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How to use svn:externals

PostPosted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:10 pm
by dfclark
I have local checked out copies of two hierarchies, both from same repository. Simply they appear as follows:
ApplesProject (top-level folder)
-----ApplesFolder1
-----ApplesFolder2
---------ApplesFile1

OrangesProject (top-level folder)
----OrangesFolder1
----OrangesFolder2
--------OrangesFile1

How would I utilize svn:externals to make my local view of ApplesProject look like this:

ApplesProject (top-level folder)
----ApplesFolder1
----ApplesFolder2
--------ApplesFile1
--------OrangesFile1

I thought I could navigate to ApplesFolder2, then click right-click -> Show SVN Properties, then click the + sign, choose svn:externals as the Name and paste in the URL for OrangesFile1, but when I do that I get an error from Syncro stating:

Operation failed: svn: Error parsing svn:externals property on '/Users/xxxxx/Dev/ApplesProject/ApplesFolder2': 'http://svn.yyyyyyyyyy.com/svn/OrangesProject/OrangesFolder2/OrangesFile1'

Re: How to use svn:externals

PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:40 pm
by adrian
Hi,

You were very close.
Note that svn:externals takes pairs of two values (most common use case): the URL pointing to the external item (being either a folder or a file) and the local name (or even a local sub-path, relative to the folder on which the svn:externals property is set) of the external item (as it will appear in the current working copy folder structure).
So, all you need to do is edit the value and insert a folder name after the URL (any name will do; e.g. 'URL OrangesFile1', if you want to preserve the name of the folder it points to). If the name of the external item contains any empty spaces, it must be wrapped in double-quote (") characters.

You can find out more information about svn:externals property in the SVN Book: http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.7/svn. ... rnals.html

Also, you can use the Working Copy view's contextual menu option New > New External Folder (available only when selecting a working copy folder).

Regards,
Adrian