Central Washington University Version Control Software main content
This page provides information and instructions for installing and using the Version Control software used by the CS 480-481 teams.
On this page...
- 1. Installing the software on your home computer
- Installing the TortoiseSVN client on your home computer
- Installing the VPN client on your home computer
- Using the VPN Client
- Using the TortoiseSVN client program
Installing the software on your home computer
Istalling version control software on your home computer is optional. The TortoiseSVN client software to access your CS 480 Team's Subversion repository is installed and working on the Hebeler Lab computers.
One strategy for working with a local copy of the repository is to store the files on your CSW2K network drive (your U:\ drive) and work solely in the Hebeler labs.
Another strategy is to keep your working folder on a flash memory USB thumb drive that you update from Hebeler labs.
However, since many students want to work from their home computer, the following two programs will need to be installed for you to work at home successfully with the version control software.
Installing the TortoiseSVN client on your home computer
TortoiseSVN is open source software that provides a easy-to-use interface to a Subversion repository.
- Browse to the TortoiseSVN download page
- Download the installation program and run it, accepting all the default values
Installing the VPN client on your home computer
Authentication and access to the CWU network will be performed by Novel user authentication. In order for this to work, you will need to install the Cisco's virtual private network (VPN) client software on your home computer.
- Browse to CWU's VPN Client Downloads and download the Windows VPN client installation program (
vpn5.exe). - Run the downloaded
vpn5.exefile to install the Cisco Systems VPN Client software on your computer. - You will need to reboot your system once the installation is complete.
Using the VPN Client
- Open the Start Menu > All Programs
- Find the Cisco Systems VPN Client Menu
- Select the VPN Client menu item to start the program
- Highlight CWU Student VPN and click on the toolbar's Connect icon
- You will be prompted for your Novell login and password.
- Enter your own fully qualified Novel username and password and click OK
- Note: your fully qualified Novel name begins with a
'.'
- Cross your fingers, wait 10 seconds, and you are connected to the VPN
Access your CS account(s) from home
A nice feature of VPN is the ability to copy files back and forth between your computer science network account (your U:\ drive) and your home computer using My Computer.
- Start the VPN client and log in to your CWU Student VPN
- Start My Computer (also known as Windows Explorer)
- From the Tools menu select Map Network Drive ...
- In the Map Network Drive dialog box,
- Select any Drive letter not currently in use
- Type \
\crag.lab.cwu.edu\cs480f07_nn$as the Folder.- Note use your CS 480 Team's account number in place of
nn
- Note use your CS 480 Team's account number in place of
- Important: Click Connect using a different user name
- Enter your CS 480 account as the username (e.g.
cs2k3\cs48002_nn) and its correct password, Click OK
- Enter your CS 480 account as the username (e.g.
- Click Finish
If it worked, My Computer should open a new window with the contents of your mapped drive displayed.
Using the TortoiseSVN client program
Note: From off campus, you must first be connected to the CWU VPN using authentication provided by the Novel network (see above).
TortoiseSVN is a Windows client desktop program that provides a GUI interface to the Subversion program. Rather than using TortoiseSVN program directly, access is always through the Windows Explorer (also known as My Computer) right-click context menu.
The about page of the TortoiseSVN Website provides a quick tutorial. Another good source to get you started is the tutorial Using Subversion with TortoiseSVN.
Using Tortoise SVN to check out a repository
- Create a working folder on your CSW2K network, thumb drive, or home computer to hold the local copy of the repository.
- Open the new folder with my computer (it should be blank at this point)
- Right-click in the blank folder to open My Computer's context menu. Select SVN Checkout
- You will be prompted for the URL of the repository. Click ... and browse to the repository on your CS 480 Team's mapped drive
- Click OK
- TortoiseSVN will now begin downloading the files, adding them into your working folder.