setup_svn.txt

Table of Contents
=================
1.  Introduction to Subversion
1.1 General repository handling
2.  Subversion guidelines for this project


1.  Introduction to Subversion
==============================

 Subversion is available at http://subversion.apache.org/

 It is recommended to read chapters 1-4 of the free eBook "Version Control with
 Subversion" at http://svnbook.red-bean.com/

1.1 General repository handling

 The trunk is always the current development and should have the complete
 history from the very first start to the latest edition.
 If the developers decide that the current development is ready for release,
 then there are normally two options:

 a) No testing period needed, so just "tag" the current trunk as the new release
    by copying trunk to the tags folder.
    Developers immediately continue to develop new features in trunk.
    The tag folder can be checked out to get exactly the code source of that
    release.

 b) Longer testing period necessary, so copy the current trunk to the branches
    folder.
    Developers immediately continue to develop new features in trunk.
    Meanwhile using the branch copy for testing the upcoming release. If the
    branch (=release) is stable it gets "tagged" by being copied to the tags
    folder. Changes can be merged back and forth from the trunk.

 trunk    = normal development
 tags     = "fixed" versions
 branches = separate development from trunk
            (like fixing new release or heavy code re-structuring)


2.  Subversion guidelines for this project
==========================================

 a) First maintain the global-ignores list in your svn config file on your
    computer.
    This is to avoid accidentally commiting temporary files from you or your
    tools. As a good template the file "svn_client_config.txt" can be used.

    See also:
    http://svnbook.red-bean.com/nightly/en/svn.advanced.confarea.html#svn.advanced.confarea.opts.config
    http://tortoisesvn.net/node/64

 b) If you create new directories in the repository, then please use the file
    "svn_dir_ignore_list.txt" as a template for initialising their svn-ignore
    property.

    Command: "svn propset svn:ignore --file svn_dir_ignore_list.txt path/to/folder"

 c) Before doing bigger changes, especially re-arranging files and directories,
    talk to the project maintainers and contributors first.
    Using the developer mailing list for this is recommended.