Slightly OT: Version Control Software For Java

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cppaddict - 30 Jan 2006 06:14 GMT

Hi,

A custom Java app (of a few hundred class files) is installed on a
number of computers in my home, as well as on my work computer. I make
changes to it (almost daily) that affect only a few small files. I'd
like to find a (preferably free) program that can do something like
the following:

I make a change, then click "update on server." The program sends any
modified files (and only modified files) to my web server (whose ftp
or ssh information i will have configured in the program).

Now, when I am on any of computers (which would also have the program
I'm looking for installed), I just click "sync to latest version" and
it downloads the new files from my server.

I'm sure subversion could do what I want, but it seems like overkill
and looks difficult to learn.

Can anyone suggest a simple solution or simpler software?

Thanks in advance,
cpp

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Patrick May - 30 Jan 2006 07:04 GMT

> I'd like to find a (preferably free) program that can do something
> like the following:
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> I'm sure subversion could do what I want, but it seems like overkill
> and looks difficult to learn.

Subversion does, indeed, do exactly what you want (aside from
that clicky stuff -- use a command line like a real programmer). It's
also one of the easier source code control systems to learn -- not as
simple as SCCS perhaps, but far simpler than ClearCase.

Read the Subversion book sections on setting up a repository,
importing existing files, checking out, updating, and committing.
That should be all you need to start.

Regards,

Patrick

------------------------------------------------------------------------
S P Engineering, Inc. | The experts in large scale distributed OO
| systems design and implementation.
pjm@spe.com | (C++, Java, Common Lisp, Jini, CORBA, UML)

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Roedy Green - 30 Jan 2006 08:04 GMT

> Subversion does, indeed, do exactly what you want (aside from
>that clicky stuff -- use a command line like a real programmer). It's
>also one of the easier source code control systems to learn -- not as
>simple as SCCS perhaps, but far simpler than ClearCase.

for links to comparison charts see
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/versioncontrol.html

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Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
http://mindprod.com Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.

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Hendrik Maryns - 30 Jan 2006 12:14 GMT

Patrick May schreef:

>> I'd like to find a (preferably free) program that can do something
>> like the following:
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> importing existing files, checking out, updating, and committing.
> That should be all you need to start.

And if you are using Eclipse, there is an excellent plugin (Subversion),
which does all of this stuff for you. Only getting the server going is
a bit cumbersome.

H.

- --
Hendrik Maryns

==================
www.lieverleven.be
http://aouw.org

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Francesco Devittori - 30 Jan 2006 07:06 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Thanks in advance,
> cpp

In fact subversion is not difficult at all. Once you have it installed
on the server, you simply do

svn checkout https://your-host/your_repository

to get the latest version ('svn update' if you already have an older
version), and

svn commit

to submit your changes. You can also install something like trac on the
server to keep track of your changes. There is also tortoise svn
(http://tortoisesvn.tigris.org/) which is a graphical frontend to
subversion.

In my opinion once you learn how to use subversion you'll feel lost when
working on a project without it!

Francesco

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Roedy Green - 30 Jan 2006 07:30 GMT

>I make a change, then click "update on server." The program sends any
>modified files (and only modified files) to my web server (whose ftp
>or ssh information i will have configured in the program).

I use NetLoad for that. they are no longer supporting it but I think
they will still sell a copy. see
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/netload.html

One of my student projects is about writing a decent FTP upload. See
http://mindprod.com/projects/smartftp.html
My irritation level right now with other people's FTP uploaders is
about 9 of 10. It will likely be the next major project I on my own
time.

If you have the right to run code on your server, see rsync. See
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/rsync.html

Signature

Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
http://mindprod.com Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.

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Roedy Green - 30 Jan 2006 08:08 GMT

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 07:30:47 GMT, Roedy Green
<my_email_is_posted_on_my_website@munged.invalid> wrote, quoted or
indirectly quoted someone who said :

>I use NetLoad for that. they are no longer supporting it but I think
>they will still sell a copy. see
>http://mindprod.com/jgloss/netload.html

this is for publishing stuff to the world. I also use the Replicator.
See http://mindprod.com/webstarts/replicator.html

But if what you are really doing is trying to keep source code
listings in sync with backup, you need a proper version control
system.

Signature

Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
http://mindprod.com Java custom programming, consulting and coaching.

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Thomas Weidenfeller - 30 Jan 2006 07:58 GMT

> A custom Java app (of a few hundred class files) is installed on a
> number of computers in my home, as well as on my work computer. I make
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Can anyone suggest a simple solution or simpler software?

It's not clear from your description if you want to manage source files
or compiled .class files.

For class files: Install the application via web start on your client
computers, and provide the updates via web start if the application has
changed.

For source files, it sounds as if you want a central repository. Among
the commonly used free version control systems this doesn't rule out
RCS, but it need wrappers to so. Which leaves CVS and Subversion. I
would go for Subversion. CVS can be extremely annoying when it comes to
such simple things as renaming a file.

/Thomas

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Jeffrey Schwab - 30 Jan 2006 13:53 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> I'm sure subversion could do what I want, but it seems like overkill

So what? Having support for features you don't yet need, but are likely
to need in the future, is unlikely to hurt you.

> and looks difficult to learn.

It's not. I just use it to hold all those little throw-away scripts,
some of which I realize I need again several months later. Subversion
does seem to get confused about what's in my sandbox now and then
(beyond what svn cleanup can fix), but I've not lost any data to it in
the year I've been using it.

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cppaddict - 31 Jan 2006 01:18 GMT

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who replied. I think I'll find
everything I need starting here....

cpp

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Slightly OT: Version Control Software For Java

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