Developers of open-source project are normally very familiar with the use of version control, e.g. CVS which is quite popular. If you code in Win32 platform, source code management software is either not free (sometimes very expensive) or difficult to setup. Look no more, should you need basic features of version control: check in, check out, history, and diff/merge, then you can use FreeVCS (now being open-sourced as JediVCS).

FreeVCS has a nice integration with Delphi IDE. However, if you do not use Delphi IDE, you can still opt for the stand alone version. Here are steps to get your feet wet quickly:

First, download the client and install. Assuming you do not work with Delphi, get fvcs_exe221.zip, extract it to temporary folder, and run the installer. In short time, the stand-alone FreeVCS Project Manager is ready.

Now you need a simple server. This is still necessary even if you work alone and use only one computer, due the server-client characteristic of FreeVCS. Select the easiest DBISAM server. Get dbisam109srv.zip and extract the content.

Next you have to prepare the repository. Choose a folder for the repository. Take file dbiarch.zip which you get from the previous step, extract the content to your repository folder.

The server, FVCSAppSrv.exe, you should get when you extract dbisam109srv.zip beforehand. Copy this file, along ServerCrypt.dll to your repository folder. Run the exe file now to start FreeVCS server

Download the manual. Print it or just read it on the screen.

Now launch the FreeVCS Project Manager, connect to the server, create a new project, and start importing your files. You are ready to rock!

- posted by Ariya Hidayat @ 1:33 PM