Conveniently move a class to a different package in eclipse without borking svn

Question

When moving a file from old.package to new.package I want two things to happen:

1. Update all references to that class (in all files of the project) so that the new package is used
2. svn move old/package/Foo.java new/package/Foo.java

I use subversive within Eclipse Ganymede. When I just drag the file from one package to the other, all references get updated and the file is moved around on the filesystem. But SVN is unaware of this and therefore the svn move old/package/foo.java new/package/Foo.java command does not work (obviously) when old/package/Foo.java does not exist (because eclipse has moved it already).

Is there a way to have eclipse do it's refactoring but using svn to move the file on the filesystem? I hope I'm just missing something obvious :-)

Answer 1

I use Subclipse and it does support moving files between packages

Answer 2

I've been experimenting, and think I've found the way:

1) Tortoise-move the file using the right-click-drag context menu (or whatever SVN method you want).

2) Use the windows filesystem to move it back.

3) Drag-move the file in Eclipse to update all the references.

4) Commit - it shows as a delete/add, but it saves the history, and it does change the package references in one commit (keeping each commit buildable).

Old question, but I keep returning to it, so this is my documentation!

Answer 3

Yuval's right. This sounds like a (very unfortunate!) deficiency in Subversive. (having no experience with Subversive I can't say for sure) Subclipse definitely handles this properly by hooking into the right APIs in Eclipse.

Answer 4

You can not do both at the same time because moving the files alone is not enough. The files need to be modified in order for your code to be compilable again. So refactor with Eclipse and let Subclipse do its magic (remove old files, add new files) after the move.

Answer 5

If you let Eclipse do the refactoring then surely it will make changes in the actual files which SVN should pick up when you commit the root directory? I don't think a move will cut it though, SVN will have to pick up that the file is missing from its original directory but re-add it from the new directory. It's a sticky situation, I wouldn't know what the best method is, I'd just do the refactoring and then commit the root personally, even though it wouldn't be a move.