Building A Subversion Server

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Building A Subversion Server

• Version Control for Your Robot Software
• By Hugh Meyer
• FRC Team 1741
• Red Alert Robotics
• Greenwood Indiana
• April 16, 2009

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Purpose

• The purpose of this session is to provide a
  comprehensive overview of the process to build
  and use a subversion server by supplying you
  enough information to implement your own server
  and expose sources of additional information for
  more detailed help.
• By Hugh Meyer FRC Team 1741

3
Introduction to Subversion

• What it is and why we need it
• The Problem of File Sharing
• Memory Stick Nightmares
• Ultimate Backup System
• Giant edit undo button

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What is Subversion and why do we need it

• Subversion is software that is designed to help
  programmers keep track of different changes or
  versions of code
• It allows several people to share and work on the
  same code at the same time
• It simplifies the process of merging code from
  different developers

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The Problem of File Sharing

• When two or more people need to modify the same
  file at the same time on different computers
• How to prevent users from over writing each
  others changes
• There are two ways to solve this
• The Lock-Modify-Unlock Solution
• The Copy-Modify-Merge Solution

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Memory Stick Nightmares

• Students tend to share files by memory sticks so
  it is easy for them to share program code this
  way.
• As they develop code the number of different
  files, that are really the same file modified
  over and over increases beyond control very
  quickly.
• Tracking who has the latest version is very
  difficult and merging changes from different
  users is very time consuming and error prone.

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Ultimate Backup System

• Have you ever lost work because your computer
  crashed?
• It is not a matter of if you computer disk
  crashes but when!

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Giant edit undo button

• Have you ever lost work because you saved a file
  that you changed and wished you had the previous
  file back?
• Edit undo is great, but some times it is only
  good to a point.

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Computer Hardware

• Get a computer to build your server
• If you have the funds get the biggest hard drive
  you can
• If you have the funds get the fastest CPU you can
• If you have the funds get the most memory you can
• If you dont have funds dont worry! Just about
  anything will do!

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Machine Requirements

• Generally speaking not very demanding.
• OS needs about 200 meg of disk space.
• Memory required is 8 meg.
• CPU is 386 and up.
• More is always better

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Ideas for Cheap Machines

• Talk to your school network administrator
• Talk to your sponsors IT department
• Talk to you church IT administrator
• Ask parents of students

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Load and Configure Operating System NetBSD

• Download ISO image and burn boot disk
• Run the install process
• Learn basic command for VI text editor (Google
  is your friend)
• Setup IP address, gateway, DNS servers
• Connect system to the Internet
• Test connection
• Install Package System
• Setup svn user and svn_user group
• Configure any firewalls you are behind to open
  svn port 3690

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Download ISO Image and Burn Boot Disk

• Go to the NetBSD website.
• Click on the download NetBSD link.
• I like to download the ISO image and burn a
  bootable CD.
• I generally will download from the master site in
  California.
• Use this file and your favorite disk burning
  software to make a bootable disk.
• In Nero the command is burn image under the
  recorder menu item.
• This process is not the same as burning a data
  disk.

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Running the Install Process

• Be sure your computer will boot from the CDrom
  drive. You may need to adjust a setting in your
  cmos.
• Follow the wizard prompts. The defaults will
  nearly always work and are usually the best
  choices.
• Reboot the machine.
• Review the afterboot man page. It provides a
  check list of stuff to complete after a new
  install.

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Learn Some Basic OS Commands

• Command cd in this context is change directory
• cd / puts you at the root level
• Command cd etc is where most files you need to
  change will be
• Command ls gives a listing of files
• Command pwd prints working directory
• Command dmesg shows boot messages that go so fast
  you miss them

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Learn Basic OS Commands

• Man pages are built in help
• apropos searches the man pages
• The pipe more function is handy
• The documentation on the NetBSD website is good
• How to documents on the NetBSD website are nice

17
Learn Basic Commands for VI Text Editor

• Initiate the editor with the command vi
  filename of the file you want to edit
• Command vi rc.conf edits a primary
  configuration file
• J moves down, k moves up, l moves left, h moves
  right
• Command x exits and saves
• See resource page for more

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Setup IP address, gateway, DNS servers

• Edit /etc/rc.conf file to insert ifconfig line
  and defaultroute gateway.
• Ifconfig ex0 inet xx.xx.xx.xx netmask
  255.255.255.xx using the IP address and netmask
  for your internet connection.
• defaultroutexx.xx.xx.xx
• Edit /etc/resolv.conf to include your ISP
  namservers
• nameserver xx.xx.xx.xx

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Connect System to the Internet

• Plug in network cable to your network device
• Be sure it is 100 mbps if possible
• Check link lights

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Test connection

• Ping your router
• ping ww.xx.yy.zz
• Ping your name servers
• Do a name lookup to be sure DNS is working
  nslookup google.com
• If these three work you can count it good

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Install NetBSD Package System

• I like to use sup to install the package system.
  It takes longer to download initially, but after
  that it only downloads the updates files and will
  automatically handle deleting old files. The
  following commands will do the job.
• mkdir /etc/supfiles /usr/sup
• cp /usr/share/examples/supfiles/sup.netbsd.org
  /etc/supfiles/coll.list

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Install NetBSD Package System

• Edit the /etc/supfiles/coll.list, and comment out
  (add a to the start) all lines except the block
  of two lines that start current releasepkgsrc
• Run sup to update pkgsrc with the command sup s
  v
• Be aware this will take a while. I let it run at
  night and it is done in the morning.

