VisualSVN server on SVN protocol

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 15:08:09 Z

This post was imported from FARMCode.org which has been discontinued. These posts now exist here as an archive. They may contain broken links and images.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has noticed that running SVN over the Http protocol using VisualSVN is REALLY slow in comparison to running SVN using the file:/// or svn:// protocol. It is nice having the option of the http protocol so at least you can browse your repositories in your browser, allow external access to them without opening up another port on your firewall and also apply Windows security to your repositories, however, it is really, really slow. After some Googling on how to get VisualSVN server to run using the SVN protocol, it turns out this is not possible but you can run the SVN protocol as a service in tandem with VisualSVN which will give you the best of both worlds. Luckily for us, VisualSVN installs all of the necessary files for us to do this. Here’s how:

Create a batch file in your VisualSVN bin folder (normally: C:\Program Files\VisualSVN Server\bin) called something like: “INSTALLSVNPROTOCOL.bat”
- You’ll need to edit the below script to map your svn repository folders properly. Change the “E:\YOUR-SVN-REPOSITORY-ROOT-FOLDER” to the path of your svn repository root folder.

echo ---Install the service 

REM this should all be on one line!
sc create SVNPROTOCOLSERVICE binpath= "\"c:\Program Files\VisualSVN Server\bin\svnserve.exe\" --service --root \"E:\YOUR-SVN-REPOSITORY-ROOT-FOLDER\" " displayname= "SVN Service" depend= Tcpip

echo ---Config to auto-start
sc config SVNPROTOCOLSERVICE start= auto

Next, run your batch file.
- This will install a windows service to host your repositories on the SVN protocol
Update your windows service to run as Administrator, or a user that has the permissions to run the service
- Start Menu –> Adminstrative Tools –> Services –> Find the “SVN Service” that was just created –> Right click –> Properties –> Log On Tab –> Change “Log on as:” to use your Administrator account.
Start the windows service

Your done! You can now access your repositories via the SVN protocol using something like:

svn://yourservername.yourdomainname.local/YOUR-REPOSITORY-NAME

Ok, to uninstall:

Create a batch file in the same folder as your install batch file called something like “UNINSTALLSVNPROTOCOL.bat”

echo --remove svn service

sc stop SVNPROTOCOLSERVICE 
sc delete SVNPROTOCOLSERVICE

Run the batch file

Shazwazza

VisualSVN server on SVN protocol