How can I keep the file timestamp for import, commit, and update?

Question

Hello stackoverflow (Subversion) community - it's a new year and many years since similar questions were asked - and still no answer? Someone out there has to have figured this one out either by a script or configuration setting. I can't believe it isn't limiting more people from using subversion.

I am looking for a way to preserve the file timestamp when files are imported into subversion, committed, and updated on the local system. The "out of the box" setup I am (and others are) using seems to force the date to the commit time - which eliminates the actual timestamp for every file. I am using TortoiseSVN client and VisualSVN Server on Windows 7-64.

I worked with ClearCase for years and this was never an issue. With CC the date of the file (element) was set to the file date when it was imported to the VOB and as it was changed as the file was updated. The file date wasn't set to the time it was checked out or when it was committed unless either the file was changed and checked in or a copy of the file was created and forced to check in to create a new version identical to the previous one.

Has anyone come up with a solution to this?
Would I have better luck with SVN in Linux? (either for the server, client, or both) Does anyone have suggestions of other CM freeware where this isn't a problem?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I am looking for a way to preserve the file timestamp when files are imported into subversion, committed, and updated on the local system.

Well, at least for me it's three different times. Which timestamp you want to see on freshly checkouted file really?

>dir ZolotoyKlyuchik.ini

02.01.2012  19:10               311 ZolotoyKlyuchik.ini

>svn log ZolotoyKlyuchik.ini -q
------------------------------------------------------------------------
r998 | Infinity_Love | 2010-08-21 22:00:33 +0600 (Сб, 21 авг 2010)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
r997 | lazybadger | 2010-08-20 04:54:52 +0600 (Пт, 20 авг 2010)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
r855 | SdimS | 2010-06-04 17:24:11 +0600 (Пт, 04 июн 2010)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
r850 | SdimS | 2010-06-01 18:28:03 +0600 (Вт, 01 июн 2010)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

• "updated on the local system" as dir show?
• "committed" as r998 show?
• "imported into subversion" as r850 show?

PS: answers 1 and 3 in mentioned by @VonC question are still valid and applicable