[Guide] svn usage

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SVN usage Guide for Designers

The following guide will hopefully answer the basic questions about the skins svn

1. starting an new skin/adding your skin to skins svn
2. adding new files to svn
3. start skinning
4. reverting a accidental bad save of a file
5. reverting to a older version of a file
6. keeping your skin in sync with current MediaPortal svn

Requirements:

1. tortoise svn
2. a sourceforge account
3. access to the skins svn

Please drop a reply ::here:: , if you have any questions regarding this guide(s).

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Start with a new skin / add it to svn

Warning! The following description seems way more complex then it realy is

1. At first we have to create a folder somewhere, to store all our skin related files
   
   
2. In that folder we create a new folder for our new skin
   
   
3. Lets assume that our skin will be based on BlueTwo. So we need a folder to store this Base Skin.
   
   
4. Now a empty folder doesnt help us much. With tortoise svn we can now checkout (download) the latest version of BlueTwo.
   
   
5. Now we have to enter the ::svn link:: which points directly to the BlueTwo files. If you want to use BlueTwo Wide as base for your skin, then use ::this link::
   Very importand is to uncheck the "only check out top-folder" setting
   
   
6. tortoise svn will then download all files.
   
   
7. since we will need the unmodified BlueTwo files later, we have to copy these files to a new location where they can be modified then to become our new skin.
   select the folder and use "export" in tortoise svn.
   
   
8. Then select the new location.
   
   
9. After the folder as been copied, you should rename it to your skin name.
   
   
10. Next step is to create a folder where you store all your "source" grafics files (photoshop psd i.e.).
    
    
11. Now that we have created the struture we need, its time to get the skin into svn.
    Select the folder, and use import in tortoise svn
    
    
12. This step is very importand now!!!
    the svn url for the plugins is
    

    https://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mp-plugins/trunk/skins
    

    you have to add /NameOfYourSkin at the end!
    i.e.
    

    https://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mp-plugins/trunk/skins/MyCoolSkin
    

    
    you should also add a log message.
    
13. then you need to enter your sourceforge username and password.
    
    
14. Now delete all folder inside your skins folder (gfx source and MyCoolSkin). I know that sounds weird, but its required.
    
15. After that select the MyCoolSkin folder and use "Checkout"
    
    
16. there you have to insert the svn url then.
    in our example this would be
    

    https://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mp-plugins/trunk/skins/MyCoolSkin
    

    
    
17. After this is finished, you will see the following structure.
    
    

So now you have your local working copy of your skin

If you want your skin on any other PC, then you only have to create a folder and checkout with the correct svn-url.

Its only the first time setup which takes some time


note:
An alternative would be to create a folder i.e. "MediaPortal Community Skins" and checkout the whole skins svn into this folder.

https://mp-plugins.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mp-plugins/trunk/skins

after that you just have to create your folders in there and add it to svn with the "add" feature of tortoise svn.

I add this as an alternative way, because most designers might not be willing do dowload all skins which are in svn.

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adding new files to svn

When you create new files or folders, then it is required to add them to svn.

1. You can do that by selecting the file(s)/folder(s) and using the "add" function in tortoise svn.
   
   
2. After you have added the file(s)/folder(s) you can upload them to svn with the "commit" function. Please enter a meaningful log message
   

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start skinning

After all this initial work, its finaly time to start with skining!

1. Therefor you have to copy/move your base skin files into the MediaPortal folder.
   
   
2. When you did some skinning and want to commit your work to svn, then you just have to select the folder whcih contains the changed file(s) and hit "commit"
   
   
3. Then you will see a screen where you can check the selcted files which will be commited.
   Please enter a meaningful Log message.
   

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reverting a accidental bad save of a file

Sometimes it can happen that you accidentaly save a file which causes a big loss of work..... Normaly i start to cry then

With tortoise svn you are able to revert your file in this case.

just select the file and coose "revert"

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reverting to a older version of a file

Sometimes it happens that you woud love to be able to revert someting to an older version. Which is quite impossible, because virtualy noone is doing regulary backups.

Here come the versioning system in handy.

1. just select the file you want to revert to an earlier version and select "show log"
   
   
2. You will then see the histroy of the file. Now you will also notices that it is wise to choose meaningful log messages, because then you will find the version you look for easier
   
   
3. Lets say we want to revert to revision 717. Then we have to select the file again and use "update to revision..."
   

If you do not commit your local file now, then you can also go back to the latest revision (718), by using "update to revision..." again.

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keeping your skin in sync with current MediaPortal svn

If you want that your skin stays compatible to the latest svn revisions of MediaPortal, then it is a good idea to use totorise svn to find the changes.

At the beginnig we downloaded a copy of the BlueTwo Skin files.

1. If we now want to check for update in BlueTwo, we have to select the folder and use "Update"
   
   
2. After that you will see a list of xml files which have been changed, or added/deleted.
   
   
3. Now selcet the "Show Log" Button to see more details about the changes.
   
4. If you select i.e. the first change, then you will see the effected files below.
5. You can now let tortorise svn present you the changes which have been done by using "show differences"
   
   
6. Now you will see every single change in this Skin file. This is the easierst way to get a detailed info what has been changed where, and to update your skin with these changes.