Revising an Existing File


To make changes to an existing file in your project, simply open your working copy of the file outside of SmartSVN using any appropriate tool application of your choice (e.g., Dreamweaver for an HTML file, Adobe Acrobat for a PDF file, Photoshop for an image file). You don't need to "reserve" the file or otherwise formally indicate your intention to edit it.

Although it's a good practice to lock a file before you work on it, locking is optional in a Subversion repository. And, because Subversion implements non-exclusive locking, one user's lock on a file doesn't prevent another user from making changes to the same file. Think of a Subversion "lock" as a notification to other users that you are actively revising a file.

SmartSVN continually monitors the contents of your working copy folder and its subfolders to determine whether you've modified any of your files. You can copy a file from your working copy folder to another location on the filesystem and make your changes there. However, you must at some point copy the edited file back into the working copy folder (overwriting the unedited file) for SmartSVN to be aware of your changes.

To revise an existing file:
  • Update your local working copy folder from the repository before editing any files. In the Directories pane, click on the top-level folder. Click the Update button on the icon button row. In the pop-up window, click the radio button labeled HEAD, then click the Update button.
  • In the Files pane, select the file you want to revise. Right-click on the file and select Lock... from the context menu.
  • Enter a comment to document your revisions in the repository transaction log. Check the box labeled Steal locks if necessary if the file you want to revise is locked by another user and you intend to transfer the lock to yourself.
  • In the external application of your choice, make your edits to the file and save it.
  • SmartSVN, detecting that your file has been revised, sets the local state of the file to Modified and turns the file's icon pale red, the color of the Commit button above. Click the Commit button.


  • The commit is complete. SmartSVN displays the new project revision number for the revised file and shows the local state of the file is Unchanged, indicating your working copy is synchronized with the repository.

Next: Adding a New File