1. Backup in case I lose my local working copy.
2. Automatic publishing to webserver.
3. A nice way to track changes throughout the project.
4. Be able to publish the changes dynamically to a webpage.

I use TortoiseSVN on my XP installation to manage my working copy.
The first requirement was easy to achieve, so long as I check in regularly I have a nice shiny copy on the SVN server (obviously).
The second was fairly simple. I just checked out the latest version to the root directory for the webserver and run “SVN update” when I want to refresh it.

When I started, I didn’t really have much comprehension of source control from a developer perspective so I just had the root of the SVN repository as my working copy.
I have since read up a bit, taking in the concept of trunk, branches and tags.
Today I spent a couple of hours working out how my folder structure should be and moving everything around using TortoiseSVN to the following structure:

http://U.R.L/ProjectName/trunk
http://U.R.L/ProjectName/branches
http://U.R.L/ProjectName/tags

I also changed the web version to use the latest release version using SVN switch %URL_TO_RELEASE_VERSION_IN_TAGS_FOLDER%.

My idea of the workflow is that I make changes to the working copy (a subfolder of branches, i.e /branches/0.1.x) and check in as required.
Once I am happy with the changes, I transfer the changes to the /trunk/ version which can then be accessed via the web for any remote testing I may rope people into.
Once the trunk version has been tested against I can go ahead and make a copy of that into the tags version as the next release, do a SVN switch in the web directory and all is done (along with any config changes to the app’s db of course).

I’m not sure if that is a ‘best practice’ way of running an SVN linked project but it makes sense to me and would seem to work out in an environment where there was more than one developer working on it.

Like I said, it makes sense to me but maybe I have missed the point and made some fundemental error somewhere?
For example, I still don’t get the ‘Patch’ part of SVN, would it be possible to just update the web directory using a patch from the latest release rather than running SVN update?

I’ve also been looking been looking into a product called Trac which appears to be a good project management/defect tracking application, anyone had any dealings with it? From research it looks like a pain in the ass to install (to Dreamhost at least)

Related posts:

1. Project Euler

After 3 weeks of searching Teh Internets and visiting game stores every couple of days or so, I finally managed to get hold of a Nintendo Wii. I didn’t want one bad enough to start queing outside of stores early every morning so it was pretty lucky that a friend of mine managed to reserve one for me.
It’s pretty cool, definately a lot of fun and I can see it being a great party game when there are a few more titles out and the accesories are readily available. The system only comes with one set of controllers, the Wii-mote (right-hand side of the pick above) and a controller called the Nunchuck which connects up to the Wii-mote. Incase you’ve been in a hole, these controllers are motion sensitive. I’ve already seen the sharks on Ebay selling the accesories for almost double the price, fuckers.
Anyway, WiiSports is fun -
Tennis is a little annoying as, even if you are playing on your own you still play a doubles game but with you controlling two characters – the one nearest to the ball reacts to your ’swinging’ which can get frustrating if you are teeing up a sweet cross court forehand only for the chap infront to lummox it out..
Baseball is extremely difficult, maybe I just need to give it more time as I either miss the ball completely or knock it out for a foul ball!!
Golf is great, i’m looking forward to the Mario Golf franchise to come over to the Wii.
Boxing is good fun, its more fun watching someone else play it though!
Bowling is probably my favourite of the bunch, it reacts very well and it feels like a pretty good simulation of the real thing, you can spin the ball and everything!

The only other game I picked up is Zelda. Now, people have been moaning that the Wii isn’t as powerfull as the 360 or the PS3 and they’re right, it isn’t. That doesn’t mean games look like crap though, this has great 3D graphics and the usual amazing gameplay. I managed to put in 3 hours of play on my first go with it, without even noticing the time going past. Note to self, put clock above the TV.

I came quite close to buying a Macbook this week, the only thing that held me back was the upcoming MacWorld Expo this week. I didn’t want to sp00ge out over a grand GBP only to find i’d missed out on something cool like built-in GPS or maybe HD-DVD. I have decided to move to the Mac full time at home though. I already have the Mac Mini running as a HD media server and have realised that I don’t really do anything MS centric on my own lappy any more. Any C# is done on my work lappy and besides i’m thinking of canning that again and giving Ruby/Rails another whack.

Talking of Ruby, this free book is great – Mr. Neighborly’s Humble Little Ruby Book – It gives a pretty decent intro to Ruby and also a good explanation of OOP.
There are a bunch of links here as well.

I’m still hooked on the Black Stone Cherry record.

Finally, I caught Wicked The Musical in Londons West End this week. Taglined “The untold story of the Witches of Oz”, it’s a really good show.

Related posts:

1. RadRails – Unable to detect ruby install on OS X Leopard
2. Ruby on Rails, mySQL, Mongrel and OS X Leopard