alternative to "script/plugin install -x" that works with git

rubyonrails-talk
1

I miss the svn:externals feature when installing plugins that are managed under git. the -x switch used to do this.

I've released a gem called externals that manages subprojects in an scm agnostic way so that I can use an svn:externals-like workflow with git.

It's used like this: ext install git://github.com/rails/acts_as_list.git

This accomplishes the same thing as: script/plugin install -x git://github.com/rails/acts_as_list.git (if you pretend -x works with git)

I maintain a tutorial on how to use this gem to install ext and manage/deploy projects with subprojects managed in different SCMs at http://nopugs.com/ext-tutorial. I've been using it for my own projects and I find it really convenient.

The tutorial is rails-centric, though it can be used for any project type.

This is my first attempt at releasing a open source project to the community, any advice on how to get people interested in this project would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Miles

2

how about git submodule?

git submodule add git://github.com/rails/acts_as_list.git vendor/ plugins/acts_as_list git submodule init git submodule update

3

Hi Scott,

I have a lot of problems with git-submodule, and git-submodule was the main reason I wrote externals. I explain some of the things I don't like about git-submodule at: http://nopugs.com/why-ext

Also, if the main project is managed by subversion, then you can't use git-submodule to manage a subproject. (likewise if the main project is managed via git with the subproject managed via svn.)

Miles