Svn copy directories

Question

It happens to me to modify or generate files or entire directory trees outside a versioned directory.

The problem is that whenever I copy back the tree to the svn-versioned directory (for example with Finder in MacOSX), .svn directories get overridden and Subversion starts complaining. What's a solution?

Thanks

Answer 1

The answer to your problem is using or a 3-URL-merge

svn_load_dirs.pl

See these question which have an extremly similar topic:

• best way to replace a whole directory tree in subversion (about svn_load_dirs.pl)

• are there any alternatives to svn_load_dirs.pl? (3-URL-merge)

Note: Simply copying directories over the new version will NOT delete files which are removed in the current version. These files will be unchanged which is at least confusing, most of the time an annoyance and sometimes even an error

Answer 2

Switch to the svn client v1.7 and update the working copy to the 1.7 format. It keeps all metadata in a single subfolder of the woking copy root folder. Hope, it helps with your problem.

Subversion 1.7 Working Copy Metadata Storage Improvements

Answer 3

Use some serious utility (e.g. on Windows I use Total Commander, I hope there exist such utilities for MAC). Such tools have options that allow you to specify what you want to copy and what to skip. If push comes to shove - write a simple shell script that copies everything, but .svn directory.

Also, SVN 1.7 working copy format has .svn only at the top level of your working copy under regular circumstances. So switching to 1.7 may somewhat ease your workflow.

Answer 4

Files can be modified outside the versioned directory and copied back later. However, versioned directories contain hidden data about the files it contains and overwriting a directory is not going to work.

I don't see a good reason to work outside the versioned directory and as a conclusion I encourage you to read the SVN book, especially the "move" section : http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.1/re18.html