diff --git a/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi b/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
index 16f9c41de5ac9322dad297ef77a1681b0cd2257e..24ac49ffbb042f8285f3d09446f1296013c2d784 100644
--- a/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
+++ b/doc/texinfo/gmsh.texi
@@ -4684,6 +4684,23 @@ repository, go in the gmsh directory and type:
 svn commit
 @end example
 
+@item
+If you want to remove part of the tree from being downloaded, you can
+change its ``ambiant'' depth to ``empty''. For example, if you don't
+want to upate the ``projects'' subdirectory (as well as its
+subdirectories), type:
+
+@example
+cd projects
+svn update --set-depth empty
+@end example
+
+To later restore the projects for recursive updating, type:
+@example
+cd projects
+svn update --set-depth infinity
+@end example
+
 @end enumerate
 
 Once you have the source code, you need to run CMake to configure your