Using version control (SVN or CVS) vs. Override System?

[moltar]

Do any of you use SVN? The override system seems to be the wrong way to approach this if one use SVN, don't you think? I'd rather edit the original files and then merge the changes.

In the event when a new version or a patch comes out for one of the files I had an override for, then it will make changes only to the original file, and the overridden file still stays old. Which means that I'd have to go an manually check whether I have an override for this particular file.

If I made changes to the original files, then SVN would likely to merge everything automatically.

[gjh42]

If everyone who used Zen Cart was a developer or advanced coder, you might be right. I expect 90% of ZC users have never heard of SVN, let alone know how to use it.

Zen Cart was developed to be used by a wide user base, and has to be accessible without more technical tools/knowledge than necessary.

[yellow1912]

The over-ride system and svn are used for 2 different purposes, you can not compare them like that.
Any svn is not that popular and easy to use for normal users.

[moltar]

OK, I guess I did not explain myself the right way.

I am not saying that overrides are useless. I am just saying that if I use SVN, then shouldn't I not use overrides, or are there problems with that?

PS And I don't think SVN is that difficult anyways. I thought that too at first, but it's ridiculously easy, I'd say it's even easier than overrides. Maybe we just need a good tutorial on that.

[kobra]

I am not saying that overrides are useless. I am just saying that if I use SVN, then shouldn't I not use overrides, or are there problems with that?

Overides is an implementation that is and can be template specific and is simpler to grasp by most than multiple SVN or CVS per template

[yellow1912]

The good thing about over-ride: what if you have more than 1 templates and want to switch back and forth? And the default template is always there so you can fall back any time in case some thing happens.

Now if you want to use svn for your site, I don't see any problem with that, as long as you know what you are doing. And I'm not saying that svn is extremely hard, it's just a bit difficult for non-tech people, and a bit complicated (you have to get a svn server to, there are lots of free ones out there though, but it still mens more work). Always remember, the users do NOT like more works, I have just said goodbye forever to DELL because they simply gave me more work, required me to call their support staff while I don't want to.

[moltar]

Thanks! That's what I wanted to know. Just about my specific issue. I don't see overrides as being a reliable system, because I'd consider myself an advanced user. I use SVN for while for several other projects and you can also always roll back to old versions with no issues. You can create tags, branches and such if necessary as well.

I was afraid of something breaking somewhere if I don't use the overrides for example. I just wanted to hear other people's experience of doing it this way.

[DrByte]

Do as you like. Just remember that you'll not have the ability to switch between templates at will if you don't actually create any ... and to create them requires using the override infrastructure to some degree.