I tried using the exec command to run the python script from within my shell script, but then received errors about not recognizing the run_or_die('svn up') command. Not to worry. I saw enough in your script to derive the following in my build script: SVN_VERSION="`head -n4 ./src/.svn/entries | tail -n1`" I will use that variable as part of the package name. For example: kdelibs-3.5.11-i486-svn_1167630.tgz. I will have to watch your release announcements to know when to update 3.5.11 to 3.5.12. Is that major version number cleverly hidden somewhere in the svn tree?