\input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- @comment Documentation for CVS. @comment Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1999 Signum Support AB @comment Copyright (C) 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @comment This file is part of the CVS distribution. @comment CVS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify @comment it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by @comment the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) @comment any later version. @comment CVS is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, @comment but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of @comment MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the @comment GNU General Public License for more details. @c See ../README for A4 vs. US letter size. @c When we provided A4 postscript, and people tried to @c print it on US letter, the usual complaint was that the @c page numbers would get cut off. @c If one prints US letter on A4, reportedly there is @c some extra space at the top and/or bottom, and the side @c margins are a bit narrow, but no text is lost. @c @c See @c http://www.ft.uni-erlangen.de/~mskuhn/iso-paper.html @c for more on paper sizes. Insuring that margins are @c big enough to print on either A4 or US letter does @c indeed seem to be the usual approach (RFC2346). @c This document seems to get overfull hboxes with some @c frequency (probably because the tendency is to @c sanity-check it with "make info" and run TeX less @c often). The big ugly boxes just seem to add insult @c to injury, and I'm not aware of them helping to fix @c the overfull hboxes at all. @finalout @setfilename cvs.info @include CVSvn.texi @settitle CVS---Concurrent Versions System v@value{CVSVN} @setchapternewpage odd @c -- TODO list: @c -- Fix all lines that match "^@c -- " @c -- Also places marked with FIXME should be manual @c problems (as opposed to FIXCVS for CVS problems). @ifinfo @format START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY * CVS: (cvs). Concurrent Versions System END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY @end format @end ifinfo @ifinfo Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993 Signum Support AB Copyright @copyright{} 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. @ignore Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual). @end ignore Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation. @end ifinfo @comment The titlepage section does not appear in the Info file. @titlepage @sp 4 @comment The title is printed in a large font. @center @titlefont{Version Management} @sp @center @titlefont{with} @sp @center @titlefont{CVS} @sp 2 @center for @sc{cvs} @value{CVSVN} @comment -release- @sp 3 @center Per Cederqvist et al @comment The following two commands start the copyright page @comment for the printed manual. This will not appear in the Info file. @page @vskip 0pt plus 1filll Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993 Signum Support AB Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one. Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation. @end titlepage @comment ================================================================ @comment The real text starts here @comment ================================================================ @ifinfo @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Top @top @c Note: there is a space after that @top command. @c The texinfo-format-buffer Emacs function and @c the makeinfo shell command disagree on what arguments @c @top takes; @top followed by a single space is @c something they can both cope with. This info manual describes how to use and administer @sc{cvs} version @value{CVSVN}. @end ifinfo @c This menu is pretty long. Not sure how easily that @c can be fixed (no brilliant ideas right away)... @menu * Overview:: An introduction to CVS * Repository:: Where all your sources are stored * Starting a new project:: Starting a project with CVS * Revisions:: Numeric and symbolic names for revisions * Branching and merging:: Diverging/rejoining branches of development * Recursive behavior:: CVS descends directories * Adding and removing:: Adding/removing/renaming files/directories * History browsing:: Viewing the history of files in various ways CVS and the Real World. ----------------------- * Binary files:: CVS can handle binary files * Multiple developers:: How CVS helps a group of developers * Revision management:: Policy questions for revision management * Keyword substitution:: CVS can include the revision inside the file * Tracking sources:: Tracking third-party sources * Builds:: Issues related to CVS and builds * Special Files:: Devices, links and other non-regular files References. ----------- * CVS commands:: CVS commands share some things * Invoking CVS:: Quick reference to CVS commands * Administrative files:: Reference manual for the Administrative files * Environment variables:: All environment variables which affect CVS * Compatibility:: Upgrading CVS versions * Troubleshooting:: Some tips when nothing works * Credits:: Some of the contributors to this manual * BUGS:: Dealing with bugs in CVS or this manual * Index:: Index @end menu @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Overview @chapter Overview @cindex Overview This chapter is for people who have never used @sc{cvs}, and perhaps have never used version control software before. If you are already familiar with @sc{cvs} and are just trying to learn a particular feature or remember a certain command, you can probably skip everything here. @menu * What is CVS?:: What you can do with @sc{cvs} * What is CVS not?:: Problems @sc{cvs} doesn't try to solve * A sample session:: A tour of basic @sc{cvs} usage @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node What is CVS? @section What is CVS? @cindex What is CVS? @cindex Introduction to CVS @cindex CVS, introduction to @sc{cvs} is a version control system. Using it, you can record the history of your source files. @c -- /// @c -- ///Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. @c -- /// -- George Santayana @c -- ////// @c -- Insert history quote here! For example, bugs sometimes creep in when software is modified, and you might not detect the bug until a long time after you make the modification. With @sc{cvs}, you can easily retrieve old versions to see exactly which change caused the bug. This can sometimes be a big help. You could of course save every version of every file you have ever created. This would however waste an enormous amount of disk space. @sc{cvs} stores all the versions of a file in a single file in a clever way that only stores the differences between versions. @sc{cvs} also helps you if you are part of a group of people working on the same project. It is all too easy to overwrite each others' changes unless you are extremely careful. Some editors, like @sc{gnu} Emacs, try to make sure that the same file is never modified by two people at the same time. Unfortunately, if someone is using another editor, that safeguard will not work. @sc{cvs} solves this problem by insulating the different developers from each other. Every developer works in his own directory, and @sc{cvs} merges the work when each developer is done. @cindex History of CVS @cindex CVS, history of @cindex Credits (CVS program) @cindex Contributors (CVS program) @sc{cvs} started out as a bunch of shell scripts written by Dick Grune, posted to the newsgroup @code{comp.sources.unix} in the volume 6 release of December, 1986. While no actual code from these shell scripts is present in the current version of @sc{cvs} much of the @sc{cvs} conflict resolution algorithms come from them. In April, 1989, Brian Berliner designed and coded @sc{cvs}. Jeff Polk later helped Brian with the design of the @sc{cvs} module and vendor branch support. @cindex Source, getting CVS source You can get @sc{cvs} in a variety of ways, including free download from the internet. For more information on downloading @sc{cvs} and other @sc{cvs} topics, see: @example http://www.cvshome.org/ http://www.loria.fr/~molli/cvs-index.html @end example @cindex Mailing list @cindex List, mailing list @cindex Newsgroups There is a mailing list, known as @w{@code{info-cvs}}, devoted to @sc{cvs}. To subscribe or unsubscribe write to @w{@code{info-cvs-request@@gnu.org}}. If you prefer a usenet group, the right group is @code{comp.software.config-mgmt} which is for @sc{cvs} discussions (along with other configuration management systems). In the future, it might be possible to create a @code{comp.software.config-mgmt.cvs}, but probably only if there is sufficient @sc{cvs} traffic on @code{comp.software.config-mgmt}. @c Other random data is that past attempts to create a @c gnu.* group have failed (the relevant authorities @c say they'll do it, but don't), and that tale was very @c skeptical of comp.software.config-mgmt.cvs when the @c subject came up around 1995 or so (for one @c thing, because creating it would be a "reorg" which @c would need to take a more comprehensive look at the @c whole comp.software.config-mgmt.* hierarchy). You can also subscribe to the bug-cvs mailing list, described in more detail in @ref{BUGS}. To subscribe send mail to bug-cvs-request@@gnu.org. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node What is CVS not? @section What is CVS not? @cindex What is CVS not? @sc{cvs} can do a lot of things for you, but it does not try to be everything for everyone. @table @asis @item @sc{cvs} is not a build system. Though the structure of your repository and modules file interact with your build system (e.g. @file{Makefile}s), they are essentially independent. @sc{cvs} does not dictate how you build anything. It merely stores files for retrieval in a tree structure you devise. @sc{cvs} does not dictate how to use disk space in the checked out working directories. If you write your @file{Makefile}s or scripts in every directory so they have to know the relative positions of everything else, you wind up requiring the entire repository to be checked out. If you modularize your work, and construct a build system that will share files (via links, mounts, @code{VPATH} in @file{Makefile}s, etc.), you can arrange your disk usage however you like. But you have to remember that @emph{any} such system is a lot of work to construct and maintain. @sc{cvs} does not address the issues involved. Of course, you should place the tools created to support such a build system (scripts, @file{Makefile}s, etc) under @sc{cvs}. Figuring out what files need to be rebuilt when something changes is, again, something to be handled outside the scope of @sc{cvs}. One traditional approach is to use @code{make} for building, and use some automated tool for generating the dependencies which @code{make} uses. See @ref{Builds}, for more information on doing builds in conjunction with @sc{cvs}. @item @sc{cvs} is not a substitute for management. Your managers and project leaders are expected to talk to you frequently enough to make certain you are aware of schedules, merge points, branch names and release dates. If they don't, @sc{cvs} can't help. @sc{cvs} is an instrument for making sources dance to your tune. But you are the piper and the composer. No instrument plays itself or writes its own music. @item @sc{cvs} is not a substitute for developer communication. When faced with conflicts within a single file, most developers manage to resolve them without too much effort. But a more general definition of ``conflict'' includes problems too difficult to solve without communication between developers. @sc{cvs} cannot determine when simultaneous changes within a single file, or across a whole collection of files, will logically conflict with one another. Its concept of a @dfn{conflict} is purely textual, arising when two changes to the same base file are near enough to spook the merge (i.e. @code{diff3}) command. @sc{cvs} does not claim to help at all in figuring out non-textual or distributed conflicts in program logic. For example: Say you change the arguments to function @code{X} defined in file @file{A}. At the same time, someone edits file @file{B}, adding new calls to function @code{X} using the old arguments. You are outside the realm of @sc{cvs}'s competence. Acquire the habit of reading specs and talking to your peers. @item @sc{cvs} does not have change control Change control refers to a number of things. First of all it can mean @dfn{bug-tracking}, that is being able to keep a database of reported bugs and the status of each one (is it fixed? in what release? has the bug submitter agreed that it is fixed?). For interfacing @sc{cvs} to an external bug-tracking system, see the @file{rcsinfo} and @file{verifymsg} files (@pxref{Administrative files}). Another aspect of change control is keeping track of the fact that changes to several files were in fact changed together as one logical change. If you check in several files in a single @code{cvs commit} operation, @sc{cvs} then forgets that those files were checked in together, and the fact that they have the same log message is the only thing tying them together. Keeping a @sc{gnu} style @file{ChangeLog} can help somewhat. @c FIXME: should have an xref to a section which talks @c more about keeping ChangeLog's with CVS, but that @c section hasn't been written yet. Another aspect of change control, in some systems, is the ability to keep track of the status of each change. Some changes have been written by a developer, others have been reviewed by a second developer, and so on. Generally, the way to do this with @sc{cvs} is to generate a diff (using @code{cvs diff} or @code{diff}) and email it to someone who can then apply it using the @code{patch} utility. This is very flexible, but depends on mechanisms outside @sc{cvs} to make sure nothing falls through the cracks. @item @sc{cvs} is not an automated testing program It should be possible to enforce mandatory use of a testsuite using the @code{commitinfo} file. I haven't heard a lot about projects trying to do that or whether there are subtle gotchas, however. @item @sc{cvs} does not have a builtin process model Some systems provide ways to ensure that changes or releases go through various steps, with various approvals as needed. Generally, one can accomplish this with @sc{cvs} but it might be a little more work. In some cases you'll want to use the @file{commitinfo}, @file{loginfo}, @file{rcsinfo}, or @file{verifymsg} files, to require that certain steps be performed before cvs will allow a checkin. Also consider whether features such as branches and tags can be used to perform tasks such as doing work in a development tree and then merging certain changes over to a stable tree only once they have been proven. @end table @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node A sample session @section A sample session @cindex Example of a work-session @cindex Getting started @cindex Work-session, example of @cindex tc, Trivial Compiler (example) @cindex Trivial Compiler (example) @c I think an example is a pretty good way to start. But @c somewhere in here, maybe after the sample session, @c we need something which is kind of @c a "roadmap" which is more directed at sketching out @c the functionality of CVS and pointing people to @c various other parts of the manual. As it stands now @c people who read in order get dumped right into all @c manner of hair regarding remote repositories, @c creating