Using svn:external to point to files

[Vincent Thornley <vt...@iee.org>]

I am a convert to subversion from MS SourceSafe. I have been trying to
duplicate the effect of the SourceSafe 'share' feature where a file can be
shared from one sub-project to another and will track the changes made to it
(not quite the same as branching, so copy is not what I want).

I recently discovered the svn:externals property, which seems to be just
what I want. However, I have a couple of issues with this that aren't clear
from the subversion book or the mailing list correspondence:

Is it possible to make the external property point to an individual file
rather than a whole folder? It doesn't appear to work for me.

If the answer to the above question is 'yes': is it possible to set multiple
svn:external properties to the same destination folder, and even to include
other source in that folder?

As I said above I feel that the subversion book is a little light on this so
when I have got to the bottom of it I am happy to produce some patches to
improve the description, however, I am having difficulty discovering the
source for the documentation. Can someone point me in the right direction
please?

Lastly, thanks for a great piece of software.

Vincent Thornley

Re: Using svn:external to point to files

[Ulrich Eckhardt <ec...@satorlaser.com>]

Vincent Thornley wrote:
> Is it possible to make the external property point to an individual file
> rather than a whole folder? It doesn't appear to work for me.

That's almost a FAQ, it was asked&answered less than two weeks ago. The answer 
is no.

BTW: the winmail.dat you sent is bigger than your whole message....

cheers

Uli


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Re: Using svn:external to point to files

["C. Michael Pilato" <cm...@collab.net>]

"Ian Brockbank" <ia...@wolfsonmicro.com> writes:

> I gather from comments in the feature requests that there are ideas
> about replacements for svn:externals.  Can you tell us anything about
> these?

Unfortunately, no.  I'd rather defer that until the developers settle
on a plan.

> I too would find svn:externals being allowed to apply to files useful.
> Were there technical reasons for the decision, or was it just that CVS
> modules don't?

Technical reasons.  Subversion doesn't let you checkout files because
multiple files checked out from different repositories into the same
directory would necessarily need to share an .svn/entries file.  Until
Subversion supports using a single .svn/entries file to refer to stuff
from different repositories (which we *do* want it to eventually do),
we can't allow single-file checkouts.

> When you do this, it might also be worth pointing out that you can only
> refer to absolute URLs, so if you have references within your
> repository, and you move your repository to somewhere else, all your
> svn:externals definitions will be broken.

Ah, yes.  That's a good point.  Thanks.

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RE: Using svn:external to point to files

[Ian Brockbank <ia...@wolfsonmicro.com>]

Hi Michael,

> > Is it possible to make the external property point to an individual
file
> > rather than a whole folder? It doesn't appear to work for me.
> 
> Nope.  Currently, you can't only point to a directory.

I gather from comments in the feature requests that there are ideas
about replacements for svn:externals.  Can you tell us anything about
these?

I too would find svn:externals being allowed to apply to files useful.
Were there technical reasons for the decision, or was it just that CVS
modules don't?

> > As I said above I feel that the subversion book is a little light on
> > this
> 
> That would be my fault.  I've added a TODO item for myself to clarify
> this section with respect to the directory-only nature of
> externals definition support.

When you do this, it might also be worth pointing out that you can only
refer to absolute URLs, so if you have references within your
repository, and you move your repository to somewhere else, all your
svn:externals definitions will be broken.

Cheers,

Ian Brockbank C.Eng. MBCS
Applications Software Engineer
e: ian.brockbank@wolfsonmicro.com / apps@wolfsonmicro.com
scd: ian@scottishdance.net
t: +44 131 272 7145
f: +44 131 272 7001


Wolfson Microelectronics plc
www.wolfsonmicro.com
T +44 131 272 7000
F +44 131 272 7001
Registered in Scotland 89839

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Re: Using svn:external to point to files

["C. Michael Pilato" <cm...@collab.net>]

"Vincent Thornley" <vt...@iee.org> writes:

> Is it possible to make the external property point to an individual file
> rather than a whole folder? It doesn't appear to work for me.

Nope.  Currently, you can't only point to a directory.

> As I said above I feel that the subversion book is a little light on
> this

That would be my fault.  I've added a TODO item for myself to clarify
this section with respect to the directory-only nature of
externals definition support.

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