update a single newly comitted file in subversion without parent update
Hi,
I'm using idea 9.0.4 and subversion as VCS. In idea you can see the changes in the "Changes" window. If a change is an updated file, you can update that file easily. But if a change is a newly added (comitted) file to the svn, I can't get that file unless I run an update on its parent directory where sometimes you only need to get that file without updating or getting other files. This feature is possible in eclipse subversion plugin. I don't know that is it possible in idea? how?
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It is not possible in IDEA. I don't believe I ever seen a version control client (for any of the numerous VCS I've worked with) have the ability to fetch a newly add file and only that newly added file. That feature does not exist in either SmartSVN nor TortoiseSVN. I would have a hard time understanding why one would need such a feature? If you did not add the file, how do you know it exists to be retrieved? Another team member tells you I would assume. But that kind of goes against the purpose of version control.
And I have a hard time understanding the statement "sometimes you only need to get that file without updating or getting other files." Could you explain when that is the case. IMHO, and in the opinion of most, you should always have the latest of all files from version control. Just cherry picking what files to get or update is a poor practice. How do you know what the dependencies between the files are? You may only get part of a combine add/update. I have often found that Eclipse supports things that are often considered poor practices. To me, it seems that JetBrains always strives for functionality that supports good (and standard) practices. They typically do not put in functionality that would support what most would consider a poor practice. I know that upsets people sometimes. But I agree with the philosophy. (I personally seen many bad practices and behaviors reinforced in developers that use Eclipse.) And I would rather see JetBrains spend their time developing more useful features.
Please understand I do not mean for this to sound like a lecture or soapbox. But I am just having trouble understanding the use case for such functionality.
It is completely possible in subclipse plugin. In eclipse, you can first "synchronize" the project with svn server. This action only shows you the changes as it is also possible in IDEA in "Changes" window in "Incoming" tab. The eclipse plugin lets you check out a single newly comitted file to your workspace, but in IDEA you can only checkout a newly comitted file by running an update on the already-check-out parent folder.
I think it is a good option in development team where someone only need to check out a file without updating the whole folder or even the whole project. As you know, in programming languages like java you have packaging, where this feature lets you to add any file in any package and then other developers check out that file without updating the whole package.
I wish that this feature would be possible in IDEA :(
obviously, in this case old local code knows nothing about newly commited file. can't figure out how it could be useful.