a repository, etc. @c @c The following was in the old Basic concepts node. I don't @c know how good a job it does at introducing modules, @c or whether they need to be introduced so soon, but @c something of this sort might go into some @c introductory material somewhere. @ignore @cindex Modules (intro) The repository contains directories and files, in an arbitrary tree. The @dfn{modules} feature can be used to group together a set of directories or files into a single entity (@pxref{modules}). A typical usage is to define one module per project. @end ignore As a way of introducing @sc{cvs}, we'll go through a typical work-session using @sc{cvs}. The first thing to understand is that @sc{cvs} stores all files in a centralized @dfn{repository} (@pxref{Repository}); this section assumes that a repository is set up. @c I'm not sure that the sentence concerning the @c repository quite tells the user what they need to @c know at this point. Might need to expand on "centralized" @c slightly (maybe not here, maybe further down in the example?) Suppose you are working on a simple compiler. The source consists of a handful of C files and a @file{Makefile}. The compiler is called @samp{tc} (Trivial Compiler), and the repository is set up so that there is a module called @samp{tc}. @menu * Getting the source:: Creating a workspace * Committing your changes:: Making your work available to others * Cleaning up:: Cleaning up * Viewing differences:: Viewing differences @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Getting the source @subsection Getting the source @cindex Getting the source @cindex Checking out source @cindex Fetching source @cindex Source, getting from CVS @cindex Checkout, example The first thing you must do is to get your own working copy of the source for @samp{tc}. For this, you use the @code{checkout} command: @example $ cvs checkout tc @end example @noindent This will create a new directory called @file{tc} and populate it with the source files. @example $ cd tc $ ls CVS Makefile backend.c driver.c frontend.c parser.c @end example The @file{CVS} directory is used internally by @sc{cvs}. Normally, you should not modify or remove any of the files in it. You start your favorite editor, hack away at @file{backend.c}, and a couple of hours later you have added an optimization pass to the compiler. A note to @sc{rcs} and @sc{sccs} users: There is no need to lock the files that you want to edit. @xref{Multiple developers}, for an explanation. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Committing your changes @subsection Committing your changes @cindex Committing changes @cindex Log message entry @cindex CVSEDITOR, environment variable @cindex EDITOR, environment variable When you have checked that the compiler is still compilable you decide to make a new version of @file{backend.c}. This will store your new @file{backend.c} in the repository and make it available to anyone else who is using that same repository. @example $ cvs commit backend.c @end example @noindent @sc{cvs} starts an editor, to allow you to enter a log message. You type in ``Added an optimization pass.'', save the temporary file, and exit the editor. The environment variable @code{$CVSEDITOR} determines which editor is started. If @code{$CVSEDITOR} is not set, then if the environment variable @code{$EDITOR} is set, it will be used. If both @code{$CVSEDITOR} and @code{$EDITOR} are not set then there is a default which will vary with your operating system, for example @code{vi} for unix or @code{notepad} for Windows NT/95. @cindex VISUAL, environment variable In addition, @sc{cvs} checks the @code{$VISUAL} environment variable. Opinions vary on whether this behavior is desirable and whether future releases of @sc{cvs} should check @code{$VISUAL} or ignore it. You will be OK either way if you make sure that @code{$VISUAL} is either unset or set to the same thing as @code{$EDITOR}. @c This probably should go into some new node @c containing detailed info on the editor, rather than @c the intro. In fact, perhaps some of the stuff with @c CVSEDITOR and -m and so on should too. When @sc{cvs} starts the editor, it includes a list of files which are modified. For the @sc{cvs} client, this list is based on comparing the modification time of the file against the modification time that the file had when it was last gotten or updated. Therefore, if a file's modification time has changed but its contents have not, it will show up as modified. The simplest way to handle this is simply not to worry about it---if you proceed with the commit @sc{cvs} will detect that the contents are not modified and treat it as an unmodified file. The next @code{update} will clue @sc{cvs} in to the fact that the file is unmodified, and it will reset its stored timestamp so that the file will not show up in future editor sessions. @c FIXCVS: Might be nice if "commit" and other commands @c would reset that timestamp too, but currently commit @c doesn't. @c FIXME: Need to talk more about the process of @c prompting for the log message. Like show an example @c of what it pops up in the editor, for example. Also @c a discussion of how to get the "a)bort, c)ontinue, @c e)dit" prompt and what to do with it. Might also @c work in the suggestion that if you want a diff, you @c should make it before running commit (someone @c suggested that the diff pop up in the editor. I'm @c not sure that is better than telling people to run @c "cvs diff" first if that is what they want, but if @c we want to tell people that, the manual possibly @c should say it). If you want to avoid starting an editor you can specify the log message on the command line using the @samp{-m} flag instead, like this: @example $ cvs commit -m "Added an optimization pass" backend.c @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Cleaning up @subsection Cleaning up @cindex Cleaning up @cindex Working copy, removing @cindex Removing your working copy @cindex Releasing your working copy Before you turn to other tasks you decide to remove your working copy of tc. One acceptable way to do that is of course @example $ cd .. $ rm -r tc @end example @noindent but a better way is to use the @code{release} command (@pxref{release}): @example $ cd .. $ cvs release -d tc M driver.c ? tc You have [1] altered files in this repository. Are you sure you want to release (and delete) directory `tc': n ** `release' aborted by user choice. @end example The @code{release} command checks that all your modifications have been committed. If history logging is enabled it also makes a note in the history file. @xref{history file}. When you use the @samp{-d} flag with @code{release}, it also removes your working copy. In the example above, the @code{release} command wrote a couple of lines of output. @samp{? tc} means that the file @file{tc} is unknown to @sc{cvs}. That is nothing to worry about: @file{tc} is the executable compiler, and it should not be stored in the repository. @xref{cvsignore}, for information about how to make that warning go away. @xref{release output}, for a complete explanation of all possible output from @code{release}. @samp{M driver.c} is more serious. It means that the file @file{driver.c} has been modified since it was checked out. The @code{release} command always finishes by telling you how many modified files you have in your working copy of the sources, and then asks you for confirmation before deleting any files or making any note in the history file. You decide to play it safe and answer @kbd{n @key{RET}} when @code{release} asks for confirmation. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Viewing differences @subsection Viewing differences @cindex Viewing differences @cindex Diff You do not remember modifying @file{driver.c}, so you want to see what has happened to that file. @example $ cd tc $ cvs diff driver.c @end example This command runs @code{diff} to compare the version of @file{driver.c} that you checked out with your working copy. When you see the output you remember that you added a command line option that enabled the optimization pass. You check it in, and release the module. @c FIXME: we haven't yet defined the term "check in". @example $ cvs commit -m "Added an optimization pass" driver.c Checking in driver.c; /usr/local/cvsroot/tc/driver.c,v <-- driver.c new revision: 1.2; previous revision: 1.1 done $ cd .. $ cvs release -d tc ? tc You have [0] altered files in this repository. Are you sure you want to release (and delete) directory `tc': y @end example @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Repository @chapter The Repository @cindex Repository (intro) @cindex Repository, example @cindex Layout of repository @cindex Typical repository @cindex /usr/local/cvsroot, as example repository @cindex cvsroot The @sc{cvs} @dfn{repository} stores a complete copy of all the files and directories which are under version control. Normally, you never access any of the files in the repository directly. Instead, you use @sc{cvs} commands to get your own copy of the files into a @dfn{working directory}, and then work on that copy. When you've finished a set of changes, you check (or @dfn{commit}) them back into the repository. The repository then contains the changes which you have made, as well as recording exactly what you changed, when you changed it, and other such information. Note that the repository is not a subdirectory of the working directory, or vice versa; they should be in separate locations. @c Need some example, e.g. repository @c /usr/local/cvsroot; working directory @c /home/joe/sources. But this node is too long @c as it is; need a little reorganization... @cindex :local:, setting up @sc{cvs} can access a repository by a variety of means. It might be on the local computer, or it might be on a computer across the room or across the world. To distinguish various ways to access a repository, the repository name can start with an @dfn{access method}. For example, the access method @code{:local:} means to access a repository directory, so the repository @code{:local:/usr/local/cvsroot} means that the repository is in @file{/usr/local/cvsroot} on the computer running @sc{cvs}. For information on other access methods, see @ref{Remote repositories}. @c Can se say this more concisely? Like by passing @c more of the buck to the Remote repositories node? If the access method is omitted, then if the repository does not contain @samp{:}, then @code{:local:} is assumed. If it does contain @samp{:} then either @code{:ext:} or @code{:server:} is assumed. For example, if you have a local repository in @file{/usr/local/cvsroot}, you can use @code{/usr/local/cvsroot} instead of @code{:local:/usr/local/cvsroot}. But if (under Windows NT, for example) your local repository is @file{c:\src\cvsroot}, then you must specify the access method, as in @code{:local:c:\src\cvsroot}. @c This might appear to go in Repository storage, but @c actually it is describing something which is quite @c user-visible, when you do a "cvs co CVSROOT". This @c isn't necessary the perfect place for that, though. The repository is split in two parts. @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT} contains administrative files for @sc{cvs}. The other directories contain the actual user-defined modules. @menu * Specifying a repository:: Telling CVS where your repository is * Repository storage:: The structure of the repository * Working directory storage:: The structure of working directories * Intro administrative files:: Defining modules * Multiple repositories:: Multiple repositories * Creating a repository:: Creating a repository * Backing up:: Backing up a repository * Moving a repository:: Moving a repository * Remote repositories:: Accessing repositories on remote machines * Read-only access:: Granting read-only access to the repository * Server temporary directory:: The server creates temporary directories @end menu @node Specifying a repository @section Telling CVS where your repository is There are several ways to tell @sc{cvs} where to find the repository. You can name the repository on the command line explicitly, with the @code{-d} (for "directory") option: @example cvs -d /usr/local/cvsroot checkout yoyodyne/tc @end example @cindex .profile, setting CVSROOT in @cindex .cshrc, setting CVSROOT in @cindex .tcshrc, setting CVSROOT in @cindex .bashrc, setting CVSROOT in @cindex CVSROOT, environment variable Or you can set the @code{$CVSROOT} environment variable to an absolute path to the root of the repository, @file{/usr/local/cvsroot} in this example. To set @code{$CVSROOT}, @code{csh} and @code{tcsh} users should have this line in their @file{.cshrc} or @file{.tcshrc} files: @example setenv CVSROOT /usr/local/cvsroot @end example @noindent @code{sh} and @code{bash} users should instead have these lines in their @file{.profile} or @file{.bashrc}: @example CVSROOT=/usr/local/cvsroot export CVSROOT @end example @cindex Root file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Root file A repository specified with @code{-d} will override the @code{$CVSROOT} environment variable. Once you've checked a working copy out from the repository, it will remember where its repository is (the information is recorded in the @file{CVS/Root} file in the working copy). The @code{-d} option and the @file{CVS/Root} file both override the @code{$CVSROOT} environment variable. If @code{-d} option differs from @file{CVS/Root}, the former is used. Of course, for proper operation they should be two ways of referring to the same repository. