OT?: Document/source code version control

"Jon Harris" <jon_harrisTIGER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:11blqsqeiop1b88@corp.supernews.com...
<snip>
> Yes, most version control systems can store binary files just fine, but
what you
> lose is the ability to easily view differences graphically (say in a MS
Word
> document) like you can with text files.  That may be a significant
limitation
> for some.

Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of MS
Word documents?
I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.

Cheers
Bhaskar

Bhaskar--

>Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of
MS
>Word documents?
>I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.
>
>Cheers
>Bhaskar

I use scootersoftware.com's Beyond Compare software to diff my word files
graphically.It is very useful. I get by without vcf,because of this and
some highly imaginative folder structures that I create.

--Bhooshan
		
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"Bhaskar Thiagarajan" <bhaskart@deja.com> wrote in message
news:42baf9d4$0$18643$14726298@news.sunsite.dk...
> "Jon Harris" <jon_harrisTIGER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:11blqsqeiop1b88@corp.supernews.com...
> <snip>
> > Yes, most version control systems can store binary files just fine, but
> what you
> > lose is the ability to easily view differences graphically (say in a MS
> Word
> > document) like you can with text files.  That may be a significant
> limitation
> > for some.
>
> Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of MS
> Word documents?
> I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.

Sorry, I don't.  I would imagine it would be a tough task for the VS system--a
special case for every format it supported, plus multiple versions of the MS
formats.

"Jon Harris" <jon_harrisTIGER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:11bm31cegvjuc0d@corp.supernews.com...
> "Bhaskar Thiagarajan" <bhaskart@deja.com> wrote in message
> news:42baf9d4$0$18643$14726298@news.sunsite.dk...
> > "Jon Harris" <jon_harrisTIGER@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:11blqsqeiop1b88@corp.supernews.com...
> > <snip>
> > > Yes, most version control systems can store binary files just fine,
but
> > what you
> > > lose is the ability to easily view differences graphically (say in a
MS
> > Word
> > > document) like you can with text files.  That may be a significant
> > limitation
> > > for some.
> >
> > Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of
MS
> > Word documents?
> > I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.
>
> Sorry, I don't.  I would imagine it would be a tough task for the VS
system--a
> special case for every format it supported, plus multiple versions of the
MS
> formats.

That's what I figured...so I've never bothered searching for something like
this actively.
My current group might be interested in a new version control tool (we use
PVCS now!!), so I thought it might be a good time to scout around.
I'm just starting to try out the new TortoiseSVN. I thought that someone
might have a plug-in/piggy back module on an existing system that addresses
Word docs specifically....but expecting something specific for MS stuff from
the open source community is rather optimistic :-)
I'll probably look at Booshan's scootersoftware suggestion and see what it
had to offer.

Cheers
Bhaskar

bhooshaniyer wrote:
> Bhaskar--
>
> >Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of
> MS
> >Word documents?
> >I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.
> >
> >Cheers
> >Bhaskar
>
> I use scootersoftware.com's Beyond Compare software to diff my word files
> graphically.It is very useful. I get by without vcf,because of this and
> some highly imaginative folder structures that I create.
>
> --Bhooshan

Ouch.... If you are anything like me, that folder structure would
look something along the lines of

project1/misc
        /utils
        /tmp
        /var

Which is probably the reason why I need some sort of document
control...

Rune

Bhaskar Thiagarajan wrote:
> ...but expecting something specific for MS stuff from
> the open source community is rather optimistic :-)

I don't think it's OVERLY optimistic though.  OpenOffice.org and Samba 
are two counter examples.

-- 
Jim Thomas            Principal Applications Engineer  Bittware, Inc
jthomas@bittware.com  http://www.bittware.com    (603) 226-0404 x536
In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice, they're not

Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.com> writes:

> Rune Allnor wrote:
>
>> Hi all.
>> I am in the process of producing a pile of programs and
>> documents in various stages of evolution:
>> - Some documents are finished reports, or almost finished
>>   reports that only need proofreading.
>> - Others are in slightly less evolved stages, missing a
>>   chapter or two, or missing data demonstrations.
>> - Other still are merely "post-it notes", containing key
>>   word reminders of some idea I had once upon a time,
>>   or the outline of some report-to-be.
>> - Some programs are self-contained while others are
>>   merely tests of program syntax.
>> - Etc.
>> As of yet, I am capable of keeping track of what's going on,
>> but I will not be for much longer. Hence I need some sort
>> of system for document/version control.
>> Do anybody out there have experience with these sorts of
>> systems? Are they suitable for small companies, or only
>> for the multinasional mastodonts? Do anybody have suggestions
>> to what version control systems to check out?
>> Rune

Rune,

subversion (svn) seems to be a new upcoming version control system,
aiming to replace the RCS/CVS systems. 

--Randy



-- 
%  Randy Yates                  % "I met someone who looks alot like you,
%% Fuquay-Varina, NC            %             she does the things you do, 
%%% 919-577-9882                %                     but she is an IBM."
%%%% <yates@ieee.org>           %        'Yours Truly, 2095', *Time*, ELO   
http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr

"bhooshaniyer" <bhooshaniyer@gmail.com> writes:

> Bhaskar--
>
>>Do you know of any that allows viewing differences graphically esp. of
> MS
>>Word documents?
>>I've used VSS and I know it doesn't...just treats it as a binary.
>>
>>Cheers
>>Bhaskar
>
> I use scootersoftware.com's Beyond Compare software to diff my word files
> graphically.It is very useful. I get by without vcf,because of this and
> some highly imaginative folder structures that I create.

I don't think it will handle MS Word files, but "meld" is absolutely
amazing for diff'ing source code - a great tool!
-- 
%  Randy Yates                  % "Though you ride on the wheels of tomorrow,
%% Fuquay-Varina, NC            %  you still wander the fields of your
%%% 919-577-9882                %  sorrow."
%%%% <yates@ieee.org>           % '21st Century Man', *Time*, ELO
http://home.earthlink.net/~yatescr

Randy Yates wrote:
> 
> I don't think it will handle MS Word files, but "meld" is absolutely
> amazing for diff'ing source code - a great tool!

I've tried meld, but I don't think its as nice as mgdiff. If you want to
try it, do try the version in Debian GNU/Linux as it has some enhanced
features I added. These would have been passed upstream but upstream
seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.

Erik
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  Erik de Castro Lopo  nospam@mega-nerd.com (Yes it's valid)
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
"I could never learn to use C++, because of the completely 
overwhelming desire to redesign the language every time I tried 
to use it, but this is the normal, healthy reaction to C++."
-- Erik Naggum

Randy Yates wrote:
> 
> Rune,
> 
> subversion (svn) seems to be a new upcoming version control system,
> aiming to replace the RCS/CVS systems.

Subversion is a definite improvement over CVS especially if you
want windows users to access it.

However, it shares some of the downsides of CVS:

  - Multiple merges across branches are a PITA.
  - Centralised repository.

If you are luck enough to have only Unix users accessing the 
archive GNU Arch is much nicer, especially if you want to do
a bunch of branching/merging or disconnected/distributed
development.

Erik
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  Erik de Castro Lopo  nospam@mega-nerd.com (Yes it's valid)
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
"XML is not a language in the sense of a programming language any
more than sketches on a napkin are a language." -- Charles Simonyi