Is it possible to use svn:externals not recursively?

Hi,

We are maintaining an open source repository, and want to start using
subversion. We like the idea of externals, but face the following
problem:

Some of our projects (which themselves are stand-alone) are interrelated,
for example

B -> A (-> meaning requires)

C -> A, B

D -> A, C

We thought of using svn:externals to tell B to get A in a subdirectory,
and when we get C, we would like to get A and B in two parallel
subdirectories. However, if B defines svn:externals to get A, and C
defines svn:externals to get A and B, I obtain the directory structure

C - A
  |
  - B - A

i.e., I get A twice, possible with different revisions if those are
specified with the externals. (Of course, if I'm the project manager for
C and want to use a different version of A than what is current for B, I
need to make sure it works.)

Also, if the svn:externals are defined as above, when I define D to depend
on A and C, I get a copy of B that I don't need. (B might be a data
collection for test programs for A and C, but not for D.)

Our problems would be solved, if one could tell an entry in the
svn:externals not to recurse into further externals, e.g., if it would be
possible to give the --ignore-externals option to a line in the
svn:externals definition, but that doesn't seem supported at the moment?

I tried to find something on this on the mailing list archive, but
couldn't find anything. Is this something that is going to be supported
at some point? Or is there a workaround?

Many thanks in advance,

Andreas

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Received on Mon Apr 24 19:41:49 2006