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Repository storage @section How data is stored in the repository @cindex Repository, how data is stored For most purposes it isn't important @emph{how} @sc{cvs} stores information in the repository. In fact, the format has changed in the past, and is likely to change in the future. Since in almost all cases one accesses the repository via @sc{cvs} commands, such changes need not be disruptive. However, in some cases it may be necessary to understand how @sc{cvs} stores data in the repository, for example you might need to track down @sc{cvs} locks (@pxref{Concurrency}) or you might need to deal with the file permissions appropriate for the repository. @menu * Repository files:: What files are stored in the repository * File permissions:: File permissions * Windows permissions:: Issues specific to Windows * Attic:: Some files are stored in the Attic * CVS in repository:: Additional information in CVS directory * Locks:: CVS locks control concurrent accesses * CVSROOT storage:: A few things about CVSROOT are different @end menu @node Repository files @subsection Where files are stored within the repository @c @cindex Filenames, legal @c @cindex Legal filenames @c Somewhere we need to say something about legitimate @c characters in filenames in working directory and @c repository. Not "/" (not even on non-unix). And @c here is a specific set of issues: @c Files starting with a - are handled inconsistently. They can not @c be added to a repository with an add command, because it they are @c interpreted as a switch. They can appear in a repository if they are @c part of a tree that is imported. They can not be removed from the tree @c once they are there. @c Note that "--" *is* supported (as a @c consequence of using GNU getopt). Should document @c this somewhere ("Common options"?). The other usual technique, @c "./-foo", isn't as effective, at least for "cvs add" @c which doesn't support pathnames containing "/". The overall structure of the repository is a directory tree corresponding to the directories in the working directory. For example, supposing the repository is in @example /usr/local/cvsroot @end example @noindent here is a possible directory tree (showing only the directories): @example @t{/usr} | +--@t{local} | | | +--@t{cvsroot} | | | | | +--@t{CVSROOT} | (administrative files) | +--@t{gnu} | | | +--@t{diff} | | (source code to @sc{gnu} diff) | | | +--@t{rcs} | | (source code to @sc{rcs}) | | | +--@t{cvs} | (source code to @sc{cvs}) | +--@t{yoyodyne} | +--@t{tc} | | | +--@t{man} | | | +--@t{testing} | +--(other Yoyodyne software) @end example With the directories are @dfn{history files} for each file under version control. The name of the history file is the name of the corresponding file with @samp{,v} appended to the end. Here is what the repository for the @file{yoyodyne/tc} directory might look like: @c FIXME: Should also mention CVS (CVSREP) @c FIXME? Should we introduce Attic with an xref to @c Attic? Not sure whether that is a good idea or not. @example @code{$CVSROOT} | +--@t{yoyodyne} | | | +--@t{tc} | | | +--@t{Makefile,v} +--@t{backend.c,v} +--@t{driver.c,v} +--@t{frontend.c,v} +--@t{parser.c,v} +--@t{man} | | | +--@t{tc.1,v} | +--@t{testing} | +--@t{testpgm.t,v} +--@t{test2.t,v} @end example @cindex History files @cindex RCS history files @c The first sentence, about what history files @c contain, is kind of redundant with our intro to what the @c repository does in node Repository.... The history files contain, among other things, enough information to recreate any revision of the file, a log of all commit messages and the user-name of the person who committed the revision. The history files are known as @dfn{RCS files}, because the first program to store files in that format was a version control system known as @sc{rcs}. For a full description of the file format, see the @code{man} page @cite{rcsfile(5)}, distributed with @sc{rcs}, or the file @file{doc/RCSFILES} in the @sc{cvs} source distribution. This file format has become very common---many systems other than @sc{cvs} or @sc{rcs} can at least import history files in this format. @c FIXME: Think about including documentation for this @c rather than citing it? In the long run, getting @c this to be a standard (not sure if we can cope with @c a standards process as formal as IEEE/ANSI/ISO/etc, @c though...) is the way to go, so maybe citing is @c better. The @sc{rcs} files used in @sc{cvs} differ in a few ways from the standard format. The biggest difference is magic branches; for more information see @ref{Magic branch numbers}. Also in @sc{cvs} the valid tag names are a subset of what @sc{rcs} accepts; for @sc{cvs}'s rules see @ref{Tags}. @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node File permissions @subsection File permissions @c -- Move this to @node Creating a repository or similar @cindex Security, file permissions in repository @cindex File permissions, general @cindex Permissions, general @c FIXME: we need to somehow reflect "permissions in @c repository" versus "permissions in working @c directory" in the index entries. @cindex Group @cindex Read-only files, in repository All @samp{,v} files are created read-only, and you should not change the permission of those files. The directories inside the repository should be writable by the persons that have permission to modify the files in each directory. This normally means that you must create a UNIX group (see group(5)) consisting of the persons that are to edit the files in a project, and set up the repository so that it is that group that owns the directory. @c See also comment in commitinfo node regarding cases @c which are really awkward with unix groups. This means that you can only control access to files on a per-directory basis. Note that users must also have write access to check out files, because @sc{cvs} needs to create lock files (@pxref{Concurrency}). @c CVS seems to use CVSUMASK in picking permissions for @c val-tags, but maybe we should say more about this. @c Like val-tags gets created by someone who doesn't @c have CVSUMASK set right? Also note that users must have write access to the @file{CVSROOT/val-tags} file. @sc{cvs} uses it to keep track of what tags are valid tag names (it is sometimes updated when tags are used, as well as when they are created). Each @sc{rcs} file will be owned by the user who last checked it in. This has little significance; what really matters is who owns the directories. @cindex CVSUMASK, environment variable @cindex Umask, for repository files @sc{cvs} tries to set up reasonable file permissions for new directories that are added inside the tree, but you must fix the permissions manually when a new directory should have different permissions than its parent directory. If you set the @code{CVSUMASK} environment variable that will control the file permissions which @sc{cvs} uses in creating directories and/or files in the repository. @code{CVSUMASK} does not affect the file permissions in the working directory; such files have the permissions which are typical for newly created files, except that sometimes @sc{cvs} creates them read-only (see the sections on watches, @ref{Setting a watch}; -r, @ref{Global options}; or @code{CVSREAD}, @ref{Environment variables}). @c FIXME: Need more discussion of which @c group should own the file in the repository. @c Include a somewhat detailed example of the usual @c case where CVSUMASK is 007, the developers are all @c in a group, and that group owns stuff in the @c repository. Need to talk about group ownership of @c newly-created directories/files (on some unices, @c such as SunOS4, setting the setgid bit on the @c directories will make files inherit the directory's @c group. On other unices, your mileage may vary. I @c can't remember what POSIX says about this, if @c anything). Note that using the client/server @sc{cvs} (@pxref{Remote repositories}), there is no good way to set @code{CVSUMASK}; the setting on the client machine has no effect. If you are connecting with @code{rsh}, you can set @code{CVSUMASK} in @file{.bashrc} or @file{.cshrc}, as described in the documentation for your operating system. This behavior might change in future versions of @sc{cvs}; do not rely on the setting of @code{CVSUMASK} on the client having no effect. @c FIXME: need to explain what a umask is or cite @c someplace which does. @c @c There is also a larger (largely separate) issue @c about the meaning of CVSUMASK in a non-unix context. @c For example, whether there is @c an equivalent which fits better into other @c protection schemes like POSIX.6, VMS, &c. @c @c FIXME: Need one place which discusses this @c read-only files thing. Why would one use -r or @c CVSREAD? Why would one use watches? How do they @c interact? @c @c FIXME: We need to state @c whether using CVSUMASK removes the need for manually @c fixing permissions (in fact, if we are going to mention @c manually fixing permission, we better document a lot @c better just what we mean by "fix"). Using pserver, you will generally need stricter permissions on the @sc{cvsroot} directory and directories above it in the tree; see @ref{Password authentication security}. @cindex Setuid @cindex Setgid @cindex Security, setuid @cindex Installed images (VMS) Some operating systems have features which allow a particular program to run with the ability to perform operations which the caller of the program could not. For example, the set user ID (setuid) or set group ID (setgid) features of unix or the installed image feature of VMS. @sc{cvs} was not written to use such features and therefore attempting to install @sc{cvs} in this fashion will provide protection against only accidental lapses; anyone who is trying to circumvent the measure will be able to do so, and depending on how you have set it up may gain access to more than just @sc{cvs}. You may wish to instead consider pserver. It shares some of the same attributes, in terms of possibly providing a false sense of security or opening security holes wider than the ones you are trying to fix, so read the documentation on pserver security carefully if you are considering this option (@ref{Password authentication security}). @node Windows permissions @subsection File Permission issues specific to Windows @cindex Windows, and permissions @cindex File permissions, Windows-specific @cindex Permissions, Windows-specific Some file permission issues are specific to Windows operating systems (Windows 95, Windows NT, and presumably future operating systems in this family. Some of the following might apply to OS/2 but I'm not sure). If you are using local @sc{cvs} and the repository is on a networked file system which is served by the Samba SMB server, some people have reported problems with permissions. Enabling WRITE=YES in the samba configuration is said to fix/workaround it. Disclaimer: I haven't investigated enough to know the implications of enabling that option, nor do I know whether there is something which @sc{cvs} could be doing differently in order to avoid the problem. If you find something out, please let us know as described in @ref{BUGS}. @node Attic @subsection The attic @cindex Attic You will notice that sometimes @sc{cvs} stores an @sc{rcs} file in the @code{Attic}. For example, if the @sc{cvsroot} is @file{/usr/local/cvsroot} and we are talking about the file @file{backend.c} in the directory @file{yoyodyne/tc}, then the file normally would be in @example /usr/local/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/backend.c,v @end example but if it goes in the attic, it would be in @example /usr/local/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/Attic/backend.c,v @end example @cindex Dead state instead. It should not matter from a user point of view whether a file is in the attic; @sc{cvs} keeps track of this and looks in the attic when it needs to. But in case you want to know, the rule is that the RCS file is stored in the attic if and only if the head revision on the trunk has state @code{dead}. A @code{dead} state means that file has been removed, or never added, for that revision. For example, if you add a file on a branch, it will have a trunk revision in @code{dead} state, and a branch revision in a non-@code{dead} state. @c Probably should have some more concrete examples @c here, or somewhere (not sure exactly how we should @c arrange the discussion of the dead state, versus @c discussion of the attic). @node CVS in repository @subsection The CVS directory in the repository @cindex CVS directory, in repository The @file{CVS} directory in each repository directory contains information such as file attributes (in a file called @file{CVS/fileattr}. In the future additional files may be added to this directory, so implementations should silently ignore additional files. This behavior is implemented only by @sc{cvs} 1.7 and later; for details see @ref{Watches Compatibility}. The format of the fileattr file is a series of entries of the following form (where @samp{@{} and @samp{@}} means the text between the braces can be repeated zero or more times): @var{ent-type} @var{filename} @var{attrname} = @var{attrval} @{; @var{attrname} = @var{attrval}@} @var{ent-type} is @samp{F} for a file, in which case the entry specifies the attributes for that file. @var{ent-type} is @samp{D}, and @var{filename} empty, to specify default attributes to be used for newly added files. Other @var{ent-type} are reserved for future expansion. @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older will delete them any time it writes file attributes. @sc{cvs} 1.10 and later will preserve them. Note that the order of the lines is not significant; a program writing the fileattr file may rearrange them at its convenience. There is currently no way of quoting tabs or linefeeds in the filename, @samp{=} in @var{attrname}, @samp{;} in @var{attrval}, etc. Note: some implementations also don't handle a NUL character in any of the fields, but implementations are encouraged to allow it. By convention, @var{attrname} starting with @samp{_} is for an attribute given special meaning by @sc{cvs}; other @var{attrname}s are for user-defined attributes (or will be, once implementations start supporting user-defined attributes). Builtin attributes: @table @code @item _watched Present means the file is watched and should be checked out read-only. @item _watchers Users with watches for this file. Value is @var{watcher} > @var{type} @{ , @var{watcher} > @var{type} @} where @var{watcher} is a username, and @var{type} is zero or more of edit,unedit,commit separated by @samp{+} (that is, nothing if none; there is no "none" or "all" keyword). @item _editors Users editing this file. Value is @var{editor} > @var{val} @{ , @var{editor} > @var{val} @} where @var{editor} is a username, and @var{val} is @var{time}+@var{hostname}+@var{pathname}, where @var{time} is when the @code{cvs edit} command (or equivalent) happened, and @var{hostname} and @var{pathname} are for the working directory. @end table Example: @c FIXME: sanity.sh should contain a similar test case @c so we can compare this example from something from @c Real Life(TM). See cvsclient.texi (under Notify) for more @c discussion of the date format of _editors. @example Ffile1 _watched=;_watchers=joe>edit,mary>commit Ffile2 _watched=;_editors=sue>8 Jan 1975+workstn1+/home/sue/cvs D _watched= @end example means that the file @file{file1} should be checked out read-only. Furthermore, joe is watching for edits and mary is watching for commits. The file @file{file2} should be checked out read-only; sue started editing it on 8 Jan 1975 in the directory @file{/home/sue/cvs} on the machine @code{workstn1}. Future files which are added should be checked out read-only. To represent this example here, we have shown a space after @samp{D}, @samp{Ffile1}, and @samp{Ffile2}, but in fact there must be a single tab character there and no spaces. @node Locks @subsection CVS locks in the repository @cindex #cvs.rfl, technical details @cindex #cvs.wfl, technical details @cindex #cvs.lock, technical details @cindex Locks, cvs, technical details For an introduction to @sc{cvs} locks focusing on user-visible behavior, see @ref{Concurrency}. The following section is aimed at people who are writing tools which want to access a @sc{cvs} repository without interfering with other tools acessing the same repository. If you find yourself confused by concepts described here, like @dfn{read lock}, @dfn{write lock}, and @dfn{deadlock}, you might consult the literature on operating systems or databases. @cindex #cvs.tfl Any file in the repository with a name starting with @file{#cvs.rfl.} is a read lock. Any file in the repository with a name starting with @file{#cvs.wfl} is a write lock. Old versions of @sc{cvs} (before @sc{cvs} 1.5) also created files with names starting with @file{#cvs.tfl}, but they are not discussed here. The directory @file{#cvs.lock} serves as a master lock. That is, one must obtain this lock first before creating any of the other locks. To obtain a readlock, first create the @file{#cvs.lock} directory. This operation must be atomic (which should be true for creating a directory under most operating systems). If it fails because the directory already existed, wait for a while and try again. After obtaining the @file{#cvs.lock} lock, create a file whose name is @file{#cvs.rfl.