[tlug] Subversion to Git Conversions

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Curt Sampson writes:

 > I also think I'm getting a handle on the "remote tracking refs"
 > that git svn is putting in; I just create head refs on those, right?

You generally do not want to do that, if I understand what you're
talking about correctly.  Remote refs need to stay in synch with the
remote repo, so that should all be handled under the hood.

Of course you can do "git branch <branchname> <remote tracking ref>"
all you like, if that's what you meant.

 > That, however, looks it could make something like reverting a
 > particular project to svn rather difficult....

AFAIK with any of the popular VCSes *except* CVS (which simply doesn't
provide enough metadata) you can use Lele Gaifax's "tailor" program to
convert a repo from one form to another.  From CVS is just hard (and
to CVS pretty much unthinkable now that we've got Subversion).

The way tailor works, you have a single workspace under control of two
VCSes.  Obviously you can't do any development there, but with a
little care you can have a bidirectional gateway.

 > (By the way, I do realize that a lot of these issues I'm worried
 > about are caused by svn, not git. But I'm sure you can realize why
 > anybody without much git experience would be a bit nervous about
 > commiting years of svn history to it and resolving never to go
 > back.)

Even if you were a git expert, you should think twice about that IMO.

Even CVS is a reasonable way of communicating with somewhat
sophisticated clients, Subversion is *much* more reliable, and you
don't want to switch that until the client requests -- unless there
are *really* big benefits to offer in return, of course.