cesarbs’ blog

I have set up an SVN repository for QuickSynergy at my recently-acquired Dreamhost hosting. Their control panel is great and setting everything up was very easy.

However, it doesn’t install any repository browsing tool such as ViewVC, and I really enjoy using that kind of thing. So I went after it and managed to install it successfully at http://svn.cesarbs.org/viewvc.cgi. The installation steps are quite simple and are listed below. I am assuming you have set a up a separate subdomain exclusively for your SVN repositories, such as svn.yourdomain.org.

1. Download the latest ViewVC package from the official website.
2. Extract the package somewhere in your home directory at Dreamhost.
3. Enter the viewvc-version directory and run the viewvc-install script.
4. Install ViewVC somewhere in your home directory.
5. Edit the /path/to/viewvc/viewvc.conf configuration file.
6. Point svn_roots to the path to your SVN repository (look for the svn directory in your home directory).
7. Set default_root to svn.
8. Copy ViewVC’s scripts from /path/to/viewvc/bin to /home/user/svn.yourdomain.org.
9. Create a file named .htaccess under the /home/user/svn.yourdomain.org directory with the following contents:

Options +ExecCGI
AddHandler cgi-script .cgi

You are done installing ViewVC. Just access it at svn.yourdomain.org/viewvc.cgi!

Note: If you don’t want everyone to be able to see you files, you will have to configure authenticated access to your subdomain using the Dreamhost panel tool for that purpose.