File versioning

[miskox]

Hello!

I have a suggestion I would like you to think about it.

For example I have a source file test_file.pb.

I then change something and I press CTRL-S to save the file. And then I change something else and again I press CTRL-S.

It would be nice to have something like file versioning*.

After I would press the CTRL-S combination for the first time my original test_file.pb would be renamed to test_file.pb.1** and the new version would be saved as test_file.pb. After my second CTRL-S this current test_file.pb. would be saved as test_file.pb.2 and the new file would be named test_file.pb.

In this way I would have some backup of my work. I would just copy/rename the version that was good.

Thoughts?

Thanks.
Saso

* I worked on OpenVMS (VAX, ALPHA) for more than 20 years so I know this is very useful.
I know that PureBasic supports 'Session history'. Maybe this could be useful, too for some people. (this could be turned on/off in the settings)

** PB would scan the file system and check for the highest version number so it does not replace an existing file.

[skywalk]

Try out the built-in Session History which tracks changes up to 1 month.
If that is not sufficient, then write a Tool code that triggers your flavor of Version Control.
I prefer Fossil, which stores all changes in a single SQLite database and gives you a web page gui for timelines & diffs, email, forum, wiki, etc.

[Bitblazer]

Code: Select all

on create/save file($name)
del $name.9
ren $name.8 $name.9
ren $name.7 $name.8
ren $name.6 $name.7
ren $name.5 $name.6
ren $name.4 $name.5
ren $name.3 $name.4
ren $name.2 $name.3
ren $name.1 $name.2
ren $name $name.1
save $name

iirc thats how the vms fs does it. Indeed pretty useful and very old by now (read: likely any IP right that existed, is void now). One of the "old" forgotten methods that were pretty useful - and make a lot sense for terabyte harddisks and sources (not so much for videofiles or most databases)

[Dude]

Try out the built-in Session History which tracks changes up to 1 month.

It defaults to one month, but you can also disable the limit or change the duration in the Prefs. My history is set to 365 days.

[Derren]

Can even be set to "Keep all history".
Good to know

[oreopa]

Save as new version (filename + "_num" + ext) should be mandatory in ALL software by now.

I would also like to semi-hijack and reiterate a FR I had, that it would be great if the tokens %BUILDCOUNT and %COMPILECOUNT could be used in a filename, and they autoupdated to reflect each version saved.

I already wrote my own tools for simple source control because I dont actually find the built in session history that useful. (EDIT: however it did save my ass once, so... )

I prefer Fossil, which stores all changes in a single SQLite database and gives you a web page gui for timelines & diffs, email, forum, wiki, etc.

Seems like it may be useful to me soon, thx.

[Tenaja]

Not sure how well this will coordinate with Session History, but this is what I do for my About version display:

Code: Select all

#UpdaterThisVersion = "Beta"
Version$ = #UpdaterThisVersion
Version$ + FormatDate(".%yy.%mm.%dd.", #PB_Compiler_Date) + Str(#PB_Editor_BuildCount)

The PB constants are taken at compile time, so you can tell how many times you have compiled between saved exe's.

[Michael Vogel]

What about writing an own purebasic program which will be added as a tool into the IDE?

By assigning the shortcut Ctrl+S it would be triggered to save the source code as wanted, make backups and so on - it could even modify the source code by adding a comment with the actual version number etc.

[skywalk]

Well, version control is an established and optimized function that does not make sense to reattempt. It would be more efficient to develop pb tool code that would trigger check in/check out of git or fossil repositories.

[miskox]

Thank you all. First sorry for a late reply - I've been out of the country for a few days.

@Bitblazer: great. But the newest version should have highest version.

@tenaja: very good tips. Thanks.

Saso