} followed by information of your choice (for example, hostname and process identification number). Then remove the @file{#cvs.lock} directory to release the master lock. Then proceed with reading the repository. When you are done, remove the @file{#cvs.rfl} file to release the read lock. To obtain a writelock, first create the @file{#cvs.lock} directory, as with a readlock. Then check that there are no files whose names start with @file{#cvs.rfl.}. If there are, remove @file{#cvs.lock}, wait for a while, and try again. If there are no readers, then create a file whose name is @file{#cvs.wfl} followed by information of your choice (for example, hostname and process identification number). Hang on to the @file{#cvs.lock} lock. Proceed with writing the repository. When you are done, first remove the @file{#cvs.wfl} file and then the @file{#cvs.lock} directory. Note that unlike the @file{#cvs.rfl} file, the @file{#cvs.wfl} file is just informational; it has no effect on the locking operation beyond what is provided by holding on to the @file{#cvs.lock} lock itself. Note that each lock (writelock or readlock) only locks a single directory in the repository, including @file{Attic} and @file{CVS} but not including subdirectories which represent other directories under version control. To lock an entire tree, you need to lock each directory (note that if you fail to obtain any lock you need, you must release the whole tree before waiting and trying again, to avoid deadlocks). Note also that @sc{cvs} expects writelocks to control access to individual @file{foo,v} files. @sc{rcs} has a scheme where the @file{,foo,} file serves as a lock, but @sc{cvs} does not implement it and so taking out a @sc{cvs} writelock is recommended. See the comments at rcs_internal_lockfile in the @sc{cvs} source code for further discussion/rationale. @node CVSROOT storage @subsection How files are stored in the CVSROOT directory @cindex CVSROOT, storage of files The @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT} directory contains the various administrative files. In some ways this directory is just like any other directory in the repository; it contains @sc{rcs} files whose names end in @samp{,v}, and many of the @sc{cvs} commands operate on it the same way. However, there are a few differences. For each administrative file, in addition to the @sc{rcs} file, there is also a checked out copy of the file. For example, there is an @sc{rcs} file @file{loginfo,v} and a file @file{loginfo} which contains the latest revision contained in @file{loginfo,v}. When you check in an administrative file, @sc{cvs} should print @example cvs commit: Rebuilding administrative file database @end example @noindent and update the checked out copy in @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT}. If it does not, there is something wrong (@pxref{BUGS}). To add your own files to the files to be updated in this fashion, you can add them to the @file{checkoutlist} administrative file (@pxref{checkoutlist}). @cindex modules.db @cindex modules.pag @cindex modules.dir By default, the @file{modules} file behaves as described above. If the modules file is very large, storing it as a flat text file may make looking up modules slow (I'm not sure whether this is as much of a concern now as when @sc{cvs} first evolved this feature; I haven't seen benchmarks). Therefore, by making appropriate edits to the @sc{cvs} source code one can store the modules file in a database which implements the @code{ndbm} interface, such as Berkeley db or GDBM. If this option is in use, then the modules database will be stored in the files @file{modules.db}, @file{modules.pag}, and/or @file{modules.dir}. @c I think fileattr also will use the database stuff. @c Anything else? For information on the meaning of the various administrative files, see @ref{Administrative files}. @node Working directory storage @section How data is stored in the working directory @c FIXME: Somewhere we should discuss timestamps (test @c case "stamps" in sanity.sh). But not here. Maybe @c in some kind of "working directory" chapter which @c would encompass the "Builds" one? But I'm not sure @c whether that is a good organization (is it based on @c what the user wants to do?). @cindex CVS directory, in working directory While we are discussing @sc{cvs} internals which may become visible from time to time, we might as well talk about what @sc{cvs} puts in the @file{CVS} directories in the working directories. As with the repository, @sc{cvs} handles this information and one can usually access it via @sc{cvs} commands. But in some cases it may be useful to look at it, and other programs, such as the @code{jCVS} graphical user interface or the @code{VC} package for emacs, may need to look at it. Such programs should follow the recommendations in this section if they hope to be able to work with other programs which use those files, including future versions of the programs just mentioned and the command-line @sc{cvs} client. The @file{CVS} directory contains several files. Programs which are reading this directory should silently ignore files which are in the directory but which are not documented here, to allow for future expansion. The files are stored according to the text file convention for the system in question. This means that working directories are not portable between systems with differing conventions for storing text files. This is intentional, on the theory that the files being managed by @sc{cvs} probably will not be portable between such systems either. @table @file @item Root This file contains the current @sc{cvs} root, as described in @ref{Specifying a repository}. @cindex Repository file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Repository file @item Repository This file contains the directory within the repository which the current directory corresponds with. It can be either an absolute pathname or a relative pathname; @sc{cvs} has had the ability to read either format since at least version 1.3 or so. The relative pathname is relative to the root, and is the more sensible approach, but the absolute pathname is quite common and implementations should accept either. For example, after the command @example cvs -d :local:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout yoyodyne/tc @end example @file{Root} will contain @example :local:/usr/local/cvsroot @end example and @file{Repository} will contain either @example /usr/local/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc @end example @noindent or @example yoyodyne/tc @end example If the particular working directory does not correspond to a directory in the repository, then @file{Repository} should contain @file{CVSROOT/Emptydir}. @cindex Entries file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Entries file @item Entries This file lists the files and directories in the working directory. The first character of each line indicates what sort of line it is. If the character is unrecognized, programs reading the file should silently skip that line, to allow for future expansion. If the first character is @samp{/}, then the format is: @example /@var{name}/@var{revision}/@var{timestamp}[+@var{conflict}]/@var{options}/@var{tagdate} @end example where @samp{[} and @samp{]} are not part of the entry, but instead indicate that the @samp{+} and conflict marker are optional. @var{name} is the name of the file within the directory. @var{revision} is the revision that the file in the working derives from, or @samp{0} for an added file, or @samp{-} followed by a revision for a removed file. @var{timestamp} is the timestamp of the file at the time that @sc{cvs} created it; if the timestamp differs with the actual modification time of the file it means the file has been modified. It is stored in the format used by the ISO C asctime() function (for example, @samp{Sun Apr 7 01:29:26 1996}). One may write a string which is not in that format, for example, @samp{Result of merge}, to indicate that the file should always be considered to be modified. This is not a special case; to see whether a file is modified a program should take the timestamp of the file and simply do a string compare with @var{timestamp}. If there was a conflict, @var{conflict} can be set to the modification time of the file after the file has been written with conflict markers (@pxref{Conflicts example}). Thus if @var{conflict} is subsequently the same as the actual modification time of the file it means that the user has obviously not resolved the conflict. @var{options} contains sticky options (for example @samp{-kb} for a binary file). @var{tagdate} contains @samp{T} followed by a tag name, or @samp{D} for a date, followed by a sticky tag or date. Note that if @var{timestamp} contains a pair of timestamps separated by a space, rather than a single timestamp, you are dealing with a version of @sc{cvs} earlier than @sc{cvs} 1.5 (not documented here). The timezone on the timestamp in CVS/Entries (local or universal) should be the same as the operating system stores for the timestamp of the file itself. For example, on Unix the file's timestamp is in universal time (UT), so the timestamp in CVS/Entries should be too. On @sc{vms}, the file's timestamp is in local time, so @sc{cvs} on @sc{vms} should use local time. This rule is so that files do not appear to be modified merely because the timezone changed (for example, to or from summer time). @c See comments and calls to gmtime() and friends in @c src/vers_ts.c (function time_stamp). If the first character of a line in @file{Entries} is @samp{D}, then it indicates a subdirectory. @samp{D} on a line all by itself indicates that the program which wrote the @file{Entries} file does record subdirectories (therefore, if there is such a line and no other lines beginning with @samp{D}, one knows there are no subdirectories). Otherwise, the line looks like: @example D/@var{name}/@var{filler1}/@var{filler2}/@var{filler3}/@var{filler4} @end example where @var{name} is the name of the subdirectory, and all the @var{filler} fields should be silently ignored, for future expansion. Programs which modify @code{Entries} files should preserve these fields. The lines in the @file{Entries} file can be in any order. @cindex Entries.Log file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Entries.Log file @item Entries.Log This file does not record any information beyond that in @file{Entries}, but it does provide a way to update the information without having to rewrite the entire @file{Entries} file, including the ability to preserve the information even if the program writing @file{Entries} and @file{Entries.Log} abruptly aborts. Programs which are reading the @file{Entries} file should also check for @file{Entries.Log}. If the latter exists, they should read @file{Entries} and then apply the changes mentioned in @file{Entries.Log}. After applying the changes, the recommended practice is to rewrite @file{Entries} and then delete @file{Entries.Log}. The format of a line in @file{Entries.Log} is a single character command followed by a space followed by a line in the format specified for a line in @file{Entries}. The single character command is @samp{A} to indicate that the entry is being added, @samp{R} to indicate that the entry is being removed, or any other character to indicate that the entire line in @file{Entries.Log} should be silently ignored (for future expansion). If the second character of the line in @file{Entries.Log} is not a space, then it was written by an older version of @sc{cvs} (not documented here). Programs which are writing rather than reading can safely ignore @file{Entries.Log} if they so choose. @cindex Entries.Backup file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Entries.Backup file @item Entries.Backup This is a temporary file. Recommended usage is to write a new entries file to @file{Entries.Backup}, and then to rename it (atomically, where possible) to @file{Entries}. @cindex Entries.Static file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Entries.Static file @item Entries.Static The only relevant thing about this file is whether it exists or not. If it exists, then it means that only part of a directory was gotten and @sc{cvs} will not create additional files in that directory. To clear it, use the @code{update} command with the @samp{-d} option, which will get the additional files and remove @file{Entries.Static}. @c FIXME: This needs to be better documented, in places @c other than Working Directory Storage. @c FIXCVS: The fact that this setting exists needs to @c be more visible to the user. For example "cvs @c status foo", in the case where the file would be @c gotten except for Entries.Static, might say @c something to distinguish this from other cases. @c One thing that periodically gets suggested is to @c have "cvs update" print something when it skips @c files due to Entries.Static, but IMHO that kind of @c noise pretty much makes the Entries.Static feature @c useless. @cindex Tag file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Tag file @cindex Sticky tags/dates, per-directory @cindex Per-directory sticky tags/dates @item Tag This file contains per-directory sticky tags or dates. The first character is @samp{T} for a branch tag, @samp{N} for a non-branch tag, or @samp{D} for a date, or another character to mean the file should be silently ignored, for future expansion. This character is followed by the tag or date. Note that per-directory sticky tags or dates are used for things like applying to files which are newly added; they might not be the same as the sticky tags or dates on individual files. For general information on sticky tags and dates, see @ref{Sticky tags}. @c FIXME: This needs to be much better documented, @c preferably not in the context of "working directory @c storage". @c FIXME: The Sticky tags node needs to discuss, or xref to @c someplace which discusses, per-directory sticky @c tags and the distinction with per-file sticky tags. @cindex Checkin.prog file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Checkin.prog file @cindex Update.prog file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Update.prog file @item Checkin.prog @itemx Update.prog These files store the programs specified by the @samp{-i} and @samp{-u} options in the modules file, respectively. @cindex Notify file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Notify file @item Notify This file stores notifications (for example, for @code{edit} or @code{unedit}) which have not yet been sent to the server. Its format is not yet documented here. @cindex Notify.tmp file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Notify.tmp file @item Notify.tmp This file is to @file{Notify} as @file{Entries.Backup} is to @file{Entries}. That is, to write @file{Notify}, first write the new contents to @file{Notify.tmp} and then (atomically where possible), rename it to @file{Notify}. @cindex Base directory, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Base directory @item Base If watches are in use, then an @code{edit} command stores the original copy of the file in the @file{Base} directory. This allows the @code{unedit} command to operate even if it is unable to communicate with the server. @cindex Baserev file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Baserev file @item Baserev The file lists the revision for each of the files in the @file{Base} directory. The format is: @example B@var{name}/@var{rev}/@var{expansion} @end example where @var{expansion} should be ignored, to allow for future expansion. @cindex Baserev.tmp file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Baserev.tmp file @item Baserev.tmp This file is to @file{Baserev} as @file{Entries.Backup} is to @file{Entries}. That is, to write @file{Baserev}, first write the new contents to @file{Baserev.tmp} and then (atomically where possible), rename it to @file{Baserev}. @cindex Template file, in CVS directory @cindex CVS/Template file @item Template This file contains the template specified by the @file{rcsinfo} file (@pxref{rcsinfo}). It is only used by the client; the non-client/server @sc{cvs} consults @file{rcsinfo} directly. