RE: Re: how to check in a symlink?

It is not completely true that you cannot use symlinks on windows. On
Windows 2000 and Windows XP symlinks are possible if you are using the NTFS
file system.
At the following url you will find a program to create symlinks on ntfs
volumes: http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/misc.shtml
The tool is called junction (symlinks on windows are called junctions)
It is even possible to create hardlinks (See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/default.asp?url=
/windowsxp/home/using/productdoc/en/fsutil_hardlink.asp)

Marc

-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Warren [mailto:swarren@paramanet.com]
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 08:39 PM
To: John Peacock; Jeff Bowden
Cc: users@subversion.tigris.org
Subject: RE: Re: how to check in a symlink?

> From: John Peacock [mailto:jpeacock@rowman.com]
>
> Jeff Bowden wrote:
> > Exactly. Why would you want to check out a project with
> > symlinks on a platform that doesn't support them anyway?
> > Punting on Windows seems like the right solution.
>
> Why would you use a symlink in the first place?
>
> [HINT: it may be required to compile a sub-library]

No sub-library itself is ever going to require symlinks to compile on
Windows, since Windows doesn't support links.

So, I guess you're talking about your main build scripts finding where the
source etc. is for the sub-library.

In which case, I believe svn:externals will handle this very well...

Or, you "svn copy" your sub-library source into your main project", although
that'll branch it. This may work if your sub-library isn't shared across
multiple projects.

Or, your build system reads a config file that's checked into SVN, and the
config file contains the version/path/... that indicates where the
sub-library is stored. (I guess this is simulating symlinks using a text
file that your build scripts know how to use)

Or, you have convention that your sub-library working copies are stored in
the same directory as your main source working copy, so you know you go
<main_working_copy_directory>/../<sub_library_name> to find it.

However you solve it, no Windows build script is ever going to require
symlinks!

--
Stephen Warren, Software Engineer, Parama Networks, San Jose, CA
http://www.wwwdotorg.org/work_contact/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@subversion.tigris.org
For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@subversion.tigris.org
Visit us at the Telecom cITy Fair - The largest IT Fair in Belgium!
25, 26, 27 May - Brussels Expo
Get your free tickets here!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: users-unsubscribe@subversion.tigris.org
For additional commands, e-mail: users-help@subversion.tigris.org