Running external programs and scripts in repository hooks

Applies to: VisualSVN Server 5.2 and later

VisualSVN Server provides a VisualSVNServerHooks run hook subcommand for launching arbitrary applications and scripts in repository hooks. Programs can be started synchronously, meaning they start and the hook waits for their completion, or asynchronously, meaning they start and the hook doesn't wait for their completion.

Tip

The run subcommand can be used with any type of repository hook (e.g., it can be used in pre-commit hooks, post-commit hooks, pre-revprop-change hooks, pre-lock hooks, or in any other hooks).

The run command accepts the following options:

Option	Meaning
--no-wait	Do not wait for the program to complete. I.e., start the program asynchronously.
--log-dir ARG	Specify this option to save the program's output into the specified directory. By default, the output isn't saved.
--log-name-prefix ARG	Specify the log filename prefix. By default, the value is 'VisualSVNServerHooks'. Use this option when `--log-dir` is enabled.
--program ARG	Specify the program to start. This must be the last option, because all of the following characters will be interpreted as the program name and its arguments.

Examples

Below you can find examples of scripts that you can use in your repositories:

Note

The --program option must be the last option of the run subcommand. All the characters after the option are interpreted as the option's argument.

Start the specified application and wait for it to complete

Use the following script to start the my-hook-handler.exe program synchronously. The example assumes that the executable file my-hook-handler.exe is located in the /hooks directory of the repository.

"%VISUALSVN_SERVER%\bin\VisualSVNServerHooks.exe" run ^
  --program "%~dp0\my-hook-handler.exe" %*
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1

Start the specified application without waiting for it to complete

Use the following script to start the my-hook-handler.exe program asynchronously. The example assumes that the executable file my-hook-handler.exe is located in the /hooks directory of the repository.

"%VISUALSVN_SERVER%\bin\VisualSVNServerHooks.exe" run --no-wait ^
  --program "%~dp0\my-hook-handler.exe" %*
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1

Start the specified PowerShell script without waiting for it to complete

Use the following script to start the my-hook-handler.ps1 PowerShell script asynchronously. The example assumes that the PowerShell script file my-hook-handler.ps1 is located in the /hooks directory of the repository.

"%VISUALSVN_SERVER%\bin\VisualSVNServerHooks.exe" run --no-wait ^
  --program powershell -File "%~dp0\my-hook-handler.ps1" %*
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1

Start the specified application and save its output into a directory

Use the following script to start the my-hook-handler.exe program asynchronously and log its standard and error output into files in the my-hook-logs/ directory.

The example assumes that the executable file my-hook-handler.exe and the log directory my-hook-logs are located in the /hooks directory of the repository.

"%VISUALSVN_SERVER%\bin\VisualSVNServerHooks.exe" run ^
  --no-wait ^
  --log-dir %~dp0\my-hook-logs ^
  --log-name-prefix my-hook-handler-prefix ^
  --program "%~dp0\my-hook-handler.exe" %*
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 exit /b 1