directory named "_svn" is ignored

[beware: this message was originally posted on the users list yesterday
(http://subversion.tigris.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=users&msgNo=71890)
Karl Fogel suggested, to put it here, too]

Hi,

I am using subversion v.1.4.4 on debian (x86, lenny).

Recently I encountered a strange problem: I was unable to update a working
directory when giving its complete path (output: 'skipping "."').
This problem disappeared, as soon as I changed to that directory before
updating.

I tracked down the problem to the name of the last directory node: the
problem only occours, when the directory is called "_svn".

It seems like subversion ignores directories named like that due to
compatibility towards the windows environment.
(http://subversion.tigris.org/svn_1.3_releasenotes.html - "Enhancements &
bugfixes" -> "Official support for windows '_svn' directories")

I am running linux and I did not set the mentioned environment variable
(SVN_ASP_DOT_NET_HACK), thus I do not expect, that directories called "_svn"
are treated as invalid.

See the commands and comments below to reproduce this behaviour:
(a working local copy called 'test' is required)

# check the working copy
$ svn up test
Revision 5.
# ok

# check if the working copy is usable after renaming to "_svn"
$ mv test _svn
$ svn up _svn/
Skipped '.'
# failure!

# change into the directory and do the same
$ cd _svn/
$ svn up
Revision 5.
# ok

# are subdirectories accessible?
$ cd ..
$ svn up _svn/wg-ludwig/
Revision 5.
# ok

btw: the same applies to directories named ".svn". But in this case it would be
less likely, that someone names a working copy like that.
My case of using "_svn" as a name is real. It took me some hours to
identify the root cause :(

It seems to me, as if svn would be guessing, that the parent directory is
meant, in case someone accesses directories called ".svn" or "_svn".
I do not expect a command line client to do this kind of guessing.

In case you really have to rely on this guessing, I would prefer, if there
would be a test (e.g. is there a subdirectory ".svn" inside of the specified
directory?), that would make sure, that the specified direcotory was _really_ a
mistake and not just "could-be-a-mistake".

thanks for your time!
reards,
Lars

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Received on Sun Nov 11 11:43:53 2007