ASP.NET MVC: How should it work with subversion?

Question

So, I have an asp.net mvc app that is being worked on by multiple developers in differing capacities. This is our first time working on a mvc app and my first time working with .NET. Our app does not have a lot of unit tests in it...

The problem we are having is trying to keep each other from overwriting each others changes. For example:

1. Two developers are both working on the app and Jon (not his real name) makes a change to a controller, compiles a new dll, and checks in his stuff (both the controller and the dll.) Our svn system automatically updates our DEV server with the changes that Jon just made.

2. Clyde (also not a real name) also makes a change right about the same time but did not update the code with Jon's change and commits a new dll thereby "forgetting" about Jon's change.

This happens a lot . The question I'm asking is more of a workflow question - how do we solve this issue? Is it just a matter of Clyde needing to be more careful? Can anybody recommend a decent process for us to use?

Answer 1

You don't check in the DLL's. Exclude the bin folder from Subversion in its entirety. It's the .cs files that matter and that will be compiled locally on every computer that checks out the code from Subversion. If your deployment script don't compile the code but is just a simple xcopy statement, you need to either introduce csc to the script or implement a continuous integration system like TeamCity.

Answer 2

The issue you describe is already handled by subversion. When Clyde tries to commit his changes subversion will detect the conflict and offer him the possibility to merge his changes.

Answer 3

This is exactly the scenario that Subversion and other version control systems are designed to avoid. When Clyde checks in, he should get an "out-of-date" error and his commit should fail, thereby forcing him to update his working copy and get Jon's changes before he can commit his own.

Answer 4

Check out the SVN video tutorials from dime casts. These show you best practices like how to setup your project, and how to do the "check in dance" which will avoid the situation you ran into/

http://www.dimecasts.net/Casts/ByTag/SVN

Answer 5

I've used Subersion and .NET application together. Basically what we learned was that you should always do an update to your working copy before making a checkin. That way, any changes made by other developers will be brought down to your working copy and any merge conflicts will be quickly known to you. You can then fix the merge conflicts, checkin and continue to work. If your second developer then updates their working code, the first developers merged code will be brought down and the process will be repeated.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

ignore the folders bin and obj, but we have bin and Bin. use svn:ignore [bB]in [oO]bj *.suo