Getting Started with the Ivercy Git Connector
With Ivercy version 1.4.1 we released a Git connector based on the GitLib2Sharp library, independent of any MSSCCI-API-Provider. As of version 1.4.3 this connector should still be considered “beta”. However, we firmly believe it is already much more usable than any of the MSSCCI-Providers for Git.
Prerequisites
The first step is to adjust the Ivercy New Project Template configuration.
|
Section |
Option |
Value |
|
Internal |
SccProxyLibrary |
ivercy.git.dll |
|
Workflow |
ExcludeCheckedoutFromGetLatest |
No |
|
External Programs |
MergeProgram |
(Depends on use program) |
|
External Programs |
MergeCommandline |
(Depends on use program) |
|
External Programs |
DiffCommandline |
(Depends on use program) |
These and other optional settings are described in more detail in the general information on our Ivercy Git Connector. We strongly recommend take care of the prerequisites and adjust your Ivercy configuration to the settings described there before you continue here.
General Warning
Ivercy will only checkout files that are in the repository folder containing your database. If you work in the working folder with another Git client, it may complain about missing files from other folders of the repository directory hierarchy. If you check-in with that other client without limiting scope it may delete those missing files in the repository!
How to Link an Access Database to Git Version Control
There are two different starting points to link an Access database to Git.
If you got a database that was not in a Git repository ever before and you want to add it to a repository for the very first time. Then you should continue with “Add an Access Database to Git Version Control”.
If you used Git before and your database’s source files are in a Git repository already, continue with “Create an Access Database from Git Version Control”.
Add an Access Database to Git Version Control
This command is meant for a database that is not in a Git repository yet. It will extract the source code from the currently open Access database into individual files and will add those files to a Git repository.
After you clicked “Add Database to (default SCC-Provider)” Ivercy will show the “Configure Project Paths” dialog.
Repository Path
Enter the path to an existing Git repository to add the database to.
Ivercy will not create a local repository. You need to clone a remote repository or create a new local repository with either the Git command line or another Git client like TortoiseGit.
User Email
The user email address is only used to identify you as the user making commits to the repository. It is not used for authentication purposes.
Currently only email addresses are supported. We will add an option to also enter a real name in a future version.
Branch
The branch in the repository you want to add your source files.
Folder
The folder inside the repository your sources should be added to.
Ivercy will automatically create a new folder inside the selected folder named as the Access database file that you are about to add.
Local Project Path
This is the folder where your ACCDB file is located. When adding a database to the repository this is derived from the current location of the file and cannot be changed.
Working Folder
The working folder is the folder where the source files of your Access database objects will be exported to before they are committed to the repository. Ivercy will automatically enter a working default path for the working folder.
This working folder is shared between Access/Ivercy and Git (“Working Tree”)! Therefor the lower level of the folder structure should match the folder structure in the Git repository.
You are probably used to the Git repository (“.git” folder) being inside the working directory. This is optional but can also be done this way with Ivercy if you select the appropriate working folder.
(Read why we rather discourage this in the section “Separate working folder” in the general documentation for the Ivercy Git Connector.)
Create pointer to git repository
If you do not put the working folder in its common files system relation to the repository other Git client software will not be able to link the working folder to the repository automatically. If you enable this option Ivercy will write a small .git text file to the working folder containing the path to the repository. This will allow other clients to find the Git repository.
Create an Access Database from Git Version Control
This command will create a new working copy of a Microsoft Access database from your Git repository. The whole database will be created from scratch.
The intended way to use this command is to run Microsoft Access without opening a database and then selecting the Ivercy tab in the Access Backstage and invoke the command there.
Unfortunately, in recent versions of Access 365 Microsoft decided to replace the documented Backstage view with an undocumented “Home” screen that does not display tabs from add-ins. As a work around to show the Ivercy tab, click on “Options” and then “Cancel” right away. This will show the Backstage view with the Ivercy tab.
The other alternative is to open any non-version-controlled database and then invoke the “Create an Access Database from …” command from the Ivercy ribbon.
Repository Path
Enter the path to an existing, local Git repository that contains the source files of your database.
Ivercy cannot clone a remote repository. If you need to clone a remote repository, please use either the Git command line or another Git client like TortoiseGit.
User Email
The user email address is only used to identify you as the user making commits to the repository. It is not used for authentication purposes.
Currently only email addresses are supported. We will add an option to also enter a real name in a future version.
Branch
The branch in the repository containing the version of source files of the database you want to get.
Folder
The folder inside the repository your sources are in.
Local Project Path
This is the folder where your ACCDB file will be created.
Working Folder
The working folder is the folder where the source files of your Access database objects will be exported to before they are committed to the repository. Ivercy will automatically enter a working default path for the working folder.
This working folder is shared between Access/Ivercy and Git (“Working Tree”)! Therefor the lower level of the folder structure should match the folder structure in the Git repository.
You are probably used to the Git repository (“.git” folder) being inside the working directory. This is optional but can also be done this way with Ivercy if you select the appropriate working folder.
(Read why we rather discourage this in the section “Separate working folder” in the general documentation for the Ivercy Git Connector.)
Create pointer to git repository
If you do not put the working folder in its common files system relation to the repository other Git client software will not be able to link the working folder to the repository automatically. If you enable this option Ivercy will write a small .git text file to the working folder containing the path to the repository. This will allow other clients to find the Git repository.
Ready for Work
After completing the “Configure Project Paths” with OK, Ivercy will either build your local copy of the database or add the source code of the existing database to the Git repository. Once this process is complete, you can start to work with your version-controlled database.