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Setup svn user and svn_user group

• useradd m svn
• groupadd svn_usr
• usermod G svn_usr svn

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Define Repository Files Location

• Log in as the user svn before creating repository
• Create the directory structure where you want
  your repository located
• mkdir /usr2/repos
• Verify that directories are set to correct user
  and group with the ls l command

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Configure Any Firewalls You Are Behind to Open
SVN Port 3690

• Subversion uses port 3690
• This port must be open if you are behind any fire
  walls
• If this is on a school network then you will need
  your network administrator to do this
• If you are on Comcast or ATT or similar service
  then you may need to log into your router, or
  hopefully the port will be open by default
• You MUST have a static IP address

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Load and Configure Subversion

• Download, build, and install subversion using the
  package system
• Test your new subversion install
• Setup inetd to launch subversion on incoming
  request using svnserve
• Setup host allow and deny files to control access
  if desired
• Create repository using svnadmin create command
• Setup passwd and other conf files

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Download, Build, and Install Subversion Using the
Package System

• Easiest way to install is to use the NetBSD
  package system.
• Change directory to the package folder for
  subversion
• cd /usr/pkgsrc/devel/subversion
• make fetch-list sh

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Download, Build, and Install Subversion Using the
Package System

• make
• make install
• make clean
• make clean CLEANDEPENDSYES

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Test Your New Subversion Install

• Test the installation by entering the command
  svn ? more You should get a response of
  commands.
• Enter command svnadmin help you should get
  list of commands.
• If these work you are good to go.

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Setup inetd

• Inetd is a process that looks for incoming
  connections on the server and launches the
  appropriate executable depending on the requested
  service.
• The /etc/inetd.conf file must be updated to
  indicate what to do with a subversion request.
• Edit the /etc/inetd.conf file
• svn stream tcp nowait svn /usr/pkg/bin/svnserve
  svnserve i r /usr2/repos

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Setup Host Allow and Deny Files to Control Access
If Desired

• If you are concerned about security you can
  create two files that will tell inetd to allow or
  deny certain requests.
• Create an /etc/hosts.allow file
• Insert the following lines
• svnserve ALL or svnserve xx.xx.xx.xx

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Setup Host Allow and Deny Files to Control Access
If Desired

• Create a /etc/hosts.deny file
• ALLALL or any you know you want to keep out.
• I have the svn open so students can access it
  from home, but I do restrict other services like
  telnet to only allow connections from my home,
  the school, and my work.
• See the man page hosts_access(5) for more
  information on this feature.

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Create Repository Using svnadmin Create Command

• You should be logged in as user svn
• Change directory to the location you created
  earlier for your repository files
• I use /usr2/repos
• Create a directory that is named whatever you
  want your repository called with the mkdir
  command.
• Use the svnadmin command to create your
  repostiory
• svnadmin create /user2/repos/YouRepoName
• Change directory to the new location and you
  should have several directories with files in them

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Setup passwd and Other Conf Files

• Use command ls and you should see a folder conf
• cd to the conf folder
• Modify the svnserve.conf file to set access like
  you want and activate the password file
• The file explains what things do, so read and
  follow the instructions
• Modify the password file by adding the users you
  want to have access to your repository
• Your server setup is now complete

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Create and Initialize Client Working Environment

• Load Client Tools
• TortoiseSVN
• Subeclipse
• Subersion command line tools
• SlikSVN

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TortoiseSVN

• Integrated solution for Windows
• Implemented as a shell extension
• Works with any file type
• Visually shows you modified files with icon
  overlays
• Download from http//tortoisesvn.net/

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Subeclipse

• Integrated solution for Eclipse
• Used by the Wind River Workbench
• Instructions for installation are in chapter 4 of
  the FRC Software Guide

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Subversion Command Line Tools

• Useful for compilers
• Useful to IDEs that need to interface to the
  repository

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SlikSVN

• Command tool used by Wind River Workbench
• Instructions for installation are in chapter 4 of
  the FRC Software Guide

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Using Subversion

• Initial folders and files import
• Checkout working copy
• Commit changes made to working copy
• Update working copy to merge changes others have
  made

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Initial Folders and Files Import

