I finally got past my hurdles with subversion problems. I was having trouble checking in on one repository, but not another.

This turns out to be a simple file permissions problem:


svn: Commit failed (details follow):
svn: Can't create directory '/svn/repository/db/transactions/0-1.txn': Permission denied


The simple fix is:


chown -R fluffy.apache /svn/repository
chmod -R g+w /svn/repository


I’ve managed to set up subversion access (via http://, https://, and svn://) on three different networks today.
I still need to tackle svn+ssh:// and using PAM or LDAP authentication. That’ll be next.

Subversion configuration for http

/etc/httpd/conf.d/subversion.conf


DAV svn
SVNPath /usr/local/svnrepo
AuthType Basic
AuthName "Subversion Repository"
AuthUserFile /svn/repository/conf/htpasswd
Require valid-user


Subversion configuration via virtualhost

/etc/httpd/conf.d/subversion.conf

<Location /svn>
        DAV svn
        SVNPath /usr/local/svnrepo

        <LimitExcept GET PROPFIND OPTIONS REPORT>
                AuthType Basic
                AuthName "Herculean Group Subversion Repository"

                #NOTE: this must be maintained separately from the svn passwd file which is plaintext
                #TODO: combine svn:// and http:// password file acess
                #TODO: svn+ssh:// access

                AuthUserFile /usr/local/svnrepo/conf/htpasswd
                Require valid-user
        </LimitExcept>
</Location>

VirtualHost Configuration

/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

NameVirtualHost *:80
NameVirtualHost *:443

<VirtualHost _default_:80>
</VirtualHost>

<VirtualHost _default_:443>
</VirtualHost>

include conf/vhosts/*.conf

Subversion Virtual Host

/etc/httpd/conf/vhosts/svn.example.com.conf

<VirtualHost *:80 *:443>
        ServerName svn.example.com

    <Location />
        DAV svn
        SVNPath /usr/local/svnrepo/

        <LimitExcept GET PROPFIND OPTIONS REPORT>
                AuthType Basic
                AuthName "Herculean Group Subversion Repository"
                AuthUserFile /usr/local/svnrepo/conf/htpasswd
                Require valid-user
                #NOTE: this must be maintained separately from the svn passwd file which is plaintext
                #TODO: combine svn:// and http:// password file acess        </LimitExcept>
    </Location>

</VirtualHost>

Setup for svnserve

To start the svnserve server (for svn:// protocol)

su -c 'svnserve -d -r /usr/local/svnrepo'

To view the repository:

svn list svn://east2.herculeangrp.org/usr/local/svnrepo/

To checkout:

svn checkout svn://svn.herculeangrp.org/usr/local/svnrepo/forgetmenot/trunk forgetmennot

To commit from your local copy:

svn commit

To change passwords or add a user (for use with svn:// protocol) edit:

/svn/repository/conf/passwd

I finally got down to speccing out my Flex Taskboard app today.

On paper I wrote out the model as an outline and identified the main screens as boxes with attributes off to the side.  Then I set about transferring them to a wiki.  Instead of using Xwiki as planned, I used Confluence and built a project documentation hierarchy and outlined the model and listed the sketches.

I then fired up the copy of Balsamiq Mockups that I got for writing the tip on Adobeholic.  I have to say, it was a pleasure to use.  I understand why everyone is raving about it.

A couple critiques:  First, it’d be nicer to have a palette that was easier to access.  Having to scroll so much to find stuff was a bit awkward.  I’d suggest an “accordian” palette where things can be grouped.  It’d be nice to have more, and I think there is a way to get them, or possibly even make your own.

Update: I just noticed the tabs across the top.

The “sketchy” feel is nice, I liked it more than I thought, but a little bit inconsistent.  Things like splitters and alerts stand out as too “perfect.”

Grouping seemed natural, but I had 1 horizonal rule that I had to move everything to get to, even though it was on top.  Almost every program of this type has those sort of bugs though.  Grid alignment seemed just right, but also having a rough sketch mockup helped to avoid sweating pixel perfect alignment.

I just reopened it and tried to open a file, but got prompted again for the serial key I’d already entered.  Once again I had trouble pasting the key into the textarea.  Chalk it up to Flash.

Finally, the other issue is that it needed installed as Admin, and has to run as Admin, and files saved are only accessible to admin.  So that’s annoying.  But that’s an Adobe Air flaw, which I tweeted about last night.

That’s right, I joined Twitter.  I’m so ashamed.  Facebook will probably be next.

Anyway, without further ado, here’s the taskboard mockup:

I’m not being productive.

For several reasons:  Because of roadblocks.  Because of paralysis. Paralysis based on fear.  Fear of failure.  Fear of wasting time.

Yesterday it was roadblocks, today it’s fear.  Fear of roadblocks.  Fear of wasting time.  And that’s irrational.

I’m not doing anything productive because I fear if I start on it, I’ll hit roadblocks and it will become a time sink.  I’ll run out of time, which means money.

So I’m anxious to not get involved in something that will eat up my time.

Networking takes up time.  Truth is, I don’t know how to network.  If I gain contacts, I don’t know what to do with them.  I don’t know how to do marketing either, but I know it takes up time, so I avoid doing it.  I have no idea how to find real customers.  My instinct says “build it and they will come” — but what is “it”?

I know a QA site is a good idea (if poorly named) because I’d pay a lot of money to have one right now.  But I’m afraid to build one.  I want to start from scratch, and develop the integrated applications I know I want, and then integrate them.  Not integrate ones I don’t like and don’t want to spend time trying to improve because they have a model I don’t agree with.   And of course, then I’d have to market it to convince other people what is self-evident —  that my model is better.  Only what if it’s not?  I could be wrong, but the only way to find out is to build it.

But I don’t have the luxury to take that much time, and so I wait.

One of my friends is an Adobeholic.  It’s a disease, really.  He should get treatment.

But in the meantime, he’s promoting a “Bug Quash” for Adobe Flex.  It’s going to be held at Adobe’s offices in both Seattle and San Francisco and remotely all over the world.  Think Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Bono Hewson hugging and kissing via WebEx from Wembley Stadium to the Sydney Opera House.

They’ll be there.  I’ll be there (there’s free food.)  Will you?