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Intro administrative files @section The administrative files @cindex Administrative files (intro) @cindex Modules file @cindex CVSROOT, module name @cindex Defining modules (intro) @c FIXME: this node should be reorganized into "general @c information about admin files" and put the "editing @c admin files" stuff up front rather than jumping into @c the details of modules right away. Then the @c Administrative files node can go away, the information @c on each admin file distributed to a place appropriate @c to its function, and this node can contain a table @c listing each file and a @ref to its detailed description. The directory @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT} contains some @dfn{administrative files}. @xref{Administrative files}, for a complete description. You can use @sc{cvs} without any of these files, but some commands work better when at least the @file{modules} file is properly set up. The most important of these files is the @file{modules} file. It defines all modules in the repository. This is a sample @file{modules} file. @c FIXME: The CVSROOT line is a goofy example now that @c mkmodules doesn't exist. @example CVSROOT CVSROOT modules CVSROOT modules cvs gnu/cvs rcs gnu/rcs diff gnu/diff tc yoyodyne/tc @end example The @file{modules} file is line oriented. In its simplest form each line contains the name of the module, whitespace, and the directory where the module resides. The directory is a path relative to @code{$CVSROOT}. The last four lines in the example above are examples of such lines. @c FIXME: might want to introduce the concept of options in modules file @c (the old example which was here, -i mkmodules, is obsolete). The line that defines the module called @samp{modules} uses features that are not explained here. @xref{modules}, for a full explanation of all the available features. @c FIXME: subsection without node is bogus @subsection Editing administrative files @cindex Editing administrative files @cindex Administrative files, editing them You edit the administrative files in the same way that you would edit any other module. Use @samp{cvs checkout CVSROOT} to get a working copy, edit it, and commit your changes in the normal way. It is possible to commit an erroneous administrative file. You can often fix the error and check in a new revision, but sometimes a particularly bad error in the administrative file makes it impossible to commit new revisions. @c @xref{Bad administrative files} for a hint @c about how to solve such situations. @c -- administrative file checking-- @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Multiple repositories @section Multiple repositories @cindex Multiple repositories @cindex Repositories, multiple @cindex Many repositories @cindex Parallel repositories @cindex Disjoint repositories @cindex CVSROOT, multiple repositories In some situations it is a good idea to have more than one repository, for instance if you have two development groups that work on separate projects without sharing any code. All you have to do to have several repositories is to specify the appropriate repository, using the @code{CVSROOT} environment variable, the @samp{-d} option to @sc{cvs}, or (once you have checked out a working directory) by simply allowing @sc{cvs} to use the repository that was used to check out the working directory (@pxref{Specifying a repository}). The big advantage of having multiple repositories is that they can reside on different servers. With @sc{cvs} version 1.10, a single command cannot recurse into directories from different repositories. With development versions of @sc{cvs}, you can check out code from multiple servers into your working directory. @sc{cvs} will recurse and handle all the details of making connections to as many server machines as necessary to perform the requested command. Here is an example of how to set up a working directory: @example cvs -d server1:/cvs co dir1 cd dir1 cvs -d server2:/root co sdir cvs update @end example The @code{cvs co} commands set up the working directory, and then the @code{cvs update} command will contact server2, to update the dir1/sdir subdirectory, and server1, to update everything else. @c FIXME: Does the FAQ have more about this? I have a @c dim recollection, but I'm too lazy to check right now. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Creating a repository @section Creating a repository @cindex Repository, setting up @cindex Creating a repository @cindex Setting up a repository To set up a @sc{cvs} repository, first choose the machine and disk on which you want to store the revision history of the source files. CPU and memory requirements are modest, so most machines should be adequate. For details see @ref{Server requirements}. @c Possible that we should be providing a quick rule of @c thumb, like the 32M memory for the server. That @c might increase the number of people who are happy @c with the answer, without following the xref. To estimate disk space requirements, if you are importing RCS files from another system, the size of those files is the approximate initial size of your repository, or if you are starting without any version history, a rule of thumb is to allow for the server approximately three times the size of the code to be under @sc{cvs} for the repository (you will eventually outgrow this, but not for a while). On the machines on which the developers will be working, you'll want disk space for approximately one working directory for each developer (either the entire tree or a portion of it, depending on what each developer uses). The repository should be accessible (directly or via a networked file system) from all machines which want to use @sc{cvs} in server or local mode; the client machines need not have any access to it other than via the @sc{cvs} protocol. It is not possible to use @sc{cvs} to read from a repository which one only has read access to; @sc{cvs} needs to be able to create lock files (@pxref{Concurrency}). @cindex init (subcommand) To create a repository, run the @code{cvs init} command. It will set up an empty repository in the @sc{cvs} root specified in the usual way (@pxref{Repository}). For example, @example cvs -d /usr/local/cvsroot init @end example @code{cvs init} is careful to never overwrite any existing files in the repository, so no harm is done if you run @code{cvs init} on an already set-up repository. @code{cvs init} will enable history logging; if you don't want that, remove the history file after running @code{cvs init}. @xref{history file}. @node Backing up @section Backing up a repository @cindex Repository, backing up @cindex Backing up, repository There is nothing particularly magical about the files in the repository; for the most part it is possible to back them up just like any other files. However, there are a few issues to consider. @cindex Locks, cvs, and backups @cindex #cvs.rfl, and backups The first is that to be paranoid, one should either not use @sc{cvs} during the backup, or have the backup program lock @sc{cvs} while doing the backup. To not use @sc{cvs}, you might forbid logins to machines which can access the repository, turn off your @sc{cvs} server, or similar mechanisms. The details would depend on your operating system and how you have @sc{cvs} set up. To lock @sc{cvs}, you would create @file{#cvs.rfl} locks in each repository directory. See @ref{Concurrency}, for more on @sc{cvs} locks. Having said all this, if you just back up without any of these precautions, the results are unlikely to be particularly dire. Restoring from backup, the repository might be in an inconsistent state, but this would not be particularly hard to fix manually. When you restore a repository from backup, assuming that changes in the repository were made after the time of the backup, working directories which were not affected by the failure may refer to revisions which no longer exist in the repository. Trying to run @sc{cvs} in such directories will typically produce an error message. One way to get those changes back into the repository is as follows: @itemize @bullet @item Get a new working directory. @item Copy the files from the working directory from before the failure over to the new working directory (do not copy the contents of the @file{CVS} directories, of course). @item Working in the new working directory, use commands such as @code{cvs update} and @code{cvs diff} to figure out what has changed, and then when you are ready, commit the changes into the repository. @end itemize @node Moving a repository @section Moving a repository @cindex Repository, moving @cindex Moving a repository @cindex Copying a repository Just as backing up the files in the repository is pretty much like backing up any other files, if you need to move a repository from one place to another it is also pretty much like just moving any other collection of files. The main thing to consider is that working directories point to the repository. The simplest way to deal with a moved repository is to just get a fresh working directory after the move. Of course, you'll want to make sure that the old working directory had been checked in before the move, or you figured out some other way to make sure that you don't lose any changes. If you really do want to reuse the existing working directory, it should be possible with manual surgery on the @file{CVS/Repository} files. You can see @ref{Working directory storage}, for information on the @file{CVS/Repository} and @file{CVS/Root} files, but unless you are sure you want to bother, it probably isn't worth it. @c FIXME: Surgery on CVS/Repository should be avoided @c by making RELATIVE_REPOS the default. @c FIXME-maybe: might want some documented way to @c change the CVS/Root files in some particular tree. @c But then again, I don't know, maybe just having @c people do this in perl/shell/&c isn't so bad... @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Remote repositories @section Remote repositories @cindex Repositories, remote @cindex Remote repositories @cindex Client/Server Operation @cindex Server, CVS @cindex Remote repositories, port specification @cindex Repositories, remote, port specification @cindex Client/Server Operation, port specification @cindex pserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex kserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex gserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex port, specifying for remote repositories Your working copy of the sources can be on a different machine than the repository. Using @sc{cvs} in this manner is known as @dfn{client/server} operation. You run @sc{cvs} on a machine which can mount your working directory, known as the @dfn{client}, and tell it to communicate to a machine which can mount the repository, known as the @dfn{server}. Generally, using a remote repository is just like using a local one, except that the format of the repository name is: @example :@var{method}:[[@var{user}][:@var{password}]@@]@var{hostname}[:[@var{port}]]/path/to/repository @end example Specifying a password in the repository name is not recommended during checkout, since this will cause @sc{cvs} to store a cleartext copy of the password in each created directory. @code{cvs login} first instead (@pxref{Password authentication client}). The details of exactly what needs to be set up depend on how you are connecting to the server. If @var{method} is not specified, and the repository name contains @samp{:}, then the default is @code{ext} or @code{server}, depending on your platform; both are described in @ref{Connecting via rsh}. @c Should we try to explain which platforms are which? @c Platforms like unix and VMS, which only allow @c privileged programs to bind to sockets <1024 lose on @c :server: @c Platforms like Mac and VMS, whose rsh program is @c unusable or nonexistent, lose on :ext: @c Platforms like OS/2 and NT probably could plausibly @c default either way (modulo -b troubles). @c FIXME: We need to have a better way of explaining @c what method to use. This presentation totally @c obscures the fact that :ext: and CVS_RSH is the way to @c use SSH, for example. Plus it incorrectly implies @c that you need an @code{rsh} binary on the client to use @c :server:. @c Also note that rsh not pserver is the right choice if you want @c users to be able to create their own repositories @c (because of the --allow-root related issues). @menu * Server requirements:: Memory and other resources for servers * Connecting via rsh:: Using the @code{rsh} program to connect * Password authenticated:: Direct connections using passwords * GSSAPI authenticated:: Direct connections using GSSAPI * Kerberos authenticated:: Direct connections with kerberos * Connecting via fork:: Using a forked @code{cvs server} to connect @end menu @node Server requirements @subsection Server requirements The quick answer to what sort of machine is suitable as a server is that requirements are modest---a server with 32M of memory or even less can handle a fairly large source tree with a fair amount of activity. @c Say something about CPU speed too? I'm even less sure @c what to say on that subject... The real answer, of course, is more complicated. Estimating the known areas of large memory consumption should be sufficient to estimate memory requirements. There are two such areas documented here; other memory consumption should be small by comparison (if you find that is not the case, let us know, as described in @ref{BUGS}, so we can update this documentation). The first area of big memory consumption is large checkouts, when using the @sc{cvs} server. The server consists of two processes for each client that it is serving. Memory consumption on the child process should remain fairly small. Memory consumption on the parent process, particularly if the network connection to the client is slow, can be expected to grow to slightly more than the size of the sources in a single directory, or two megabytes, whichever is larger. @c "two megabytes" of course is SERVER_HI_WATER. But @c we don't mention that here because we are @c documenting the default configuration of CVS. If it @c is a "standard" thing to change that value, it @c should be some kind of run-time configuration. @c @c See cvsclient.texi for more on the design decision @c to not have locks in place while waiting for the @c client, which is what results in memory consumption @c as high as this. Multiplying the size of each @sc{cvs} server by the number of servers which you expect to have active at one time should give an idea of memory requirements for the server. For the most part, the memory consumed by the parent process probably can be swap space rather than physical memory. @c Has anyone verified