How To Install Tortoise Svn Server

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This certificate describes the steps to install and configure Subversion, create a new repository and and so walks through the basic steps required to set up local Visual Studio projects using Tortoise SVN.

This isn't meant to be an all comprehensive tutorial on Subversion, only rather a quick pace past footstep of the essential things to install and configure to get up and running. For more particular yous can use the excellent Subversion and Tortoise SVN documentation.

Introduction for Subversion

Subversion is an open source control repository tool. Information technology is widely used by many open source projects and increasingly by many large development teams in full general. It'southward fast and efficient, small and like shooting fish in a barrel to install and because information technology's open source – information technology's also free. Subversion is file based and keeps it repository in a unproblematic directory structure that can be copied and backed up easily.

Subversion tin can exist graphically accessed via Tortoise SVN which is an Explorer Shell Extension that provides admission to most of Subversion's command line interface through Explorer Context menus and overlay icons for files nether source control. This really is very powerful as it lets you lot use familiar Explorer as your source code browser and more importantly because it very easily lets you lot come across source command files in relation to the bodily directory structure and what is and isn't under source control.

Subversion subscribes to the Copy Alter Merge philosophy of source control which means that files are never locked and nobody usually 'owns' a file. Rather Subversion manages changes by merging source files with whatsoever changes made and only notifies you of conflicts if there are changes that cannot be merged (ie. changes to the aforementioned line of code typically).

Coming from a background of using integrated security in Visual Studio I at first had my doubts about the merge arroyo. Still, I'one thousand finding that it allows considerably smoother development as you don't have to worry virtually constant checkout/checkin scenarios and simply piece of work on your code. You tin become out and check in all changes using Tortoise SVN. Not having source control inside of Visual Studio may audio like irreverence if you've used it before and I was skeptical about that every bit well when I started out. Just I observe I really don't miss the integration with VS. More importantly I don't miss the bug that go with integrated source control in Visual Studio with the provider manager often getting dislocated especially in complex project and shared project scenarios. Subversion has actually made many scenarios that used to royally suck in Visual Studio much easier.

Also because Subversion is basically a file system tracking mechanism it is essentially tool doubter. In fact I use Subversion at present with my .Internet projects as well as with my FoxPro projects – the process is no different which is not bad for consistency and making sure I use Source Command more consistently for all of my development regardless of tool choice.

Installation

Offset stride is to install Subversion. You should download Subversion and Tortoise SVN and install both.

Get Subversion from here:

http://subversion.tigris.org/

Get Tortoise SVN from hither:

http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/

If yous want Visual Studio Integration, check out VisualSVN ($49) or the complimentary Ankh tool:

http://world wide web.VisualSvn.com/ http://ankhsvn.tigris.org/

Starting time past installing Subversion, followed past installation of Tortoise SVN. Tortoise works as a forepart UI to Subversion and both need to exist compatible so yous should always install the latest version of each.

Configuration for Tortoise SVN

Before doing anything else I advise that y'all make one small configuration change in Tortoise SVN, changing the name of the local svn repositories from .svn to _svn.

Make sure Tortoise SVN is installed and so go into Explorer and right click anywhere on a file or folder and become to TortoiseSVN | Settings and check the use _svn instead of .svn checkbox on the General tab:

Visual Studio has issues with folders that start with a period so it's all-time to use the _svn prefix, especially if yous decide later on on to use a tool that integrates with Visual Studio.

Create a new Repository with Tortoise SVN

Side by side I'll walk you through the process of creating a new repository and so calculation a Solution with a couple of projects to it.

If you are non setting up a new project and just are accessing a Subversion repository just skip ahead to the Creating a local Copy section.

Yous're ready to create a new repository. The repository is a storage location on disk where all the versioned data is stored - think of it as the 'database' for version info. The repository can exist stored on your local machine or a remote server where it can exist accessed either through the Subversion Daemon service or through Http via an Apache module (divide install). The cardinal is that you lot need to be able to create the repository on that machine. I'll use Tortoise SVN to create as it'south the easiest way to do this without digging into command line tools.

