Subversion - General Information

This appendix provides general information on the connection and definition of the Subversion Repository, including some concrete examples and a section on Meta Properties.

Repository Connection

IKAN ALM connects with the repository using the SVN client which must be installed on the IKAN ALM Server machine. The Command Path refers to the path where this SVN client is located.

A Subversion Repository is identified via its Repository URL, e.g., file:///path/to/repos or svn://servername or http://my.domain/repos. For more information, see the on-line book about Subversion "Version Control with Subversion, Chapter 2 - Basic Concepts" at http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.7/svn.basic.version-control-basics.html. In chapter 7 of this book you will find a table about repository URLs and a topic about the Subversion Repository.

In most cases a User ID and Password must be provided, unless the repository is not protected (e.g., for the svn protocol, anon-access = write in the svnserver.con file) or unless the credentials of the user running the IKAN ALM web server or application server process are stored in this user’s private runtime config area (~/.subversion/auth/ or %APPDATA%/Subversion/Auth/). See also http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.7/svn.serverconfig.netmodel.html#svn.serverconfig.netmodel.credcache.

Repository Definition

Specific fields in the Subversion definition are necessary to support the flexible setup of a Subversion Repository Layout (see http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.2/svn.reposadmin.projects.html#svn.reposadmin.projects.chooselayout).

This sections provides the following information:

Specific Fields

The following specific fields have been added to the Subversion definition:

  • Trunk Directory

  • Tags Directory

  • Repository Layout

Trunk Directory

The Trunk Directory is the directory of the “head” or “main” development stream. Its default name is trunk, but other names are allowed, e.g., main, head.

This directory may reside directly under the repository path, or be defined per project, depending on the settings of the Repository Layout field described here below.

The Trunk field may have an empty value only if the Repository Layout field has the "Repository-oriented" value. In the case of a Project-oriented or Single Project-oriented Repository Layout, the Trunk directory must be specified to avoid infinite continuous builds if a schedule is set on such a repository definition (because the Tags directory would be part of the trunk, tagging would mean changing the trunk, and you would get an infinite loop).

Tags Directory

The Tags Directory is the directory where IKAN ALM creates the tags (also called labels) after a successful build. Its default name is tags, but other names are allowed, e.g., tag.

This directory may reside directly under the repository path, or be defined per project, depending on the settings of the Repository Layout field.

Repository Layout

The default Repository Layout is "Project-oriented". Other possible values are: "Repository-oriented" and "Single Project-oriented".

See the Layout Examples for the configuration of the 4 possible Layouts.

Layout Examples

This section provides some possible repository project layouts followed by the possible solution in IKAN ALM for a Subversion Repository.

The directory names used (trunk, tags, branches) are fully arbitrary. If you decided to call the trunk "main" or "head", or the branches "stream" or ., you are free to do so.

Layout 1 (Project-oriented)

Structure in the Subversion Repository:

/

/calc

/calc/trunk

/calc/branches

/calc/tags

/paint

/paint/trunk

/paint/branches

/paint/tags

Definition in IKAN ALM:

URL = Repository URL defined in the Subversion definition.
Description Value

Trunk Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Trunk Directory for the Subversion Repository.

trunk

Tags Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Tag Directory for the Subversion Repository.

tags

Repository Layout (Subversion Repository)

One of the 3 possible Repository Layouts.

Project-oriented

VCR Project Name (Project Definition)

The name of the Project as known within the VCR.

calc

Validate Project (Project Definition)

When clicking “Check Project Name in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/calc/trunk

URL/calc/tags

Check-out Main (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the head stream of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/calc/trunk

Tag Sample Main (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in the head stream.

URL/calc/tags/H_1-0_b1

VCR Branch ID (Branch Project Stream Definition)

The Branch ID defined within the VCR.

/calc/branches/B_1-2

Validate Branch (Branch Project Stream Definition)

When clicking “Check Branch ID in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/calc/branches/B_1-2

Check-out Branch (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the Branch of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/calc/branches/B_1-2

Tag Sample Branch (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in a branch stream.

URL/calc/tags/B_1-2_b5

Layout 2 (Repository-oriented)

Structure in the Subversion Repository:

/

/trunk

/trunk/calc

/trunk/paint

/tags/paint

/tags/calc

/branches

Definition in IKAN ALM:

URL = Repository URL defined in the Subversion definition.
Description Value

Trunk Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Trunk Directory for the Subversion Repository.

trunk

Tags Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Tag Directory for the Subversion Repository.

tags

Repository Layout (Subversion Repository)

One of the 3 possible Repository Layouts.

Repository-oriented

VCR Project Name (Project Definition)

The name of the Project as known within the VCR.

calc

Validate Project (Project Definition)

When clicking “Check Project Name in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/trunk/calc

URL/tags/calc

Check-out Main (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the head stream of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/trunk/calc

Tag Sample Main (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in the head stream.

URL /tags/calc/H_1-0_b1

VCR Branch ID (Branch Project Stream Definition)

The Branch ID defined within the VCR.

