SVN Checkout Within a Checkout

Question

I seem to remember seeing this somewhere, but for the life of me search is not turning up the results I'm looking for. Here's what I want:

I have a project repository. There are libraries in other svn repositories that I'd like to include within my project. When I do an SVN commit on the master project, I'd like all of the files, including the checkout of the libraries to be committed up to the master project repository. At the same time, I'd also like to be able to do svn updates on just the library folder, and have it pull down updates from it's own repository elsewhere.

This is possible, right -- How?

In case that was a confusing description, I'll try to do a visual:

\ Project Repository  (@ my.svn.com )
    \ project source files
    \ project media files, etc.
    \ Libraries
        \ some library (@ gnu.svn.com )
        \ some other library (@ fsf.svn.com )

In this case, doing an SVN commit on the project itself will cause the contents of "some library" and "some other library" to be committed to the repository for "Project Repository". However, if I were to do an SVN update on "some library", it would pull down it's updates from it's own svn, gnu.svn.com.

(currently using TortoiseSVN but not afraid to use command line svn if required)

Answer 1

You probably want svn:externals, which model the functionality that you are describing. See here: http://svnbook.red-bean.com/en/1.0/ch07s03.htm

Answer 2

You're thinking of svn externals, my experience with them is from a long time ago but I found them to be painful to set up.

Answer 3

Just to be thorough, TortoiseSVN does support setting SVN externals with a GUI interface. Two references links:

http://justaddwater.dk/2007/10/23/setting-up-subversion-externals-with-tortoisesvn/

http://e-mats.org/2008/05/adding-an-external-svn-resource-with-tortoise/

(And it's not as bad as it might seem!)