To create a repository, create a primary folder for your primary Subversion repository. I prefer to utilise a top level folder so it's piece of cake to notice and backup. And then choose something similar d:\subversion and:

· Create Folder d:\subversion

· Right Click | TortoiseSVN | Create Repository here

· Set up permissions for this this repository

To exercise the latter y'all need to configure d:\subversion\conf\svnserve.conf and password.

In SvnServe.conf:

[general]

# anon-access = read

auth-access = write

password-db = passwd

realm = SummaLp

This enables only authenticated access to the repository and provides write access for authenticated users.

Next edit the password file (password) and add together any names you want to allow every bit fundamental value pairs. For example:

[users]

ricks = wonkiewind

billp = haggard

Setting upward to run Subversion as a Service

Once the repository is created the side by side step is to make accessible remotely. Subversion comes with a built-in Daemon server that tin serve your repository information over a TCP/IP connexion (port 3690 by default). Alternately you can use Apache and an Apache module to connect to the repository over HTTP.

I'll only describe how to utilize the TCP/IP Daemon service here (for at present). The service is provided by SvnServe.exe in the BIN directory of the Subversion installation. While you lot tin run the Exe explicitly to get-go the server you'll desire to install it as a service. To practise this you can run the post-obit (I suggest putting information technology in a batch file) (all on one line!)

sc create svn binpath= "\"c:\program files\subversion\bin\svnserve.exe\"

--service -rd:\subversion" displayname= "Subversion Server"

depend= Tcpip commencement= auto

You should ensure that the paths in this command line match your installation and repository paths. Also note the spaces in the command line! They are not optional – I had problem getting things to piece of work until the spaces were added.

If you want to use a dissimilar port add –listen-port=nn for the port id. Check for other options in the documentation.

Side by side yous need to offset the service through the Service Manager or from the command prompt:

sc start svn

Check the Repository

Your next pace is to make sure the repository is working. Easiest fashion to do this is fire up TortoiseSVN from anywhere and try to connect to your IP address or host name. Simply open explorer and right click and then choose TortoiseSVN | RepoBrowser. Blazon in svn://<youripaddress|hostname>/ and yous should country at your repository.

Open up upwards the repository by double clicking and ensure you don't get an error message – if y'all do the repository is not accessible. If you opened the repository from a local automobile this should definitely work. If it doesn't make sure your repository and the path specified in for the service start upwards friction match!

If you're remotely connecting and you accept a failure make certain that your firewall is non blocking the port selected (3690 by default unless y'all explicitly specified something else in the service control line).

And voila you are now gear up for source control.

Adding Projects and Files to Source Control

The side by side footstep is to really add together Visual Studio projects to source control. As mentioned Tortoise SVN doesn't use any Visual Studio integration so source control is managed at the directory and file level. Basically whatever file or directory can be added to source control which means you tin use Subversion with any type of tool that has files related to it.

The first matter to do is decide on how to layout the repository. If you have many projects it's probably a good thought to have a layout that groups things nicely. I similar to employ:

Repository

-- ProjectGroup1 (ie. Solution level or grouping of Solutions leve)

----Project

----Project

----Projection

----Project

--ProjectGroup2

----Projection

----Project

But that's entirely up to yous. I like the Project Group type folder so it can be used to concord Solution files and as a 'header' binder that serves as a group for the subprojects. Otherwise information technology's besides easy to cease up with a deep mess of project level folders.

Then given a starting folder structure of:

Root

-- SummaLp

---- SummaLpManager

---- SummaLpBusiness

---- SupportAssemblies

let's see how to add this construction to a Subversion repository.

Creating a new Meridian Level Folder

Creating projects is a fiddling bit convoluted IMHO with Tortoise, because while yous can easily import content into SVN on the server, the Import option doesn't automatically check out the content locally. You likewise tin't immediately Checkout subsequently you've imported because Tortoise volition non let you to overwrite existing files that are non under source command.

