<section id="repo-convs-syncpaths">

    <title>Syncronizing Repository Paths</title>

    <para>  

        Once both master and auxiliar paths have been related in the

        repository, they shouldn't be changed except you absolutly

        need to do so. In this cases, when you need to change master

        or auxiliar paths, it is required that you also change the

        relation between them so as to retain their bond.  This

        process of keeping master and auxiliar paths

        <quote>connected</quote> between themselves is known as

        <emphasis>path syncronization</emphasis>.

    </para>

    <para>

        Path syncronization is required for automation scripts to know

        where to store final output, where to retrive translation

        messages from, and whatever information you might need to

        count with. If the relation between master paths and auxiliar

        paths is lost, there is no way for automation scripts to know

        where to retrive the information they need to work with or

        where to store the output information produced from it.

        Through path syncronization we organize and extend the content

        production inside the repository.

    </para>

    <para>

        Path syncronization affects both movement of files and

        replacement of content inside files.  Movement of files is

        related to actions like renaming files and directories inside

        the repository.  Replacement of content inside files is

        related to actions like replacing information (e.g., paths

        information) inside files in order to keep file contents and

        file locations consistent one another after a file has been

        moved.

    </para>

    <para>

        The order followed to syncronize path information is very

        important because the versioned nature of the files we are

        working with. When a renaming action needs to be performed

        inside the repository, we avoid making replacements inside

        files first and file movements later. This would demand two

        commit actions: one for the files' internal changes and

        another for the file movement itself.  Instead, we prefer to

        perform file movements first and files' internal replacements

        later.  This way it is possible to commit both changes as if

        they were just one.

    </para>

    <note>

    <para>

        There is no support for URLs actions inside

        <command>centos-art.sh</command> script.  The

        <command>centos-art.sh</command> script is designed to work

        with local files inside the working copy only. If you need to

        perform URL actions directly, use Subversion's commands

        instead.

    </para>

    </note>

    <para>

        At this moment there isn't full implementation of path

        syncronization inside <command>centos-art.sh</command> script

        and that is somthing we need to do oursleves. However, the

        <quote>texinfo</quote> backend inside the

        <function>help</function> functionality does provide a restricted

        implementation of path syncronization to documentation area

        through the <option>--copy</option>, <option>--delete</option>

        and <option>--rename</option> options. You can read this

        implementation and use it as reference to implement path

        syncronization in other areas.

    </para>

    <para>

        The plan for a full implementation of path syncronization

        inside <command>centos-art.sh</command> script would be to

        create individual restricted implementations like the one in

        <quote>texinfo</quote> backend for other areas that demand it

        and then, create a higher implmentation that combines them all

        as needed. This way, if we try to rename a repository

        directory, the higher action can know which are all the

        restricted actions that should be performed in order

        to make the full path syncronization.

    </para>

    <para>

        For example, if the directory we are renaming is a master

        path, it is required to syncronize the related output and

        localization auxiliar paths. On the other hand, if the

        directory we are renaming through full path syncronization is

        an auxiliar path, it is required to determine first what is

        the related master path and later, perform the syncronization

        from master path to auxiliar paths as if the path provided

        would be the master path not the auxiliar path.

    </para>

</section>