Re: collected vs distributed working copy metadata

Here are some of the options as I see them:

1) Metadata in subdir of each directory

   pro: subdirs are easily detachable
   con: globbing problems, etc.

2) Metadata only in subdir of top directory

   pro: no globbing problems, except in top dir;
        export == checkout + remove metadata dir
   con: need special tool for detaching subdirs

3) Metadata in sibling dir of top directory:

   pro: no globbing problems at all;
        export == checkout
   con: no working copies for several projects off the same root;
        need special tool for detaching subdirs

4) Metadata in a completely separate tree

   con: Yuck (IMHO :-)

5) Metadata in _one file_ in each directory

   pro: subdirs are easily detachable;
        exactly as many globbing problems as, e.g., .cvsignore
   con: would have to be some sort of filesystem-in-a-file,
        not easily examined or modified by hand.

I'd go for 5), if we could have a reasonable implementation for
the metadata file, plus tools to view/modify the contents.
Otherwise I prefer 1), with possibly a safer name for the
metadata dir (oh, I can always "find . | fgrep -v /SVN").

    Brane

-- 
Branko Čibej                 <branko.cibej@hermes.si>
HERMES SoftLab, Litijska 51, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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