Difference between checkout and export in SVN

andycjw_17113 0
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What is the exact difference between SVN checkout and SVN export?

From what I know, export does not include the .svn directory which include metadata, and checkout included that .svn directory. Yet, my colleague had this problem recently that there is a different behaviour for the stuff compiled from sources that is checkout and exported from SVN repo. Both of them compiled correctly, but the one compiled from svn export works, but the one that is checked out doesn't work at all.

PS: The stuff being compiled is the Linux 2.4 kernel that is being used in an embedded device. The image compiles and load correctly, but the checked out one doesn't work. It causes a kernel panic during insmod. Why could this happen at all?

PPS: We've tried checksumming and diff tool to check the difference between the two directories that are exported and checked out from SVN. Both of them are the same except for the .svn directory.

svn-checkout export svn linux
9 Answers

svn export simply extracts all the files from a revision and does not allow revision control on it. It also does not litter each directory with .svn directories.

svn checkout allows you to use version control in the directory made, e.g. your standard commands such as svn update and svn commit.

Gerald_Kaszuba_111250

As you stated, a checkout includes the .svn directories. Thus it is a working copy and will have the proper information to make commits back (if you have permission). If you do an export you are just taking a copy of the current state of the repository and will not have any way to commit back any changes.

notbenh_519140

Any chance the build process is looking into the subdirectories and including something it shouldn't? BTW, you can do a legal checkout, then remove the .svn and all it contains. That should give you the same as an export. Try compiling that, before and after removing the metadata, as it were.

user_195120

Use export if you want to upload (or give to somebody) a project. If you are working with a project, use checkout.

user_335990

Additional musings. You said insmod crashes. Insmod loads modules. The modules are built in another compile operation from building the kernel. Kernel and modules have to be built from the same headers and so forth. Are all the modules built during the kernel build, or are they "existing"?

The other idea, and something I know little about, is svn externals, which (if used) can affect what is checked out to your project. Look and see if this is any different when exporting.

user_195120

if you are using tortoise svn client - while exporting - it displays ..export / checkout , it is confusing , it is just export only. only view/read use export , to commit use - "checkout"

user_123608740
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