Best way to use Version Control with a UO Shard?

[timginter]

I think I'm being a bit daft here. Can anyone point to a Version Control System that works best with an UO Shard?

I'm basically trying to keep track of changes that multiple people make, but I also want to be able to run the shard from newly commited files.

I set up an SVN repo, but with the way SVN stores repositories I can't actually see the files and start the server. Do I have to create a local Working Copy on the server that my shard is running from and Update it whenever there's a Commit (or have some kind of a script do it automatically)?

Does CVS work the same way?

Is there any version control which would allow me to run servuo directly from repository, or if it's not a good idea, which would be the best solution?

I was thinking about GitHub, but private repositories are paid for and my shard's budget of and old shoe and rusted spanner doesn't account for that

 

[m309]

BitBucket allows private repo's at no cost, it's who I've been using along with GitKraken for a Git GUI.

It's probably always best to have separation from a dev branch and production branch of your code. Introducing serialization or other catastrophic errors into a live server can spell disaster with your save files if not caught in time.

 

[timginter]

Thanks m309, I'll have a look at them, access to the repo via web would have been handy.

Normally I'd separate things and have a test branch, too - a change is first tested locally by a person who makes the change. Then Commit and tested on the test branch. If all is fine it's applied to the live branch. But, with just 2 people editing scripts and testing everything themselves before commiting I really don't see the point.

I ended with SVN and a post-commit hook to Update a working copy on my remote server which servuo is running from - simple and works like a charm. Maybe I'll hook an automatic backup of "Saves" folder on the pre-commit hook - if someone has fat fingers there's always a backup just before the commit.

 

[timginter]

For anyone who was looking for it for ages like me A rough guide:

On your server:
- create an empty svn repository on your server.
- set up users' access and add one more user for auto-updating, e.g. user 'AutoShardUpdate' with 'AutoShardUpdatePassword' password

On your computer:
- checkout your repository to an empty directory on your computer, e.g. 'C:/servuo'.
- copy all servuo files to 'C:/servuo'
- you can add all servuo files to your repo, but for faster updates/commits I'd exclude 'Backups', 'Logs' and 'Saves' folders.
- once added, Commit your changes to the repo on your server.

On your server:
- where you created an svn repo there will be a 'hooks' directory inside. Open it.
- create an empty file named 'post-commit' in 'hooks' directory.
- open the file and copy-paste the code below.

#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/svn update /root/servuo/server --quiet --username AutoShardUpdate --password AutoShardUpdatePassword

- change your auto-update user name and password to what you set up before.
- checkout your repo to a local directory on your server - this is where your shard's files will be.

Now every time you commit changes, the 'post-commit' hook will execute an Update for your shard's files.

A very simple solution and if you're running a Linux server you have all the tools you need (you may need to install SVN, though).

 

[ryth]

Visual Studio Community has very nice Git integration. The merging on it is top notch, eliminating a lot of shell diving that plagues some of the other git clients. It's also free, which is always a plus. https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/community/