How to use TortoiseSVN via command line?

Question

I use TortoiseSVN and want to use command line SVN options.

I used the command:

svn checkout [-N] [--ignore-externals] [-r rev] URL PATH

and get the following error:

'svn' is not recognized as an internal or external command

Is it because I need to add some environment variable? Or can't TortoiseSVN be used from the command line?

Solution 1

By default TortoiseSVN always has a GUI (Graphical User Interface) associated with it. But on the installer (of version 1.7 and later) you can select the "command line client tools" option so you can call svn commands (like svn commit and svn update) from the command line.

Here's a screenshot of the "command line client tools" option in the installer, you need to make sure you select it:

Solution 2

TortoiseSVN has a command-line interface that can be used for TortoiseSVN GUI automation and it's different from the normal Subversion one.

You can find information about the command-line options of TortoiseSVN in the documentation: Appendix D. Automating TortoiseSVN. The main program to work with here is TortoiseProc.exe.

But a note pretty much at the top there already says:

Remember that TortoiseSVN is a GUI client, and this automation guide shows you how to make the TortoiseSVN dialogs appear to collect user input. If you want to write a script which requires no input, you should use the official Subversion command line client instead.

Another option would be that you install the Subversion binaries. Slik SVN is a nice build (and doesn't require a registration like Collabnet). Recent versions of TortoiseSVN also include the command-line client if you choose to install it.

Solution 3

In case you have already installed the TortoiseSVN GUI and wondering how to upgrade to command line tools, here are the steps...

1. Go to Windows Control Panel → Program and Features (Windows 7+)
2. Locate TortoiseSVN and click on it.
3. Select "Change" from the options available.

4. Refer to this image for further steps.

   

5. After completion of the command line client tools, open a command prompt and type svn help to check the successful install.

Solution 4

To use command support you should follow this steps:

1. Define Path in Environment Variables:

   • open 'System Properties';
   • on the tab 'Advanced' click on the 'Environment Variables' button
   • in the section 'System variables' select 'Path' option and click 'edit'

   • append variable value with the path to TortoiseProc.exe file, for example:

     C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin

2. Since you have registered TortoiseProc, you can use it in according to TortoiseSVN documentation.

   Examples:

   TortoiseProc.exe /command:commit /path:"c:\svn_wc\file1.txt*c:\svn_wc\file2.txt" /logmsg:"test log message" /closeonend:0

   TortoiseProc.exe /command:update /path:"c:\svn_wc\" /closeonend:0

   TortoiseProc.exe /command:log /path:"c:\svn_wc\file1.txt" /startrev:50 /endrev:60 /closeonend:0

P.S. To use friendly name like 'svn' instead of 'TortoiseProc', place 'svn.bat' file in the directory of 'TortoiseProc.exe'. There is an example of svn.bat:

TortoiseProc.exe %1 %2 %3

Solution 5

My solution was to use DOSKEY to set up some aliases to for the commands I use the most:

DOSKEY svc=TortoiseProc.exe /command:commit /path:.
DOSKEY svu=TortoiseProc.exe /command:update /path:.
DOSKEY svl=TortoiseProc.exe /command:log /path:.
DOSKEY svd=TortoiseProc.exe /command:diff /path:$*

Google "doskey persist" for tips on how to set up a .cmd file that runs every time you open the command prompt like a .*rc file in Unix.

View more solutions

Comments

[bhups]

I'd suggest slik subversion. And after installing just add its bin directory to your path. -bhups

[Tim]

I usually have the standard SVN installed as well as TortoiseSVN. Just add the binary location of SVN to your PATH environment variable. Using the standard SVN command line tool will be better for getting help and documentation than using any other SVN pseudo client.

[Rich]

It adds itself to the PATH on installation anyway.

[Rich]

TortoiseSVN is probably the most used Windows GUI SVN client there is and it's thoroughly documented. I wouldn't call it pseudo-client just because it's not the reference command-line implementation.

[Tim]

I meant the command line TSVN - not the GUI one. A different poster suggested to use the TSVN command line - which, I gather, is not the same as using SVN. My point is that if you are going to use tsvn, use it as intended - as a GUI client. If you are going to use command line, use the original...

[Rich]

That's exactly what the docs say, too :-)

[vee]

The latest version of TortoiseSVN (1.7.1 of this writing) has an option during installation for command line tools. It is not turned on by default but it will install the standard command line files for svn. So there is no need to install a separate subversion package like Silk anymore.

[Jesse]

Just a quick FYI, if using Slik svn and you get that error : " 'svn' is not recognized... " you might have to open System Properties dialogue. While Slik does add the correct entry to your Path variable, you might have to click edit and 'ok' (even if you haven't made any changes) to enable the variable. At least that was my experience using Windows Vista. After I did that, Windows recognized the change in the Path and my svn command was recognized.

[Lion789]

I have added the SlikSvn/bin path to the environment variable but still get this error...