that notion about swap space? @c I say it based pretty much on guessing that the @c ->text of the struct buffer_data only gets accessed @c in a first in, first out fashion, but I haven't @c looked very closely. @c What about disk usage in /tmp on the server? I think that @c it can be substantial, but I haven't looked at this @c again and tried to figure it out ("cvs import" is @c probably the worst case...). The second area of large memory consumption is @code{diff}, when checking in large files. This is required even for binary files. The rule of thumb is to allow about ten times the size of the largest file you will want to check in, although five times may be adequate. For example, if you want to check in a file which is 10 megabytes, you should have 100 megabytes of memory on the machine doing the checkin (the server machine for client/server, or the machine running @sc{cvs} for non-client/server). This can be swap space rather than physical memory. Because the memory is only required briefly, there is no particular need to allow memory for more than one such checkin at a time. @c The 5-10 times rule of thumb is from Paul Eggert for @c GNU diff. I don't think it is in the GNU diff @c manual or anyplace like that. @c @c Probably we could be saying more about @c non-client/server CVS. @c I would guess for non-client/server CVS in an NFS @c environment the biggest issues are the network and @c the NFS server. Resource consumption for the client is even more modest---any machine with enough capacity to run the operating system in question should have little trouble. @c Is that true? I think the client still wants to @c (bogusly) store entire files in memory at times. For information on disk space requirements, see @ref{Creating a repository}. @node Connecting via rsh @subsection Connecting with rsh @cindex rsh @sc{cvs} uses the @file{rsh} protocol to perform these operations, so the remote user host needs to have a @file{.rhosts} file which grants access to the local user. For example, suppose you are the user @file{mozart} on the local machine @file{toe.example.com}, and the server machine is @file{faun.example.org}. On faun, put the following line into the file @file{.rhosts} in @file{bach}'s home directory: @example toe.example.com mozart @end example Then test that @code{rsh} is working with @example rsh -l bach faun.example.org 'echo $PATH' @end example @cindex CVS_SERVER, environment variable Next you have to make sure that @code{rsh} will be able to find the server. Make sure that the path which @code{rsh} printed in the above example includes the directory containing a program named @code{cvs} which is the server. You need to set the path in @file{.bashrc}, @file{.cshrc}, etc., not @file{.login} or @file{.profile}. Alternately, you can set the environment variable @code{CVS_SERVER} on the client machine to the filename of the server you want to use, for example @file{/usr/local/bin/cvs-1.6}. @c FIXME: there should be a way to specify the @c program in CVSROOT, not CVS_SERVER, so that one can use @c different ones for different roots. e.g. ":server;cvs=cvs-1.6:" @c instead of ":server:". There is no need to edit @file{inetd.conf} or start a @sc{cvs} server daemon. @cindex :server:, setting up @cindex :ext:, setting up @cindex Kerberos, using kerberized rsh @cindex SSH (rsh replacement) @cindex rsh replacements (Kerberized, SSH, &c) There are two access methods that you use in @code{CVSROOT} for rsh. @code{:server:} specifies an internal rsh client, which is supported only by some @sc{cvs} ports. @code{:ext:} specifies an external rsh program. By default this is @code{rsh} but you may set the @code{CVS_RSH} environment variable to invoke another program which can access the remote server (for example, @code{remsh} on HP-UX 9 because @code{rsh} is something different). It must be a program which can transmit data to and from the server without modifying it; for example the Windows NT @code{rsh} is not suitable since it by default translates between CRLF and LF. The OS/2 @sc{cvs} port has a hack to pass @samp{-b} to @code{rsh} to get around this, but since this could potentially cause problems for programs other than the standard @code{rsh}, it may change in the future. If you set @code{CVS_RSH} to @code{SSH} or some other rsh replacement, the instructions in the rest of this section concerning @file{.rhosts} and so on are likely to be inapplicable; consult the documentation for your rsh replacement. @c FIXME: there should be a way to specify the @c program in CVSROOT, not CVS_RSH, so that one can use @c different ones for different roots. e.g. ":ext;rsh=remsh:" @c instead of ":ext:". @c See also the comment in src/client.c for rationale @c concerning "rsh" being the default and never @c "remsh". Continuing our example, supposing you want to access the module @file{foo} in the repository @file{/usr/local/cvsroot/}, on machine @file{faun.example.org}, you are ready to go: @example cvs -d :ext:bach@@faun.example.org/usr/local/cvsroot checkout foo @end example (The @file{bach@@} can be omitted if the username is the same on both the local and remote hosts.) @c Should we mention "rsh host echo hi" and "rsh host @c cat" (the latter followed by typing text and ^D) @c as troubleshooting techniques? Probably yes @c (people tend to have trouble setting this up), @c but this kind of thing can be hard to spell out. @node Password authenticated @subsection Direct connection with password authentication The @sc{cvs} client can also connect to the server using a password protocol. This is particularly useful if using @code{rsh} is not feasible (for example, the server is behind a firewall), and Kerberos also is not available. To use this method, it is necessary to make some adjustments on both the server and client sides. @menu * Password authentication server:: Setting up the server * Password authentication client:: Using the client * Password authentication security:: What this method does and does not do @end menu @node Password authentication server @subsubsection Setting up the server for password authentication First of all, you probably want to tighten the permissions on the @file{$CVSROOT} and @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT} directories. See @ref{Password authentication security}, for more details. @cindex pserver (subcommand) @cindex Remote repositories, port specification @cindex Repositories, remote, port specification @cindex Client/Server Operation, port specification @cindex pserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex kserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex gserver (client/server connection method), port specification @cindex port, specifying for remote repositories @cindex Password server, setting up @cindex Authenticating server, setting up @c FIXME: this isn't quite right regarding port @c numbers; CVS looks up "cvspserver" in @c /etc/services (on unix, but what about non-unix?). On the server side, the file @file{/etc/inetd.conf} needs to be edited so @code{inetd} knows to run the command @code{cvs pserver} when it receives a connection on the right port. By default, the port number is 2401; it would be different if your client were compiled with @code{CVS_AUTH_PORT} defined to something else, though. This can also be sepcified in the CVSROOT variable (@pxref{Remote repositories}) or overridden with the CVS_CLIENT_PORT environment variable (@pxref{Environment variables}). If your @code{inetd} allows raw port numbers in @file{/etc/inetd.conf}, then the following (all on a single line in @file{inetd.conf}) should be sufficient: @example 2401 stream tcp nowait root /usr/local/bin/cvs cvs -f --allow-root=/usr/cvsroot pserver @end example You could also use the @samp{-T} option to specify a temporary directory. The @samp{--allow-root} option specifies the allowable @sc{cvsroot} directory. Clients which attempt to use a different @sc{cvsroot} directory will not be allowed to connect. If there is more than one @sc{cvsroot} directory which you want to allow, repeat the option. (Unfortunately, many versions of @code{inetd} have very small limits on the number of arguments and/or the total length of the command. The usual solution to this problem is to have @code{inetd} run a shell script which then invokes @sc{cvs} with the necessary arguments.) If your @code{inetd} wants a symbolic service name instead of a raw port number, then put this in @file{/etc/services}: @example cvspserver 2401/tcp @end example and put @code{cvspserver} instead of @code{2401} in @file{inetd.conf}. Once the above is taken care of, restart your @code{inetd}, or do whatever is necessary to force it to reread its initialization files. If you are having trouble setting this up, see @ref{Connection}. @cindex CVS passwd file @cindex passwd (admin file) Because the client stores and transmits passwords in cleartext (almost---see @ref{Password authentication security}, for details), a separate @sc{cvs} password file is generally used, so people don't compromise their regular passwords when they access the repository. This file is @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd} (@pxref{Intro administrative files}). It uses a colon-separated format, similar to @file{/etc/passwd} on Unix systems, except that it has fewer fields: @sc{cvs} username, optional password, and an optional system username for @sc{cvs} to run as if authentication succeeds. Here is an example @file{passwd} file with five entries: @example anonymous: bach:ULtgRLXo7NRxs spwang:1sOp854gDF3DY melissa:tGX1fS8sun6rY:pubcvs qproj:XR4EZcEs0szik:pubcvs @end example (The passwords are encrypted according to the standard Unix @code{crypt()} function, so it is possible to paste in passwords directly from regular Unix @file{/etc/passwd} files.) The first line in the example will grant access to any @sc{cvs} client attempting to authenticate as user @code{anonymous}, no matter what password they use, including an empty password. (This is typical for sites granting anonymous read-only access; for information on how to do the "read-only" part, see @ref{Read-only access}.) The second and third lines will grant access to @code{bach} and @code{spwang} if they supply their respective plaintext passwords. @cindex User aliases The fourth line will grant access to @code{melissa}, if she supplies the correct password, but her @sc{cvs} operations will actually run on the server side under the system user @code{pubcvs}. Thus, there need not be any system user named @code{melissa}, but there @emph{must} be one named @code{pubcvs}. The fifth line shows that system user identities can be shared: any client who successfully authenticates as @code{qproj} will actually run as @code{pubcvs}, just as @code{melissa} does. That way you could create a single, shared system user for each project in your repository, and give each developer their own line in the @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd} file. The @sc{cvs} username on each line would be different, but the system username would be the same. The reason to have different @sc{cvs} usernames is that @sc{cvs} will log their actions under those names: when @code{melissa} commits a change to a project, the checkin is recorded in the project's history under the name @code{melissa}, not @code{pubcvs}. And the reason to have them share a system username is so that you can arrange permissions in the relevant area of the repository such that only that account has write-permission there. If the system-user field is present, all password-authenticated @sc{cvs} commands run as that user; if no system user is specified, @sc{cvs} simply takes the @sc{cvs} username as the system username and runs commands as that user. In either case, if there is no such user on the system, then the @sc{cvs} operation will fail (regardless of whether the client supplied a valid password). The password and system-user fields can both be omitted (and if the system-user field is omitted, then also omit the colon that would have separated it from the encrypted password). For example, this would be a valid @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd} file: @example anonymous::pubcvs fish:rKa5jzULzmhOo:kfogel sussman:1sOp854gDF3DY @end example When the password field is omitted or empty, then the client's authentication attempt will succeed with any password, including the empty string. However, the colon after the @sc{cvs} username is always necessary, even if the password is empty. @sc{cvs} can also fall back to use system authentication. When authenticating a password, the server first checks for the user in the @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd} file. If it finds the user, it will use that entry for authentication as described above. But if it does not find the user, or if the @sc{cvs} @file{passwd} file does not exist, then the server can try to authenticate the username and password using the operating system's user-lookup routines (this "fallback" behavior can be disabled by setting @code{SystemAuth=no} in the @sc{cvs} @file{config} file, @pxref{config}). Be aware, however, that falling back to system authentication might be a security risk: @sc{cvs} operations would then be authenticated with that user's regular login password, and the password flies across the network in plaintext. See @ref{Password authentication security} for more on this. Right now, the only way to put a password in the @sc{cvs} @file{passwd} file is to paste it there from somewhere else. Someday, there may be a @code{cvs passwd} command. Unlike many of the files in @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT}, it is normal to edit the @file{passwd} file in-place, rather than via @sc{cvs}. This is because of the possible security risks of having the @file{passwd} file checked out to people's working copies. If you do want to include the @file{passwd} file in checkouts of @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT}, see @ref{checkoutlist}. @c We might also suggest using the @code{htpasswd} command @c from freely available web servers as well, but that @c would open up a can of worms in that the users next @c questions are likely to be "where do I get it?" and @c "how do I use it?" @c Also note that htpasswd, at least the version I had, @c likes to clobber the third field. @node Password authentication client @subsubsection Using the client with password authentication @cindex Login (subcommand) @cindex Password client, using @cindex Authenticated client, using @cindex :pserver:, setting up To run a @sc{cvs} command on a remote repository via the password-authenticating server, one specifies the @code{pserver} protocol, optional username, repository host, an optional port number, and path to the repository. For example: @example cvs -d :pserver:faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout someproj @end example or @example CVSROOT=:pserver:bach@@faun.example.org:2401/usr/local/cvsroot cvs checkout someproj @end example However, unless you're connecting to a public-access repository (i.e., one where that username doesn't require a password), you'll need to supply a password or @dfn{log in} first. Logging in verifies your password with the repository and stores it in a file. It's done with the @code{login} command, which will prompt you interactively for the password if you didn't supply one as part of @var{$CVSROOT}: @example cvs -d :pserver:bach@@faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot