Once you update the working copy the folder should be removed form the working copy.

You can also operate on the working copy and check it back in, again the right context menu in explorer gives you access to tortoisesvn functions e.g. delete.

The other is that I want to duplicate some code

If you have your common code in a repository e.g. http://subversion.example.com/svn/proj/trunk/files and you want that folder to appear in a different projects libs folder then if the target project has the structure:

trunk/src/system/libs/

You can add an svn:externals property to src which would be:

svn:externals system/libs http://subversion.example.com/svn/proj/trunk/files

Now when you checkout/update the target project it will automatically pull files from the external repository.

Paths need to change to match your environment and I really recommend creating a set of test repositories to play with.

The book I like for Subversion is Pragmatic Version Control Using Subversion (http://www.compman.co.uk/scripts/browse.asp?ref=792367) I actually thought it was 3rd Edition now, but that covers externals on page 142

[computergenius]

Originally Posted by speed

If you are on Windows then the best client I've found so far is TortoiseSVN | The coolest Interface to (Sub)Version Control with that you can browse the repository from the right click content menu in explorer and delete the folder directly from the repository. Once you update the working copy the folder should be removed form the working copy.

I use Tortoise SVN, seems to work fine!


One of the things that I am not clear about, is the naming of the different sections. There appear to be 3 lots of code:
1) on my computer
2) "stored within SVN"
3) on the live site.

I understand 1 to be "working copy", 2 to be repository, but don't know what the "live site code" is known as within SVN.



I took a copy of the working copy folder, then used TortoiseSVN to "delete". It deleted all the files. But I don't know what to do next.

I would assume that I have to tell the repository that I have made changes, but can't see how to do that. Alternatively, should I just copy the deleted folder back from where I stored it? Then do what?

Of course I need this folder, when SVN deals with it correctly, to appear on the live site.

[speed]

I understand 1 to be "working copy", 2 to be repository, but don't know what the "live site code" is known as within SVN.

The live copy is normally created from an export as then you don't have all the svn folders. However in reality it's only another checkout from the repository, just as though someone on another computer took a copy to work with/use.

If you want a more automated system then read up on hook scripts.

I took a copy of the working copy folder, then used TortoiseSVN to "delete". It deleted all the files. But I don't know what to do next.

Once you commit your changes to the repository then your working copy and repository should be in sync, do an update as well to be sure.

Once in sync copy your files back to your working copy without the svn folders and then commit again and the folder should be added back to the repository.

It all depends what errors you get if any as to exactly how you handle it.

[computergenius]

I have added the empty folder back to the working copy. It has a red cross. I click on Tortoise Add, and am told that the .svn file is missing. I am told to execute the "clean up" command. But the clean up command does not appear for this folder.

[speed]

Run the clean up command against the root of the working copy.

[computergenius]

Yes, I can do that!

Cleanup failed to process the following paths:
- C:\develop4\client7\www
'C:\develop4\client7\www\public\img' is not a working copy directory

This is the folder that I have just deleted, and replaced.

So I removed it again, and then it cleaned up successfully.




But when I add the empty folder via Windows, and try to add via Tortoise, or clean up, I just get an error messages, "Cleanup failed..." or ".svn missing"

[speed]

You should be able to create the folders in the working copy and add the files inside them.

Then run commit at the top level of the working copy, tick the unversioned files/folders to include.

After that all should be in subversion.

You can also add the folders direct to the repository and update to get them in the working copy.

[computergenius]

Originally Posted by speed

You should be able to create the folders in the working copy and add the files inside them.

I have created the folder (via Windows) and added two test files (via Windows)

I cannot TortoiseSVN-Add the folder (error message, the .svn file is missing), nor can I TortoiseSVN-Add the files, as there is no option on right click to do that.



The option of payment for a direct consultation is still on the table!

[speed]

So when you go to the top most folder of the working copy and do commit don't you get a box appear showing all the files being committed?

At the bottom of the box you need to tick Show unversioned files if not already ticked and then in the list tick the new files to add, enter the comment and click ok.

What errors do you get?

[computergenius]

Originally Posted by speed

So when you go to the top most folder of the working copy and do commit don't you get a box appear showing all the files being committed?

The folder with the issues is marked in red as "obstructed"

[speed]

I don't remember ever having that one.

If cleanup doesn't work, I'd try reverting the files but I doubt that'll work, you could try merging conflicts by hand but again I don't think you'll get very far.

So I think I'd create a 2nd working copy and see if that works. If it does then throw away the current working copy and work from the new working copy.

There's something in the project which is stopping the new files, so I'm hoping that the working copy is corrupted and the repository version is good so making a new working copy will fix it.

[computergenius]

How do I create a 2nd working copy?

[speed]

Create a folder, right click and SVN checkout, select the repository etc you want to checkout and you should have a 2nd copy.

[computergenius]

A belated thanks to all that, I now it "sort of" working, I just have one folder in the repository that is misbehaving. I think that I will have to remove the folder from the repository, but at the moment, I don't know how to do that.

Thanks for the help.

[speed]

In the repo browser you should be able to locate the folder and delete it.