[Thomas Owens]

Just to add to this - make sure Tortoise is on your path. Otherwise, nothing will work.

[jprete]

Based on this answer, I think the best bet would be to install the actual SVN command-line client rather than learn a second command-line interface. I don't know how to do that, though.

[Rich]

Thomas: By default both TortoiseSVN and Slik SVN will alter the path accordingly.

[Night Walker]

Where i check that ok button in the settings ? I couldn't find that option there . thanks

[Rich]

Night Walker: If you like to register for something as mundane as a build of publicly available sources, then sure, go ahead. I included a link to an alternative, though.

[David Heffernan]

It seems much more sensible to me to install the standard svn command line tools when installing svn and use those commands. Using TortoiseProc is a very weird and roundabout way to use svn commands.

[Haroldo_OK]

Personally, I prefer this answer to the accepted one: no secondary installations, and full access to the standard SVN command line.

[Tobias]

The main problem is not the name of the executable (and how to find it) but the totally different commandline syntax; see my answer which tells about my tsvn program (which didn't exist at the time of Warlock's answer). Recent Windows versions allow to specify all arguments as %* (instead of %1 %2 %3 ...).

[the_mandrill]

Also has the added benefit that the command line tool versions stay in sync with the TortoiseSVN version.

[Josh]

This solution is simply out of date, the TortosieSVN installer now includes the command line tools.

[Tobias]

For those not familiar with Python: you need a recent Python 2.x interpreter. If you have easy_install or pip install, just specify tsvn; otherwise you can download and extract the tarball and run the contained setup.py installation script. Since it is interpreted, you can inspect it in full detail ;-)

[Tobias]

... which means, in more detail: the working directory format of Subversion has changed a few times, e.g. in versions 1.7 and 1.8. An 1.7 client won't use an older working directory unless it is svn upgraded; after that, an 1.6 client won't be able to use it anymore.

[maya]

for those of you who are wondering where the "Modify" option is - try to re-install Tortoise SVN

[Trevor]

As a tip, if you already have Tortoise installed, there is no need to reinstall. You can simply open up the original installer .msi file, and instead of choosing "Uninstall" you can choose "Modify." It will just update your current Tortoise installation without messing anything up.

[Oliver Bock]

You may need to reboot after installation so that you get the change to your PATH environment variable.

[BogdanBiv]

This is the desired outcome, however this answer does not tell how to actually achieve this.

[Alex]

Seems a popular issue. Interesting why the installation setup still with the disabled option for the console tools...

[bahrep]

This answer is a bit misleading. TortoiseProc.exe that you reference should be used only for GUI automation. It is not a replacement for command line svn.exe client. TortoiseProc.exe is NOT an alternative to svn.exe command line client.

[Rich]

@bahrep: Well, after your edit it's definitely not misleading, I think.

[Lucky]

Your answer was not formatted already. And it had unwanted information. He did both formatting and editing your answer properly. Please read the help center for more. ;)

[slim]

Win10 is "Apps & Features".. but that's probably obvious

[Lucky]

Ok don't believe me. Please ask this as a question in meta whether the edit is legitimate or not. He not only formatted your answer, he also did remove unwanted information which is not required for the answer. It's called moderation. And people with high reps generally do clean up the site by moderating and contributing which is why I suggested you to look up the help centre. But you just want to argue instead of gaining knowledge. Good luck.😉

[Devendra Vaja]

Yeah actually I am interested in sharing the knowledge and not to claim someone's work and preach. Also I am not a blind follower of high reps.

[Elliott Beach]

Great! This is the only answer that actually invokes TortoiseSVN, not ordinary svn, from the command line.

[zvi]

As a tip, if you already have Tortoise installed, and don't have the .msi file - you can go to the Control Panel -> Programs and Features, and then select the TortoiseSVN -> Modify.

[Lucky]

@maya If you have already installed it don't try to uninstall and re-install it. Go to Control Panel\Programs\Programs and Features search Tortoise SVN and click Change and then click on Modify.

[Amit Joshi]

while we enable command line, it ask for application path which is required to download. path : osdn.net/projects/tortoisesvn/storage/1.12.0/Application/…

[Anonymous]

This approach is not working, still shows 'svn' is not recognized as an internal or external command

[westandy]

To open this client in Windows, you go to Control Panel -> Uninstall Programs -> TortoiseSVN. Right click and select Modify.

[FCA69]

If you have to add this feature programmatically (i.e. via a script), add "CLI" on the installation command line: msiexec /i "TortoiseSVN-x.yy.zzzz-x64-svn-x.yy.msi" ADDLOCAL="F_OVL,DefaultFeature,MoreIcons,CLI,CrashReporter,U‌​DiffAssoc,Dictionary‌​ENGB,DictionaryENUS"

[Fabrizio]

Using TortoiseSVN 1.7.6.22632 (64 bit) I see the Unistall option only