Question

how to get SVN to ignore a file in its repository

Asked by: cwolves

I'm trying to figure out how to get SVN to ignore a file that is in its repository, e.g. a config file that should be able to be changed per-developer.

The file has to be in source control because people need the initial version, but once it's checked out I never want it to be automatically checked in on a commit.

At the same time I, ideally, need to be able to explicitly check in the file, but I'm mainly after the above functionality.

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Asked On
2009-08-11 at 12:00:17ID24644225
Topics

Subversion

,

Version Control

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: cwolvesPosted on 2009-08-11 at 12:04:31ID: 25072234

I'm also perfectly happy for a solution that isn't automatic  :)

 

by: alainbrydenPosted on 2009-08-12 at 10:17:22ID: 25080732

This sounds like the property you are interested in exploiting:

"svn:ignore

The svn:ignore property contains a list of file patterns which certain Subversion operations will ignore. Perhaps the most commonly used special property, it works in conjunction with the global-ignores run-time configuration option (see the section called Config) to filter unversioned files and directories out of commands svn status, svn add, and svn import.

The rationale behind the svn:ignore property is easily explained. Subversion does not assume that every file or subdirectory in a working copy directory is intended for version control. Resources must be explicitly placed under Subversion's management using the svn add or svn import commands. As a result, there are often many resources in a working copy that are not versioned."

The article goes on to explain how to use ignore patterns. You have to set svn:ignore on the file once you've checked it out. If you want to check it back in again, unset svn:ignore, check it in, and then re-set it.

The details for the command are here http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.1/ch07s02.html
You can probably also find other resources, but I like this one. The SVN:ignore section is about half way down the page.

--
Alain

 

by: cwolvesPosted on 2009-08-24 at 13:42:02ID: 25172397

Thanks for the response, but I know what svn:ignore is and it doesn't work for what I need, or at least I can't see how to make it.  The problem is that svn:ignore completely removes / ignores the file from version control.  I need the file to be version controlled, however, as it needs to be checked out initially.

 

by: scifikillrPosted on 2009-11-05 at 18:09:39ID: 25756109

With a lot of the PHP applications we work within (Drupal, Joomla, etc), settings files are required that allow the application to connect to the database. What we usually do is::

a) Take the file in question (ex. settings.php), and add ".example" to the end of it.
b). Commit the file "settings.php.example" to the repository.
c). When the project is checked out (either locally, or in a test/staging/production environment), simply copy the file, renaming the new instance of the file "settings.php", and using svn:ignore to keep it out of the repository.

It's a small amount of extra work, but keeps the necessary code in the repository without it adversely affecting anything.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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