What does this error mean?

Question

svn: Commit failed (details follow): svn: Could not use external editor to fetch log message; consider setting the $SVN_EDITOR environment variable or using the --message (-m) or --file (-F) options svn: None of the environment variables SVN_EDITOR, VISUAL or EDITOR are set, and no 'editor-cmd' run-time configuration option was found new-computers-computer:trunk newcomputer$

I'm trying to commit a new version to my SVN repository.

Answer 1

Justin,

Every time you commit with Subversion, you need to write a summary of what is being committed (i.e. the commit message). The error is because Subversion is trying to launch a text editor so that you can write a commit message, but the editor is never being launched. Setting the SVN_EDITOR in your .bash_profile will do the trick. Here are some detailed step-by-step instructions on how to set vim as the default editor used by svn.

http://www.antbrown.com/web-development/svn-could-not-use-external-editor-to-fetch-log-message/

Alternatively, as suggested in error message, you can load a commit message from an existing file with -f, or pass in a message with -m.

Examples:

svn commit -m "Fixed a regression that prevented pigs from flying (resolves issue #123, but causes strange behavior elsewhere)"
svn commit -f /path/to/a/file/with/a/long/commit/message.txt