# upgrading gitolite atomically

### general upgrade notes

If you follow the steps below, you can make the upgrade "atomic", so you don't
have to do it at a "quiet" time or something.

1.  untar the new version to some temp directory and `cd` to it

2.  *prepare* the new version of `~/.gitolite.rc`.  It **must** have **all**
    the variables defined in `conf/example.gitolite.rc` (the "new" rc file),
    because the new versions of the programs will be depending on seeing these
    variables.

    However, it must also retain any customisations you made to the **old**
    variables.

    So this is what you do:

      * make a copy of `conf/example.gitolite.rc` as `~/glrc.new`
      * if your current `~/.gitolite.rc` had any customisations (where you
        changed the defaults in some way), edit `~/glrc.new` and make those
        same changes there

3.  upgrade the rc file first

        cp ~/glrc.new ~/.gitolite.rc

4.  upgrade the software

        src/install.pl

5.  compile the config once again, in case the *internal* format of the
    compiled config file (`$GL_CONF_COMPILED`) has changed

        src/gl-compile-conf

And you're done.

### upgrade notes for specific versions

If any extra steps beyond the generic ones above are needed, they will be
listed here, newest first.

#### upgrading from 8217ef9

Between 8217ef9 and this version, gitolite learnt to handle gitweb/daemon
access.  As a result, the rc file acquired a new variable, `$PROJECTS_LIST`,
which you have to set to whatever your gitweb installation requires.

#### upgrading from 86faae4

Between 86faae4 and this version, gitolite had a *major* change in the
*internal* format of the compiled config file.  Please do not omit step 5 in
the generic instructions above.

#### upgrading from 5758f69

Between 5758f69 and this version, gitolite learnt to allow "groupnames" for
repos as well.  The `conf/example.conf` has been recommented to explain the
syntax but it's really a no-brainer: what you could previously do only for
usernames, you can now do for reponames also.

#### upgrading from abb4580

Two new features (personal branches, and customisable logfile names/locations)
have been added between abb4580 and this version.

  * if you want to enable the personal branches feature, choose one of the
    alternative values given for `$PERSONAL` or change it to something you
    like; by default it is empty, which disables the feature

  * if you want the log files named or grouped differently, choose one of the
    alternative values for `$GL_LOGT`.  **Note** that if you choose to put
    them in some other directory than the default, you **must** create that
    directory (`mkdir`) yourself; gitolite will not do that for you