Re: SVN update in GNU Emacs 22.1.50

[Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null>]

Peter Dyballa <Peter_Dyballa@Web.DE> writes:

> Hello!
>
> I was trying to update a software by SVN. I launched GNU Emacs with - 
> Q and issued
>
> 	M-x load-library RET vc RET
>
> *Messages* added
>
> 	Loading vc...
> 	Loading easymenu...done
> 	Loading vc...done
>
> Then I issued
>
> 	M-x load-library RET vc-svn RET
>
> *Messages* added
>
> 	Loading vc-svn...done Loading
>
> Then I opened in dired the directory tree to update the software. I  tried
>
> 	M-x vc-svn- TAB
>
> and received the answer
>
> 	[No match]
>
> What am I doing wrong? Assuming that vc-svn.el is providing  interactive
> commands in the kind of cvs-up?
>

As I understand it, the vc- stuff is not really directory based (as in
CVS/Subversion) as it was originally developed for RCS style version
control systems, which are based on files and uses a locking
methodology. However, it has been extended and is capable of doing such
things, but in a rather unusual way because it has kept the same key
bindings (i.e. C-x v v etc). Persoanlly, I found this a little 'un-natural'
and have never felt comfortable with it, though it does appear to work fine
with svn.

I think that if you go into a svn directory and try to check out a file to
work on, it will automatically do an update if this is required (not jus
the file you are going to work on). This can be affected by customize
variables (in particular, the stay-local setting, which affects whether the
system will check remote repositories). Also, the supported backends
variable can have affect on how vc works. 

I persoanlly prefer using the PCL-CVS interface with the psvn.el add-on as
it gives you a directory based interface rather than a file based one. When
in your working directory, an svn-status command opens a buffer showing
which files have been modified locally and which ones have been updated in
the repository. You can then use keys like U to do an update, c to commit,
a to add or A to add recursively etc. I find this fits better with my
mental model of how subversion works.

Tim



-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au