Php Svn Scripting Tortoisesvn Build Process

Creating a Production Build of a PHP Project with Subversion

When developing a PHP project, particularly when using Subversion (SVN) as your version control system, you may find yourself needing to create a production-ready version of your project. This often involves stripping out unnecessary files like documentation, prototype scripts, and .svn folders. But how can you do this efficiently without having to manually delete files or create tedious branches?

In this post, we’ll explore how you can easily create a streamlined production build of your PHP project using TortoiseSVN to automate the process.

The Challenge

Imagine you have a directory structure that looks something like this:

C:\Projects\test\.svn
C:\Projects\test\docs\
C:\Projects\test\faq.php
C:\Projects\test\guestbook.php
C:\Projects\test\index.php
C:\Projects\test\test.php

In order to create a production build, you want to end up with just the essential files:

C:\Projects\test\faq.php
C:\Projects\test\guestbook.php
C:\Projects\test\index.php

The goal here is not just to eliminate the .svn folders and the docs directory but to find a way to make this process automated without the hassle of creating temporary branches and manually deleting files.

The Solution: Using TortoiseSVN’s Export Feature

TortoiseSVN has a built-in feature that allows you to export your project in its current state, omitting all the unnecessary .svn folders and any other files that you want to exclude. This is not only efficient but also preserves the integrity of your version-controlled files.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Open TortoiseSVN: Navigate to the root folder of your project in Windows Explorer.

  2. Right-Click the Project Folder: Locate your project folder (e.g., C:\Projects\test) and right-click on it.

  3. Select Export: From the context menu, hover over TortoiseSVN and click on Export.

  4. Choose Export Location: A dialog box will appear prompting you to choose where you want the .svn-free directory to be created. Specify your destination and click OK.

This one-step process will create a clean copy of your PHP files without any of the version control artifacts.

Benefits of Using the Export Feature

  • Efficiency: Saves you a lot of time by automating the cleanup process.
  • Error Reduction: Minimizes the chances of accidentally deleting or forgetting to remove certain files.
  • Project Integrity: Maintains your project’s overall structure and allows for easy version control.

Conclusion

Creating a production build of a PHP project using Subversion doesn’t have to be a tedious process. Using TortoiseSVN’s export feature, you can quickly and easily generate a clean version of your project, ensuring that your production environment contains only the files that are necessary. This not only optimizes your workflow but also enhances your project’s organization.

We hope this guide helps you streamline your development process and allows you to focus on what really matters: writing great code!