svnwrap (1)

svnwrap {program} [args...]

svnwrap is a simple shell script to work around permission problems when sharing Subversion repositories between multiple local users. svnwrap can be used either by specifying a particular subversion client command on the command line, or by invoking it by the same name as the desired client command, via a symlink.

svnwrap sets the umask to 002, then launches the appropriate subversion client command. For complicated reasons, this is needed when using the clients with BDB-format repositories, but not for FSFS-format ones.

To create a new BDB-format shared repository (note that FSFS-format shared repositories should also be created this way):

svnwrap svnadmin create --fs-type=bdb /path/to/repo

chgrp -R shared_group /path/to/repo

The following line in /etc/inetd.conf can be used to serve svn:// URLs:

svn stream tcp nowait my_svn_user /usr/bin/svnwrap svnserve svnserve -i -r /srv/svn

The following commands enable use of svnwrap for local file:/// and remote svn+ssh:// URLs:

ln -s /usr/bin/svnwrap /usr/local/bin/svn

ln -s /usr/bin/svnwrap /usr/local/bin/svnserve

svn is used for local file:/// URLs, and svnserve is invoked by remote users of svn+ssh:// URLs.

If you symlink the svn binary to svnwrap, as shown in one of the examples, all local users' working copies will also use the new umask. Be sure to warn your users about this, as security-related surprises are rarely pleasant.

svnserve(8), svn(1), svnlook(1).

svnwrap and this manual were written by Peter Samuelson for the Debian Project (but may be used by others).