Subversion source code version control tool had recently version 1.7 release. The new version has different repository layout in local copies (files are different on your hd). Downsides of SVN version 1.7 include
- You need to manually upgrade every repository on your hard disk
- Third party tools don’t yet like the new Subversion. For example, I had hard time try to make Aptana Studio (Eclipse) + Subclipse to pick up new libsvn version. The latest Subclipse did not come with pure Java compatible libraries and native libraries just didn’t activate. Thus, one couldn’t use Aptana Studio’s integrated SVN Team features
Macports project provides open source tools for OSX. If you install Macports or run Macports self update it will pull the latest Subversion command line command and then the havoc breaks loose. For me this happened when I tried to use jarn.mkrelease, a tool to simplify the releasing of Python packages on PyPi, on non-upgradable repository: svn 1.7 command wanted to upgrade the repository, but this would have broken my workspace in Aptana.
Fetching and activating the older SVN version
First you can check what versions of SVN you have installed already
$ port installed subversion The following ports are currently installed: subversion @1.6.17_1 subversion @1.7.1_0 (active)
You can browse the available Macports packages and their versions here. Use Revision log link to see the older release. Then it is simple matter installing or activating the old versions
Activate old version
If you have older version installed you can fall back to it
sudo port activate subversion @1.6.17_1
Installing old version
This is more complex task because Macports do not have packages of older software releases. You need to
- Browse the source packages in Trac
- See the Revision log for Portfile of the package
- Pick the SVN revision where the change was released
- Map the Trac path to Macports SVN path in your head (no, there is no link…)
- Manually checkout this SVN revision
- Run package build from this checkout
Example
cd /tmp svn co http://svn.macports.org/repository/macports/trunk/dports/devel/subversion --revision 76647 # gets 1.6.16 sudo port instal
The first attempt will fail because of the changes in the dependencies and you need to manually specify what serf variant to use
---> Computing dependencies for subversion ---> Dependencies to be installed: serf ---> Configuring serf Error: Please use serf0 or serf1 instead. Error: Target org.macports.configure returned: obsolete port Error: Failed to install serf Log for serf is at: /opt/local/var/macports/logs/_opt_local_var_macports_sources_rsync.macports.org_release_ports_www_serf/serf/main.log Error: The following dependencies were not installed: serf Error: Status 1 encountered during processing. To report a bug, see <http://guide.macports.org/#project.tickets>
We need to manually edit checked out Portfile to reflect this change and change the depedency line to this:
depends_lib port:expat port:neon \ port:apr port:apr-util \ port:db46 port:sqlite3 \ port:gettext port:libiconv \ port:serf0 port:cyrus-sasl2
Then it is sudo port install again and now we can see the old version is activated:
port installed subversion The following ports are currently installed: subversion @1.6.16_0 (active) subversion @1.6.17_1 subversion @1.7.1_0
More info
- https://trac.macports.org/wiki/howto/InstallingOlderPort
- How to install specific software using Macports
