How does Tortoise SVN store repository files?

Question

I have been told that the best SVN client for Microsoft Windows is Tortoise SVN.

However, when I install it, adds only items to my shell, ie the right-click options when I click on folders.

When I try to check out a folder, it tries to create a repository inside the folder I am working on.

I would prefer my repository to be outside of my work. Is this possible?

Answer 1

Ollifant's answer is correct, but as you are about to create your first repository, I just wanted to add that file:// is not at all a recommended method of accessing the repository in a production environment. In fact, according to the svn book it should not really be regarded as an option at all:

Do not be seduced by the simple idea of having all of your users access a repository directly via file:// URLs. Even if the repository is readily available to everyone via a network share, this is a bad idea. It removes any layers of protection between the users and the repository: users can accidentally (or intentionally) corrupt the repository database, it becomes hard to take the repository offline for inspection or upgrade, and it can lead to a mess of file permission problems (see the section called “Supporting Multiple Repository Access Methods”). Note that this is also one of the reasons we warn against accessing repositories via svn+ssh:// URLs—from a security standpoint, it's effectively the same as local users accessing via file://, and it can entail all the same problems if the administrator isn't careful.

svnserve is almost always better then file:// access and it really is almost no additional effort to set up.

Answer 2

Creating a repository and using it are two different things.

The "Create repository here" action creates a repository which you can access locally via file://.. syntax or via the svnserve daemon.

The "Checkout" action can be done in any other place. You can either use a local repository, access a repository via http(s) or svnserve.

Answer 3

If you're trying to run an SVN server of your own that you can then check files into, try VisualSVN . I use it with Tortoise and AnkSVN (all free) and it works great.