As per my prior emails, reading the TortoiseSVN manual (section 4.4)
makes it seem like creating a branch of some piece of the repository in
an existing working copy isn't possible (because the contextual menu
doesn't expose the checkout function when you click inside a working
copy). This is consistent with what I experienced.
Personally I think it's a bug, since it's something the command-line
client supports and it's something that's useful, but at least it's a
(sort-of) documented shortcoming. It would be more clear however to add
the following or something like it:
"Users familiar with the command line may be used to creating branches
of libraries within a project's working copy (for example, to add a
submodule) with a check-out operation executed within the working copy.
This approach is not directly supported by TortoiseSVN.
As a workaround, it is recommended that a server-side branch be made of
the library into the project (after ensuring that any new directories
added in the working copy are committed, if they are to contain the new
library branch). The project's working copy can then be updated and
will receive a working copy of the project-specific branch of the
library."
Also, as I skimmed the docs I happened across A.2.5., in which the
answer to the question mildly abuses the person asking the question,
with the retort "No - seriously - what did you expect to happen?" and
"You still have no clue what to do?"
This is consistent with, though not as bad as, the far ruder email I
got (from one of the owners of TortoiseSVN, of all people) and really
shouldn't be tolerated in a document that new users of SVN might be
reading to find out how to use a tool -- I assume you're not trying to
drive away your user base.
I think A.2.5. should eliminate the first two sentances:
"Your're [sic] trying to fool subversion aren't you? No - seriously -
what did you expect to happen?"
in favor of the more simple and relevant statement:
"When you delete a file and immediately try to add a replacement
(without committing the deletion), SVN has two pending conflicting
instructions -- to add AND remove the file."
The example is fine, but then before the step-by-step instructions I'd
suggest replacing:
"You still have no clue what to do? Well, in that case:"
with
"To recover from this problem, try the following:"
And if you agree that the attitude of A.2.5. is a little off-putting,
it might be worth scanning the rest of the manual for this sort of
thing.
If the change I suggest in 4.4. is inaccurate, please let me know
politely -- I'm an experienced user and administrator of SVN, not an
imbecile, and the clarification represents what I now believe to be a
reasonable workaround having read the TortoiseSVN documentation and
survived the trial-by-flame.
thanks,
hamilton
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Received on Sat Jan 8 09:23:00 2005