Getting Started with Source Control

=Getting Started= This is the basic setup guide to get you started using Source Control with GameMaker:Studio and any one of the SVN packages available.

Before even opening GameMaker:Studio and working with Source Control, you will need to setup your PC (and that of your co-workers if you are in a team). This means downloading some form of low level SVN client software like SlikSVN and installing it on all the machines that are going to need Source Control. Please note, that for optimum performance and to minimize problems all machines involved should be using the same version of the software, so if one machine is on (for example) v1.0.72, then they all should be using the v1.0.72 of that software.

Once you have installed your SVN client, you need to make your Repository. This is where all your files, backups and edits will be stored and is normally hosted on a separate server, either on-line or in-house. To create the initial repository, and generally use your SVN client, you can do it in one of two ways : We recommend some form of windows based UI for dealing with all the SVN functions as it greatly simplifies everything, but the final choice is up to you and depends on what you feel most comfortable with!
 * either use command line functions to directly communicate with your SVN client or
 * download and install some form of windows interface like TortoiseSVN

Using The Command Line
If you are happy using the command line functions then you can create the repository easily by opening the windows command prompt, browsing to the network location where you wish to create the repository (or just make sure to use the full path to the location) and typing :

svnadmin create NAME

where "NAME" is the name you wish to give your central repository (something like "Source" or "Repository"). Please note, that if the repository is to be created in a sub-folder then that sub-folder must already exist, although the repository itself will be created by the SVN client. The code should look something like this :



When you press "Enter" your repository will then be created.

Using A Windows SVN Client
Once you have installed your windows client for SVN, you should browse to the network location where you wish to create the repository and there create a new folder. Give this folder the name you want to use for your central repository (something like "Source" or "Repository") and then right click on this folder. You should then go down the pop-up window to your SVN client and find where it says "Create repository here." It should be something like this depending on what SVN client you have installed on your system :



The above image was made using Tortoise SVN, so the exact method of going about this may vary depending on your client application, however all windows SVN Clients have basically the same tool-set used for creating your repository.

What next?
Once you have installed your SVN Client application(s) and set up your repository, you must then go into GameMaker:Studio and prepare it to work with this system. You can find out how to do that here.