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Re: What do you Hate about Subversion?

From: Jeff Smith <jsmith_at_robotronics.com>
Date: 2007-02-02 16:26:01 CET

On Thursday 01 February 2007 18:17, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
[...]
> I think it's an absolute
> requirement that svn shouldn't change the file content. If the
> file is text, and the transformation to native eol style is clear
> and reversible, then that's possible even with eol translation. If
> the file has mixed eols, I don't see a reasonable rule for what it
> should do: you want native eols on your platform, but you're
> starting with a file that doesn't have them. It would be
> unacceptable (to me) to commit a file then check it out and get
> something different. If the user declares a file to be text and
> wants "native" eol
> handling, then the file should be a file where that's possible, or
> svn should tell the user to figure out what he's really asking for.
[...]
> There are lots of tools to convert files. I don't want svn to
> become one of those, except to the minimal extent possible.
>
> Duncan Murdoch

Duncan, you make the most excellent point... It shows why there is
another alternative I'd prefer. You also demonstrate why you do agree
with the rest of us--that the mixed-EOL files should be converted
same as svn already converts any other EOL formats.

1. I don't think subversion should change the files during import
either. That is why I do not wish to rudely "convert" certain files
from the third-party vendor release, no matter what tools I'm using
(svn, unix2dos, dos2unix, etc.).
The alternative I had in mind is that svn should not convert ANY text
files on initial import even if automatic svn:eol-style IS being set.
The only decision upon import should be whether it is OK to treat
this file as text. There is no need for svn to convert text files in
any way for ANY EOL style, so why does it? Simply import the file,
and set the svn:eol-style or svn:mime-type to show that it is a valid
text-only file. Let the client do the converting on checkout. Of
course, I also think it should allow mixed EOL styles to pass as text
as long as the one importing approves. Remember, the user is always
right!

2. So you do in fact agree with everyone I've seen in this
discussion... Subversion should only accept it as text file if it can
be certain it is text. So ask the user, then it can be certain! The
undisputed fact is, svn has just as much right to change a text file
with mixed EOL as one that has consistent EOL style. The only
question was whether the user intended it to be text... so ASK THE
USER!

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Received on Fri Feb 2 16:27:00 2007

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