NOTE: This information no longer applies to users accessing the CNMAT subversion server!
Why?
We use subversion in conjunction with the SSH (Secure SHell) protocol to encrypt all communication between subversion clients (e.g., running on your laptop) and the server. By default this means that every time you have to communicate with the server (checkout, commit, log, etc.) you have to type your password on the server. You can avoid this with a few simple steps.
How?
Open a terminal window on your computer. Type this:
ssh-keygen -t dsa
Accept the default filename by hitting return.
You don't want a passphrase, so just hit return when it asks you for one, and then hit return a again when it asks you to confirm.
If this is the first computer you're configuring
Log into our SVN server.
ssh my_login_on_the_SVN_server@128.32.122.217
Make yourself a ".ssh" directory on the SVN server, then log out:
mkdir ~/.ssh
exit
Now that you're back on your laptop, copy the correct half of the magic encryption key to the SVN server:
Append the new magic encryption key to your .ssh/authorized_keys file:
cd .ssh
cat garbanzo >> authorized_keys && rm garbanzo
exit
Test it out
Now you should be able to do SVN operations from your laptop without typing your password. As a test, try logging back into the SVN server via ssh; if it asks you for a password this time then something's wrong.