So – it took me a while to find a style that didn't involve importing first, so deleting or renaming the local path and then doing a Checkout which feels like a lot of steps to go through for the simple task of creating a new binder in the repository.

But there's an easier way although it'due south non quite intuitive either:

• Create a new folder in the repository

• Find the folder to your project in Explorer

• Use Tortoise to CheckOut the newly created repository folder

• Add Files from Explorer with Tortoise

• Commit Changes

So allow'due south practice information technology step by step. Assume the top level binder is SummaLp equally shown in the screen shots:

· Get into TortoiseSVN and select Repo Browser (right click Tortoise | Repo Browser)

·

Use the Create Binder option to create a new meridian level folder just beneath the master repository (I'll name it SummaLp).

· Go back to Explorer and goto or create your project SummaLp Folder

· Right click on the folder and select CheckOut

· Select the superlative level folder in the repository and point at the corresponding local path

· This basically puts the root folder under source command so you can now add individual files or other folders more easily. Nada's actually checked out nevertheless – this only marks the binder for being able watched by Subversion.

·

Go back to Explorer and check the folder – information technology should have a green icon with it now.

· But don't just start importing everything below in one pop – it'll be much easier to create folders in the repository first
then add together the individual files once the folder is nether source control.

· Select 1 of the project folders and basically follow that same routine:

· Go into Tortoise and scan to your repository.

· Create a binder with the project name below the SummaLp folder (SummaLpManager)

· Get into Explorer and CheckOut into the corresponding binder

· This puts the project folder under source control

·

Select files and folders, right click and add

· Be selective and if necessary add files individually rather than full subfolders. You'll want to skip over things like the obj folder and notes and log files etc. for case.

· Once yous've done this y'all'll see a directory full of files with + signs next to them. This means the files have been added to the local store just not synched with the server.

·

To sync with the server correct click and select SVN Commit on the project binder

· This basically tries to synch all the local changes to the server and in this case copies the files to the server into the repository.

· Once you've done this your local re-create should now show as up to engagement

· Your repository now holds the same set of files

·

Your repository should now look like this:

· You lot then repeat this process for each of the other project folders.

· You'll too want to add the Solution file to source control. Just Add and Commit if it wasn't among the files you already

      checked in.

And there you lot have it. A repository is set up and fix for use.

The key affair to remember when creating new branches and adding new files in the repository is:

· Create Folder in Repository kickoff

· Checkout just the Folder to your local folder

· Add Files with Tortoise in Explorer

· Commit changes

Creating a Local Copy from the Repository

What I've described higher up is a bit of work merely it only needs to happen one time when the repository is showtime created. If you are programmer who's only connecting to get the latest revision for a local copy downwards to a local machine for working the procedure is much easier.

In this case:

· Pick a directory where you would like to create the local re-create

·

Right click and choose CheckOut

·

Pick the repository and ProjectGroup Folder and the local binder that will receive the consequence. In the instance above I could   cull SummaLp (the top level folder) and Checkout and it brings downwards the entire project and the Solution file ready to go.

Up and Running with Tortoise and Subversion

You're at present ready for source control. Remember that Subversion uses Re-create-Modify-Merge manner, which means that files are never locked and you tin can freely modify source files.

You can only edit files and Subversion will keep rails of the changes for you lot. You can use Tortoise SVN in explorer any fourth dimension to see whatsoever changes that accept been made to files. Whatever changed files will prove with as a red warning icon which means y'all've made changes to the file that haven't been updated onto the server.

The scarlet icons appear next to files as well as folders. If there'southward a folder that has unsubmitted changes that folder will recursively testify the red icon. Note that the carmine icon does not tell y'all whether the file has been changed by anybody else! It only tells you that you lot have changed the file and demand to commit it.

To update your changes to the Subversion server y'all use the Commit option to synch with the server.

You'll go a dialog that let's you quickly see all the files that are going to be updated by the commit. Yous tin can also selectively unselect files which is useful if you have one or 2 files that you might not usually update like say spider web.config/app.config or your project file if you have special build steps.