• Setup branches, tags, and trunk folders
• Import the files you want in your trunk folder
• DELETE Your Local Copy!! (or just move it
  somewhere else)

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Checkout Working Copy

• Use appropriate tool to do initial checkout
• Test the working copy by compiling to be sure
  everything works

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Committing Working Copy

• Select commit option
• Dialog box will pop up showing what it plans to
  do
• Read this box carefully to be sure it is what you
  want to happen
• It will show new files and ask if you want to add
  them or ignore them

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Update Working Copy

• Before you start work always update your working
  copy
• You will get any modifications made by others
• Check the logs if you want to see activity
• Use the diff viewer to see exactly what has
  changed

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Using Your Server At Competitions

• Setup server as DHCP server to serve addresses in
  the range of its normal IP range
• When a user connects he will be assigned a
  network address similar to the server and can
  access the repository with no changes in the
  users local computer configuration

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Using Your Server At Competitions

• Add the following to the /etc/rc.conf file
• dhcpdYES
• dhcpd_flags-q YourNetInterface
• inetdNO
• /user/pkg/bin/svnserve d r /usr2/repos
  listen-hostxx.xx.xx.xx
• Setup /etc/dhcpd.conf file to serve up IP
  addresses see man page for details

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Using Subversion for FRC Code Base

• In Wind River Workbench
• Use Subclipse Integrated solution

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Using Subversion for FRC Code Base

• In LabVIEW
• Use TortoiseSVN on folder where the VI files are
  saved
• This will use the Lock-Modify-Unlock approach
  since LabVIEW files are binary and unknown by
  ToroiseSVN in the standard mode
• TortoiseSVN does have some settings for entering
  a diff, merge tool that might work with LabVIEW,
  but I have not tried that approach
• Load PushOK SVN for more integrated solution. See
  NI document in reference section for more
  detailed information about this option

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Using Subversion for FRC Code Base

• In MPLAB. Use TortoiseSVN on project folder
• Use integrated support via command line Subversion

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Additional Resources and References

• The Subversion documentation
• Books
• Web links
• Google is your friend

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Version Control With Subversion

• Version Control with Subversion, Second Edition
  by Ben Collins-Sussman, Brian W. Fitzpatrick, and
  C. Michael Pilato, published by OReilly
• http//oreilly.com/catalog/9780596510336/
• The reference book created by core members of the
  Subversion development team.

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NetBSD Operating System

• NetBSD is a free, secure, and highly portable
  Unix-like Open Source operating system available
  for many platforms, from large-scale server
  systems to powerful desktop systems to handheld
  and embedded devices.
• http//netbsd.org/
• Highly structured and disciplined code that is
  very stable and reliable.

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NetBSD Wiki

• The NetBSD Wiki is a collaborative writing
  project to build useful resources for NetBSD
  users
• http//netbsd.org/docs/

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TortoiseSVN

• TortoiseSVN is an easy to use SCM / source
  control software for Microsoft Windows
• It is implemented as a Windows shell extension,
  which makes it integrate seamlessly into the
  Windows explorer.
• Since it's not an integration for a specific IDE
  you can use it with whatever development tools
  you like.
• http//tortoisesvn.net/

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Subversion

• The most recent version of Subversion is 1.6.1.
  (As of April 13, 2009)
• You can install Subversion by compiling its
  source code release directly, or you can install
  one of the prepackaged binaries found here.
• http//subversion.tigris.org/getting.html

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Subclipse

• Subclipse is an Eclipse Team Provider plug-in
  providing support for Subversion within the
  Eclipse IDE. This is used for the Wind River
  Workbench tool provided to FRC teams.
• http//subclipse.tigris.org/
• The installation instructions in the FRC software
  guide are very good.

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FRC Chapter 4 Software Installation

• 4-FRC_Control_System-Software-Installation-0.10c.p
  df page 11 12
• Section 4.4.1.1
• Instructions for installing the SVN plug-in for
  Eclipse / Wind River Workbench
• http//www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/4-FRC_Control
  _System-Software-Installation-0.10c.pdf

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PushOKSVN

• For LabVIEW PushOKSVN
• http//www.pushok.com/soft_svn.php

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For LabVIEW

• Source Code Control and Group Development
  Practices in LabVIEW for Advanced Configuration
  Management Tasks
• http//decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-1681

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Text Editor

• Mastering the VI Editor
• http//www.eng.hawaii.edu/Tutor/vi.html
• Vi (pronounce "vee eye", not "six", not "vye")
  is an editor. An editor is a program to edit
  files.
• http//thomer.com/vi/vi.html
• Dont panic. You only need a handful of useful
  commands

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Questions?

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Contact Information

• Hugh Meyer
• hmeyer_at_meyermat.com
• Work 317 786-9214
• Home 317 535-1200
• Be sure to mention you were in this workshop
  session
• This power point file will be online at
• http//first.wpi.edu/Workshops/index.html
• Thank you for attending!