This topic outlines the steps you need to perform to get started with SVN. This is just a basic guide to show you the components you need to install and where you need to install them. It does not replace the installation instructions for the individual components. If you do not feel comfortable with installing components like this yourself please get help from an experienced friend or colleague or your system administrator. Also, please take the time to study and follow the instructions for the versions you are installing.
One of the best and easiest ways to get an SVN server is to purchase an inexpensive NAS (Network Attached Storage) unit from Synology or QNAP. These units have SVN server packages that can be installed with a few simple clicks, making them very easy to set up and maintain. In addition to this, you get the added benefits of a central backup solution with protection against hard drive failure, because they are designed to protect your data even if individual drives fail.
Check that the individual unit supports SVN
Some models from Synology and QNAP don't support the SVN package. Check that it is supported before purchasing.
Use an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)!
Always use an uninterruptible power supply unit with battery backup on the unit where the SVN server is installed. The one thing that servers and NAS units generally cannot handle is power failures! The UPS units from APC are inexpensive, very reliable and have plug-and-play support for the Synology and QNAP NAS units.
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This is the standard installation for authors working in teams. You install the main SVN component on a server computer and the client software on each author's own local computer. The repository (database) containing the master copy of your project is stored and managed on the server. The local copies that the authors work on are stored on each author's own computer and synchronized with the master copy in the repository on the server.
Note: See here for instructions on how to resolve problems on 64-bit Windows with SVN and Tortoise versions higher than 1.9.2.
1.Install and configure an SVN distribution (this is the server component) on a server computer on your network. Visual SVN and CollabNet are both good systems. .
2.Install an SVN client on all the computers using Help+Manual. We strongly recommend using Tortoise SVN because it provides the best support for Help+Manual and excellent integration in the Windows Explorer interface. But you can also use the Collabnet or Visual SVN clients if you wish. The older UberSVN distribution works, but it has now been discontinued by its producer so we can no longer recommend it. Generally, Tortoise is the preferred solution, however, Restart the computer after installing the client.
3.Add your project(s) to the SVN repository and have each author working on the project create a local working copy from the master copy in the repository. See Setting up Your HM Projects for details. |
If you are one author working on your own you can also get all the benefits of SVN on your local computer. If you want, you can go the full Monty and install the full version of SVN server on your local computer and link to that with the client. However, there is a simpler method, because the Tortoise SVN client package actually includes full SVN functionality for local use.
Note: See here for instructions on how to resolve current problems with Tortoise SVN
1.Download and install Tortoise SVN on your local computer.
2.That is all, there is no step 2. See Setting up Your HM Projects for details on creating local repositories with Tortoise and linking your Help+Manual projects to them. |
