Setting up Subversion

December 11th, 2007

Just another one of those tasks to go through with a new client, setting up source control.  For small shops I’ve found the easiest way to get started is with Subversion.  The biggest problem you encounter is how to get Subversion installed and setup the first time.

I’ve finally found an install that takes all of the fuss out of getting Subversion installed: VisualSVN Server.

The thing is beautiful.  It gives you a single MSI package for the install, a nice gui tool to manage the server (add users, groups, and repositories).  The gui tool even gives you the ability to copy the repository url so you can paste it into TortoiseSVN (I use this tool to checkout, merge, and import files to Subversion, VisualSVN is a Visual Studio add-in to do the same thing).

All said and done, I had installed Subversion, created a repository, created a user, and check in my project in less than 10 minutes.  That is an accomplishment.

Chris Brandsma

  • http://tech.planetchrisman.com Mike Chrisman

    I use SVN and TortoiseSVN, but I also add ankhSVN (http://ankhsvn.tigris.org/) as it allows for any file added via the VS GUI to automatically be added to the SVN solution.

  • http://elegantcode.com David Starr

    There are development shops in the world without source control? What the….?

  • http://elegantcode.com Alex Mueller

    I use ankhSVN as well with VS 2005, I have not tried it yet with 2008, but I would suspect it will work. One thing I like and dislike with ankhSVN is that when I create a new file in my project, it automatically adds it to SVN, so I do not have to explicitly “add” each new file to SVN before I commit them. This is good, and it can be bad too, such as when I create a file, but then want to rename it. Then I have to deal with trying to delete a file that is automatically prepared to be added. When the project is fairly large, adding new files takes additional time to initialize with ankhSVN as well.

    I will check out VisualSVN and see how that is. Thanks Chris.

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