login CVS password: @end example or @example cvs -d :pserver:bach:p4ss30rd@@faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot login @end example After you enter the password, @sc{cvs} verifies it with the server. If the verification succeeds, then that combination of username, host, repository, and password is permanently recorded, so future transactions with that repository won't require you to run @code{cvs login}. (If verification fails, @sc{cvs} will exit complaining that the password was incorrect, and nothing will be recorded.) The records are stored, by default, in the file @file{$HOME/.cvspass}. That file's format is human-readable, and to a degree human-editable, but note that the passwords are not stored in cleartext---they are trivially encoded to protect them from "innocent" compromise (i.e., inadvertent viewing by a system administrator or other non-malicious person). @cindex CVS_PASSFILE, environment variable You can change the default location of this file by setting the @code{CVS_PASSFILE} environment variable. If you use this variable, make sure you set it @emph{before} @code{cvs login} is run. If you were to set it after running @code{cvs login}, then later @sc{cvs} commands would be unable to look up the password for transmission to the server. Once you have logged in, all @sc{cvs} commands using that remote repository and username will authenticate with the stored password. So, for example @example cvs -d :pserver:bach@@faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout foo @end example should just work (unless the password changes on the server side, in which case you'll have to re-run @code{cvs login}). Note that if the @samp{:pserver:} were not present in the repository specification, @sc{cvs} would assume it should use @code{rsh} to connect with the server instead (@pxref{Connecting via rsh}). Of course, once you have a working copy checked out and are running @sc{cvs} commands from within it, there is no longer any need to specify the repository explicitly, because @sc{cvs} can deduce the repository from the working copy's @file{CVS} subdirectory. @c FIXME: seems to me this needs somewhat more @c explanation. @cindex Logout (subcommand) The password for a given remote repository can be removed from the @code{CVS_PASSFILE} by using the @code{cvs logout} command. @node Password authentication security @subsubsection Security considerations with password authentication @cindex Security, of pserver The passwords are stored on the client side in a trivial encoding of the cleartext, and transmitted in the same encoding. The encoding is done only to prevent inadvertent password compromises (i.e., a system administrator accidentally looking at the file), and will not prevent even a naive attacker from gaining the password. @c FIXME: The bit about "access to the repository @c implies general access to the system is *not* specific @c to pserver; it applies to kerberos and SSH and @c everything else too. Should reorganize the @c documentation to make this clear. The separate @sc{cvs} password file (@pxref{Password authentication server}) allows people to use a different password for repository access than for login access. On the other hand, once a user has non-read-only access to the repository, she can execute programs on the server system through a variety of means. Thus, repository access implies fairly broad system access as well. It might be possible to modify @sc{cvs} to prevent that, but no one has done so as of this writing. @c OpenBSD uses chroot() and copies the repository to @c provide anonymous read-only access (for details see @c http://www.openbsd.org/anoncvs.shar). While this @c closes the most obvious holes, I'm not sure it @c closes enough holes to recommend it (plus it is @c *very* easy to accidentally screw up a setup of this @c type). Note that because the @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT} directory contains @file{passwd} and other files which are used to check security, you must control the permissions on this directory as tightly as the permissions on @file{/etc}. The same applies to the @file{$CVSROOT} directory itself and any directory above it in the tree. Anyone who has write access to such a directory will have the ability to become any user on the system. Note that these permissions are typically tighter than you would use if you are not using pserver. @c TODO: Would be really nice to document/implement a @c scheme where the CVS server can run as some non-root @c user, e.g. "cvs". CVSROOT/passwd would contain a @c bunch of entries of the form foo:xxx:cvs (or the "cvs" @c would be implicit). This would greatly reduce @c security risks such as those hinted at in the @c previous paragraph. I think minor changes to CVS @c might be required but mostly this would just need @c someone who wants to play with it, document it, &c. In summary, anyone who gets the password gets repository access (which may imply some measure of general system access as well). The password is available to anyone who can sniff network packets or read a protected (i.e., user read-only) file. If you want real security, get Kerberos. @node GSSAPI authenticated @subsection Direct connection with GSSAPI @cindex GSSAPI @cindex Security, GSSAPI @cindex :gserver:, setting up @cindex Kerberos, using :gserver: GSSAPI is a generic interface to network security systems such as Kerberos 5. If you have a working GSSAPI library, you can have @sc{cvs} connect via a direct @sc{tcp} connection, authenticating with GSSAPI. To do this, @sc{cvs} needs to be compiled with GSSAPI support; when configuring @sc{cvs} it tries to detect whether GSSAPI libraries using kerberos version 5 are present. You can also use the @file{--with-gssapi} flag to configure. The connection is authenticated using GSSAPI, but the message stream is @emph{not} authenticated by default. You must use the @code{-a} global option to request stream authentication. The data transmitted is @emph{not} encrypted by default. Encryption support must be compiled into both the client and the server; use the @file{--enable-encrypt} configure option to turn it on. You must then use the @code{-x} global option to request encryption. GSSAPI connections are handled on the server side by the same server which handles the password authentication server; see @ref{Password authentication server}. If you are using a GSSAPI mechanism such as Kerberos which provides for strong authentication, you will probably want to disable the ability to authenticate via cleartext passwords. To do so, create an empty @file{CVSROOT/passwd} password file, and set @code{SystemAuth=no} in the config file (@pxref{config}). The GSSAPI server uses a principal name of cvs/@var{hostname}, where @var{hostname} is the canonical name of the server host. You will have to set this up as required by your GSSAPI mechanism. To connect using GSSAPI, use @samp{:gserver:}. For example, @example cvs -d :gserver:faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout foo @end example @node Kerberos authenticated @subsection Direct connection with kerberos @cindex Kerberos, using :kserver: @cindex Security, kerberos @cindex :kserver:, setting up The easiest way to use kerberos is to use the kerberos @code{rsh}, as described in @ref{Connecting via rsh}. The main disadvantage of using rsh is that all the data needs to pass through additional programs, so it may be slower. So if you have kerberos installed you can connect via a direct @sc{tcp} connection, authenticating with kerberos. This section concerns the kerberos network security system, version 4. Kerberos version 5 is supported via the GSSAPI generic network security interface, as described in the previous section. To do this, @sc{cvs} needs to be compiled with kerberos support; when configuring @sc{cvs} it tries to detect whether kerberos is present or you can use the @file{--with-krb4} flag to configure. The data transmitted is @emph{not} encrypted by default. Encryption support must be compiled into both the client and server; use the @file{--enable-encryption} configure option to turn it on. You must then use the @code{-x} global option to request encryption. @cindex CVS_CLIENT_PORT You need to edit @file{inetd.conf} on the server machine to run @code{cvs kserver}. The client uses port 1999 by default; if you want to use another port specify it in the @code{CVSROOT} (@pxref{Remote repositories}) or the @code{CVS_CLIENT_PORT} environment variable on the client. @cindex kinit When you want to use @sc{cvs}, get a ticket in the usual way (generally @code{kinit}); it must be a ticket which allows you to log into the server machine. Then you are ready to go: @example cvs -d :kserver:faun.example.org:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout foo @end example Previous versions of @sc{cvs} would fall back to a connection via rsh; this version will not do so. @node Connecting via fork @subsection Connecting with fork @cindex fork, access method @cindex :fork:, setting up This access method allows you to connect to a repository on your local disk via the remote protocol. In other words it does pretty much the same thing as @code{:local:}, but various quirks, bugs and the like are those of the remote @sc{cvs} rather than the local @sc{cvs}. For day-to-day operations you might prefer either @code{:local:} or @code{:fork:}, depending on your preferences. Of course @code{:fork:} comes in particularly handy in testing or debugging @code{cvs} and the remote protocol. Specifically, we avoid all of the network-related setup/configuration, timeouts, and authentication inherent in the other remote access methods but still create a connection which uses the remote protocol. To connect using the @code{fork} method, use @samp{:fork:} and the pathname to your local repository. For example: @example cvs -d :fork:/usr/local/cvsroot checkout foo @end example @cindex CVS_SERVER, and :fork: As with @code{:ext:}, the server is called @samp{cvs} by default, or the value of the @code{CVS_SERVER} environment variable. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Read-only access @section Read-only repository access @cindex Read-only repository access @cindex readers (admin file) @cindex writers (admin file) It is possible to grant read-only repository access to people using the password-authenticated server (@pxref{Password authenticated}). (The other access methods do not have explicit support for read-only users because those methods all assume login access to the repository machine anyway, and therefore the user can do whatever local file permissions allow her to do.) A user who has read-only access can do only those @sc{cvs} operations which do not modify the repository, except for certain ``administrative'' files (such as lock files and the history file). It may be desirable to use this feature in conjunction with user-aliasing (@pxref{Password authentication server}). Unlike with previous versions of @sc{cvs}, read-only users should be able merely to read the repository, and not to execute programs on the server or otherwise gain unexpected levels of access. Or to be more accurate, the @emph{known} holes have been plugged. Because this feature is new and has not received a comprehensive security audit, you should use whatever level of caution seems warranted given your attitude concerning security. There are two ways to specify read-only access for a user: by inclusion, and by exclusion. "Inclusion" means listing that user specifically in the @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/readers} file, which is simply a newline-separated list of users. Here is a sample @file{readers} file: @example melissa splotnik jrandom @end example (Don't forget the newline after the last user.) "Exclusion" means explicitly listing everyone who has @emph{write} access---if the file @example $CVSROOT/CVSROOT/writers @end example @noindent exists, then only those users listed in it have write access, and everyone else has read-only access (of course, even the read-only users still need to be listed in the @sc{cvs} @file{passwd} file). The @file{writers} file has the same format as the @file{readers} file. Note: if your @sc{cvs} @file{passwd} file maps cvs users onto system users (@pxref{Password authentication server}), make sure you deny or grant read-only access using the @emph{cvs} usernames, not the system usernames. That is, the @file{readers} and @file{writers} files contain cvs usernames, which may or may not be the same as system usernames. Here is a complete description of the server's behavior in deciding whether to grant read-only or read-write access: If @file{readers} exists, and this user is listed in it, then she gets read-only access. Or if @file{writers} exists, and this user is NOT listed in it, then she also gets read-only access (this is true even if @file{readers} exists but she is not listed there). Otherwise, she gets full read-write access. Of course there is a conflict if the user is listed in both files. This is resolved in the more conservative way, it being better to protect the repository too much than too little: such a user gets read-only access. @node Server temporary directory @section Temporary directories for the server @cindex Temporary directories, and server @cindex Server, temporary directories While running, the @sc{cvs} server creates temporary directories. They are named @example cvs-serv@var{pid} @end example @noindent where @var{pid} is the process identification number of the server. They are located in the directory specified by the @code{TMPDIR} environment variable (@pxref{Environment variables}), the @samp{-T} global option (@pxref{Global options}), or failing that @file{/tmp}. In most cases the server will remove the temporary directory when it is done, whether it finishes normally or abnormally. However, there are a few cases in which the server does not or cannot remove the temporary directory, for example: @itemize @bullet @item If the server aborts due to an internal server error, it may preserve the directory to aid in debugging @item If the server is killed in a way that it has no way of cleaning up (most notably, @samp{kill -KILL} on unix). @item If the system shuts down without an orderly shutdown, which tells the server to clean up. @end itemize In cases such as this, you will need to manually remove the @file{cvs-serv@var{pid}} directories. As long as there is no server running with process identification number @var{pid}, it is safe to do so. