Is it possible to change files during checkout from SVN?

Question

Is it possible to add come comment at the beginning of files during checkout from SVN?

Answer 1

Of all the times you could think up, why would checkout be the one when you would want to do this? Obviously you want all your source files to contain a copyright notice -- why not write a pre-commit hook script that checks the file header and errors out if it's wrong? Provide file templates for developers, so it's easy to get it right the first time and easy to copy the copyright notice to the offending files, and you're set.

Answer 2

Others have pointed out some reasons why this is a bad idea. Here is another.

It would defeat the convenience commands for svn. For example: svn ci would always check in every file. svn status would list every file making it impossible to see what has been changed.

Answer 3

This capability, similar to the $Log$ keyword expansion in CVS, rcs and others only really works with a linear history. As soon as you start using branches and merges between branches, you discover that the $Log$ keyword is just an automatic method of generating trivial merge conflicts. You'll have the same problems with the $Log$ keyword in CVS if you use branches and merging.

Part of the point of SVN was to make the use of branches and merging much easier than in CVS. See the discussion of this point in the SVN FAQ for more detail.