You commit updates your changes to the server, but in order to receive changes that other users have made and accept committed to the server repository yous need to explicitly telephone call Update either on an individual file or a directory.

Update will get the latest changes and automatically merge whatever changes from the server with your code. In that location's no update warning or notification unless there's a disharmonize and a change that cannot be automatically merged.

If you need to run into differences yous can check the repository against your local copy and compare. There are ii options that are useful: Bank check for Modifications and Diff both of which permit you know that things take changed.

Check for modifications shows yous all files that are different between local and remote. The Diff tool shows a next view of the differences betwixt your local copy and the server copy.

The tool above is the default diff tool, just you lot can also specify a custom diff tool like Beyond Compare for example.

Subversion and Visual Studio

At that place's actually not much to say virtually Visual Studio support considering using Subversion and Tortoise don't work inside of Visual Studio. When you're dealing with projects and solutions y'all might want to advisedly consider whether project and solution settings affect other users. If your local paths are non the aforementioned as the projects in the repository for example, yous may accept to check out the projection and solution files and leave them checked out permanently.

For Web applications often the web.config file might require some careful consideration if there are motorcar specific settings in the file. For example, if yous're running IIS 7 and you download a project that's was created with IIS vi the project file will be changed potentially to point at organisation module and handler references in different locations. Or you may have a connexion string pointing to a different server than the original web.config file. Here as well the solution is to download the file originally and and then go along the file checked out locally and recall not to update it.

Visual SVN

If you prefer to take Visual Studio integration for source control you can check out VisualSvn (http://www.visualsvn.com/) which provides integration with TortoiseSVN directly from within Visual Studio. Visual SVN works with your existing Subversion folders and so information technology doesn't apply Visual Studio version control provider (a good thing IMHO). Rather it talks to the TortoiseSVN APIs and gets its data directly from the file store. I haven't used Visual SVN for long but so far it looks nice, although I've gotten then used to using Explorer for source command it doesn't help significantly to have the integration.

1 thing that's definitely easier is creation of new projects – you can but use Add to Subversion and VSVN volition take care of creating the co-operative and checking out the files for you.

It's definitely dainty to encounter the status of files right in the IDE and it'south also nice if you frequently add together new files to the system equally VSVN knows nigh Visual Studio file associations and automatically adds all related files.

This tool isn't free but it's cheap – it costs $49 per user which is worth it if you lot call up you need the Visual Studio integration.

There are several other add-ins available including Ankh, simply I had a number of bug with it and so I didn't spend much time with information technology. Visual SVN seems smoothen and unobtrusive and feels more like an extension of Tortoise SVN that works within of Visual studio which is not bad.

Destructive Evolution

Subversion has been a great boon for me. How can it not be with such a destructive name? I've teetered back and forth between using source control and non using it in the by, because I've had my share of bug with various Visual Studio source control providers. I've used several dissimilar tools on projects and in my own piece of work simply near of the problems seem to originate not with the tools just inside Visual Studio itself. The end effect was that I'd employ source control for a while and so give up because it got in the fashion.

Since I started working with Subversion I've had no complaints about issues or compatibility in projects even when using projects beyond multiple source control repositories, and that's every bit information technology should be. I now use source control on every project even if it'southward purely local and for myself. Source control should be an unobtrusive tool that helps you exist more than productive and non make it your mode and Subversion fits that bill nicely for me.

In this article I've only covered the basics of getting up and running. Subversion supports all of the advanced features y'all'd expect of a meridian notch source control system. If you lot need that functionality it'due south in that location for you. But if you lot're just getting started stick with the basics until yous become familiar with Subversion and how it works – even the basic features take y'all a long way towards source code security and proper sharing betwixt multiple developers.

In that location'south much more functionality to cover and if you want to find out more you can read through the very comprehensive and even very readable Subversion and Tortoise documentation. Cheque it out and get Subversive yourself.

Source: https://west-wind.com/presentations/subversion/

Posted by: harrissirstion.blogspot.com

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