/branches/calc/B_1-2

Validate Branch (Branch Project Stream Definition)

When clicking “Check Branch ID in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/branches/calc/B_1-2

Check-out Branch (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the Branch of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/branches/calc/B_1-2

Tag Sample Branch (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in a branch stream.

URL /tags/calc/B_1-2_b5

Layout 3 (One Repository = One Project)

Structure in the Subversion Repository:

/

/trunk

/tags

/branches

Definition in IKAN ALM:

URL = Repository URL defined in the Subversion definition.
Description Value

Trunk Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Trunk Directory for the Subversion Repository.

trunk

Tags Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Tag Directory for the Subversion Repository.

tags

Repository Layout (Subversion Repository)

One of the 3 possible Repository Layouts.

Single Project-oriented

VCR Project Name (Project Definition)

The name of the Project as known within the VCR.

Empty

Validate Project (Project Definition)

When clicking “Check Project Name in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/trunk

URL/tags

Check-out Main (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the head stream of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/trunk

Tag Sample Main (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in the head stream.

URL /tags/H_1-0_b1

VCR Branch ID (Branch Project Stream Definition)

The Branch ID defined within the VCR.

/branches/B1-2

Validate Branch (Branch Project Stream Definition)

When clicking “Check Branch ID in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/branches/B1-2

Check-out Branch (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the Branch of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/branches/B1-2

Tag Sample Branch (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in a branch stream.

URL /tags/B_1-2_b5

Layout 4 (Repository-oriented, no trunk)

Structure in the Subversion Repository:

/

/calc (= trunk directory)

/paint (= trunk directory)

/tags/paint

/tags/calc

/branches

Definition in IKAN ALM:

URL = Repository URL defined in the Subversion definition.
Description Value

Trunk Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Trunk Directory for the Subversion Repository.

Empty

Tags Directory (Subversion Repository)

The Tag Directory for the Subversion Repository.

tags

Repository Layout (Subversion Repository)

One of the 3 possible Repository Layouts.

Repository-oriented

VCR Project Name (Project Definition)

The name of the Project as known within the VCR.

calc

Validate Project (Project Definition)

When clicking “Check Project Name in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/calc

URL/tags/calc

Check-out Main (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the head stream of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/calc

Tag Sample Main (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in the head stream.

URL /tags/calc/H_1-0_b1

VCR Branch ID (Branch Project Stream Definition)

The Branch ID defined within the VCR.

/branches/calc/B_1-2

Validate Branch (Branch Project Stream Definition)

When clicking “Check Branch ID in the VCR” the existence of these directories is checked.

URL/branches/calc/B_1-2

Check-out Branch (Level Request Handling)

Directory checked out from the Branch of the project in the “Retrieve Code” Phase.

URL/branches/B1-2

Tag Sample Branch (Level Request Detail)

Sample of a tag after a successful build in a branch stream.

URL /tags/calc/B_1-2_b5

Fetching Meta Properties

Subversion provides interfaces for adding, modifying, and removing versioned metadata on versioned directories and files. Those metadata are referred to as properties, see the "Version Control with Subversion, Chapter 7 - Advanced Properties" book at http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.2/svn.advanced.props.html, which explains how to use and set these properties on files and directories.

IKAN ALM makes it possible to use those properties during the build and deploy processes. If the "Fetch Meta Properties" value is set to yes, the following will happen during the build process:

  1. Creation of a properties file (vcr.properties)

    At the end of the "Retrieve Code" Phase during the handling of a Level Request a properties file vcr.properties will be created in the root directory of the checked out code. This file will contain all meta properties of the files in the checked out URL (trunk or branch) in the following form:

    path.to.file.filename.propertyname=propertyvalue

    If a file has multiple properties linked to it, this will of course result in multiple entries in the vcr.properties file.

    Some samples

    Sample 1: A property with property name register and property value true on the file /bin/Musicbiz.dll will result in the following propertyline: bin.Musicbiz.dll.register= true

    Sample 2: The file /MusicLib/WEB-INF/web.xml has two properties linked to it: servletspecs=2.5 and unchangeable=true. This will result in following property lines in the vcr.properties file:

    MusicLib.WEB-INF.web.xml.servletspecs= 2.5

    MusicLib.WEB-INF.web.xml.unchangeable= true

  2. Transportation of the vcr.properties file to the Source Directory of the Build Environment

    During the "Transport Source" Phase of a Build process the vcr.properties file will be transported to the source directory of the Build Environment together with the sources checked out from your Subversion trunk or branch directory.

    In order to use the properties, the build script should be adapted, e.g., when using an ANT scripting tool, the properties may be imported in the script via a <property file="vcr.properties"/> task.

  3. Inclusion of the vcr.properties file in the Build result

    When these properties should also be available during a following deploy process(es), i.e., on a deploy environment that is linked to this build environment, the vcr.properties file should be included in the Build result.

    This can be achieved by including a copy instruction in the build script which copies the vcr.properties file from the source (predefined build parameter source) to the target (predefined build parameter target) directory of the Build Environment.

    In that way the vcr.properties file will be included in the build result, and as a consequence it will be available to be used in the deploy script during a deploy action of this build result.