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Starting a new project @chapter Starting a project with CVS @cindex Starting a project with CVS @cindex Creating a project @comment --moduledb-- Because renaming files and moving them between directories is somewhat inconvenient, the first thing you do when you start a new project should be to think through your file organization. It is not impossible to rename or move files, but it does increase the potential for confusion and @sc{cvs} does have some quirks particularly in the area of renaming directories. @xref{Moving files}. What to do next depends on the situation at hand. @menu * Setting up the files:: Getting the files into the repository * Defining the module:: How to make a module of the files @end menu @c -- File permissions! @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Setting up the files @section Setting up the files The first step is to create the files inside the repository. This can be done in a couple of different ways. @c -- The contributed scripts @menu * From files:: This method is useful with old projects where files already exists. * From other version control systems:: Old projects where you want to preserve history from another system. * From scratch:: Creating a directory tree from scratch. @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node From files @subsection Creating a directory tree from a number of files @cindex Importing files When you begin using @sc{cvs}, you will probably already have several projects that can be put under @sc{cvs} control. In these cases the easiest way is to use the @code{import} command. An example is probably the easiest way to explain how to use it. If the files you want to install in @sc{cvs} reside in @file{@var{wdir}}, and you want them to appear in the repository as @file{$CVSROOT/yoyodyne/@var{rdir}}, you can do this: @example $ cd @var{wdir} $ cvs import -m "Imported sources" yoyodyne/@var{rdir} yoyo start @end example Unless you supply a log message with the @samp{-m} flag, @sc{cvs} starts an editor and prompts for a message. The string @samp{yoyo} is a @dfn{vendor tag}, and @samp{start} is a @dfn{release tag}. They may fill no purpose in this context, but since @sc{cvs} requires them they must be present. @xref{Tracking sources}, for more information about them. You can now verify that it worked, and remove your original source directory. @c FIXME: Need to say more about "verify that it @c worked". What should the user look for in the output @c from "diff -r"? @example $ cd .. $ cvs checkout yoyodyne/@var{rdir} # @r{Explanation below} $ diff -r @var{wdir} yoyodyne/@var{rdir} $ rm -r @var{wdir} @end example @noindent Erasing the original sources is a good idea, to make sure that you do not accidentally edit them in @var{wdir}, bypassing @sc{cvs}. Of course, it would be wise to make sure that you have a backup of the sources before you remove them. The @code{checkout} command can either take a module name as argument (as it has done in all previous examples) or a path name relative to @code{$CVSROOT}, as it did in the example above. It is a good idea to check that the permissions @sc{cvs} sets on the directories inside @code{$CVSROOT} are reasonable, and that they belong to the proper groups. @xref{File permissions}. If some of the files you want to import are binary, you may want to use the wrappers features to specify which files are binary and which are not. @xref{Wrappers}. @c The node name is too long, but I am having trouble @c thinking of something more concise. @node From other version control systems @subsection Creating Files From Other Version Control Systems @cindex Importing files, from other version control systems If you have a project which you are maintaining with another version control system, such as @sc{rcs}, you may wish to put the files from that project into @sc{cvs}, and preserve the revision history of the files. @table @asis @cindex RCS, importing files from @item From RCS If you have been using @sc{rcs}, find the @sc{rcs} files---usually a file named @file{foo.c} will have its @sc{rcs} file in @file{RCS/foo.c,v} (but it could be other places; consult the @sc{rcs} documentation for details). Then create the appropriate directories in @sc{cvs} if they do not already exist. Then copy the files into the appropriate directories in the @sc{cvs} repository (the name in the repository must be the name of the source file with @samp{,v} added; the files go directly in the appropriate directory of the repository, not in an @file{RCS} subdirectory). This is one of the few times when it is a good idea to access the @sc{cvs} repository directly, rather than using @sc{cvs} commands. Then you are ready to check out a new working directory. @c Someday there probably should be a "cvs import -t @c rcs" or some such. It could even create magic @c branches. It could also do something about the case @c where the RCS file had a (non-magic) "0" branch. The @sc{rcs} file should not be locked when you move it into @sc{cvs}; if it is, @sc{cvs} will have trouble letting you operate on it. @c What is the easiest way to unlock your files if you @c have them locked? Especially if you have a lot of them? @c This is a CVS bug/misfeature; importing RCS files @c should ignore whether they are locked and leave them in @c an unlocked state. Yet another reason for a separate @c "import RCS file" command. @c How many is "many"? Or do they just import RCS files? @item From another version control system Many version control systems have the ability to export @sc{rcs} files in the standard format. If yours does, export the @sc{rcs} files and then follow the above instructions. Failing that, probably your best bet is to write a script that will check out the files one revision at a time using the command line interface to the other system, and then check the revisions into @sc{cvs}. The @file{sccs2rcs} script mentioned below may be a useful example to follow. @cindex SCCS, importing files from @item From SCCS There is a script in the @file{contrib} directory of the @sc{cvs} source distribution called @file{sccs2rcs} which converts @sc{sccs} files to @sc{rcs} files. Note: you must run it on a machine which has both @sc{sccs} and @sc{rcs} installed, and like everything else in contrib it is unsupported (your mileage may vary). @cindex PVCS, importing files from @item From PVCS There is a script in the @file{contrib} directory of the @sc{cvs} source distribution called @file{pvcs_to_rcs} which converts @sc{pvcs} archives to @sc{rcs} files. You must run it on a machine which has both @sc{pvcs} and @sc{rcs} installed, and like everything else in contrib it is unsupported (your mileage may vary). See the comments in the script for details. @end table @c CMZ and/or PATCHY were systems that were used in the @c high energy physics community (especially for @c CERNLIB). CERN has replaced them with CVS, but the @c CAR format seems to live on as a way to submit @c changes. There is a program car2cvs which converts @c but I'm not sure where one gets a copy. @c Not sure it is worth mentioning here, since it would @c appear to affect only one particular community. @c Best page for more information is: @c http://wwwcn1.cern.ch/asd/cvs/index.html @c See also: @c http://ecponion.cern.ch/ecpsa/cernlib.html @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node From scratch @subsection Creating a directory tree from scratch @c Also/instead should be documenting @c $ cvs co -l . @c $ mkdir tc @c $ cvs add tc @c $ cd tc @c $ mkdir man @c $ cvs add man @c etc. @c Using import to create the directories only is @c probably a somewhat confusing concept. For a new project, the easiest thing to do is probably to create an empty directory structure, like this: @example $ mkdir tc $ mkdir tc/man $ mkdir tc/testing @end example After that, you use the @code{import} command to create the corresponding (empty) directory structure inside the repository: @example $ cd tc $ cvs import -m "Created directory structure" yoyodyne/@var{dir} yoyo start @end example Then, use @code{add} to add files (and new directories) as they appear. Check that the permissions @sc{cvs} sets on the directories inside @code{$CVSROOT} are reasonable. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Defining the module @section Defining the module @cindex Defining a module @cindex Editing the modules file @cindex Module, defining @cindex Modules file, changing The next step is to define the module in the @file{modules} file. This is not strictly necessary, but modules can be convenient in grouping together related files and directories. In simple cases these steps are sufficient to define a module. @enumerate @item Get a working copy of the modules file. @example $ cvs checkout CVSROOT/modules $ cd CVSROOT @end example @item Edit the file and insert a line that defines the module. @xref{Intro administrative files}, for an introduction. @xref{modules}, for a full description of the modules file. You can use the following line to define the module @samp{tc}: @example tc yoyodyne/tc @end example @item Commit your changes to the modules file. @example $ cvs commit -m "Added the tc module." modules @end example @item Release the modules module. @example $ cd .. $ cvs release -d CVSROOT @end example @end enumerate @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Revisions @chapter Revisions For many uses of @sc{cvs}, one doesn't need to worry too much about revision numbers; @sc{cvs} assigns numbers such as @code{1.1}, @code{1.2}, and so on, and that is all one needs to know. However, some people prefer to have more knowledge and control concerning how @sc{cvs} assigns revision numbers. If one wants to keep track of a set of revisions involving more than one file, such as which revisions went into a particular release, one uses a @dfn{tag}, which is a symbolic revision which can be assigned to a numeric revision in each file. @menu * Revision numbers:: The meaning of a revision number * Versions revisions releases:: Terminology used in this manual * Assigning revisions:: Assigning revisions * Tags:: Tags--Symbolic revisions * Tagging the working directory:: The cvs tag command * Tagging by date/tag:: The cvs rtag command * Modifying tags:: Adding, renaming, and deleting tags * Tagging add/remove:: Tags with adding and removing files * Sticky tags:: Certain tags are persistent @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Revision numbers @section Revision numbers @cindex Revision numbers @cindex Revision tree @cindex Linear development @cindex Number, revision- @cindex Decimal revision number @cindex Branch number @cindex Number, branch Each version of a file has a unique @dfn{revision number}. Revision numbers look like @samp{1.1}, @samp{1.2}, @samp{1.3.2.2} or even @samp{1.3.2.2.4.5}. A revision number always has an even number of period-separated decimal integers. By default revision 1.1 is the first revision of a file. Each successive revision is given a new number by increasing the rightmost number by one. The following figure displays a few revisions, with newer revisions to the right. @example +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 !----! 1.5 ! +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ @end example It is also possible to end up with numbers containing more than one period, for example @samp{1.3.2.2}. Such revisions represent revisions on branches (@pxref{Branching and merging}); such revision numbers are explained in detail in @ref{Branches and revisions}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Versions revisions releases @section Versions, revisions and releases @cindex Revisions, versions and releases @cindex Versions, revisions and releases @cindex Releases, revisions and versions A file can have several versions, as described above. Likewise, a software product can have several versions. A software product is often given a version number such as @samp{4.1.1}. Versions in the first sense are called @dfn{revisions} in this document, and versions in the second sense are called @dfn{releases}. To avoid confusion, the word @dfn{version} is almost never used in this document. @node Assigning revisions @section Assigning revisions @c We avoid the "major revision" terminology. It seems @c like jargon. Hopefully "first number" is clear enough. By default, @sc{cvs} will assign numeric revisions by leaving the first number the same and incrementing the second number. For example, @code{1.1}, @code{1.2}, @code{1.3}, etc. When adding a new file, the second number will always be one and the first number will equal the highest first number of any file in that directory. For example, the current directory contains files whose highest numbered revisions are @code{1.7}, @code{3.1}, and @code{4.12}, then an added file will be given the numeric revision @code{4.1}. @c This is sort of redundant with something we said a @c while ago. Somewhere we need a better way of @c introducing how the first number can be anything @c except "1", perhaps. Also I don't think this @c presentation is clear on why we are discussing releases @c and first numbers of numeric revisions in the same @c breath. Normally there is no reason to care about the revision numbers---it is easier to treat them as internal numbers that @sc{cvs} maintains, and tags provide a better way to distinguish between things like release 1 versus release 2 of your product (@pxref{Tags}). However, if you want to set the numeric revisions, the @samp{-r} option to @code{cvs commit} can do that. The @samp{-r} option implies the @samp{-f} option, in the sense that it causes the files to be committed even if they are not modified. For example, to bring all your files up to revision 3.0 (including those that haven't changed), you might invoke: @example $ cvs commit -r 3.0 @end example Note that the number you specify with @samp{-r} must be larger than any existing revision number. That is, if revision 3.0 exists, you cannot @samp{cvs commit -r 1.3}. If you want to maintain several releases in parallel, you need to use a branch (@pxref{Branching and merging}). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Tags @section Tags--Symbolic revisions @cindex Tags The revision numbers live a life of their own. They need not have anything at all to do with the release numbers of your software product. Depending on how you use @sc{cvs} the revision numbers might change several times between two releases. As an example, some of the source files that make up @sc{rcs} 5.6 have the following revision numbers: @cindex RCS revision numbers @example ci.c 5.21 co.c 5.9 ident.c 5.3 rcs.c 5.12 rcsbase.h 5.11 rcsdiff.c 5.10 rcsedit.c 5.11 rcsfcmp.c 5.9 rcsgen.c 5.10 rcslex.c 5.11 rcsmap.c 5.2 rcsutil.c 5.10 @end example @cindex tag, command, introduction @cindex Tag, symbolic name @cindex Symbolic name (tag) @cindex Name, symbolic (tag) @cindex HEAD, as reserved tag name @cindex BASE, as reserved tag name You can use the @code{tag} command to give a symbolic name to a certain revision of a file. You can use the @samp{-v} flag to the @code{status} command to see all tags that a file has, and which revision numbers they represent. Tag names must start with an uppercase or lowercase letter and can contain uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, @samp{-}, and @samp{_}. The two tag names @code{BASE} and @code{HEAD} are reserved for use by @sc{cvs}. It is expected that future names which are special to @sc{cvs} will be specially named, for example by starting with @samp{.}, rather than being named analogously to @code{BASE} and @code{HEAD}, to avoid conflicts with actual tag names. @c Including a character such as % or = has also been @c suggested as the naming convention for future @c special tag names. Starting with . is nice because @c that is not a legal tag name as far as RCS is concerned. @c FIXME: CVS actually accepts quite a few characters @c in tag names, not just the ones documented above @c (see RCS_check_tag). RCS @c defines legitimate tag names by listing illegal @c characters rather than legal ones. CVS is said to lose its @c mind if you try to use "/" (try making such a tag sticky @c and using "cvs status" client/server--see remote @c protocol format for entries line for probable cause). @c TODO: The testsuite @c should test for whatever are documented above as @c officially-OK tag names, and CVS should at least reject @c characters that won't work, like "/". You'll want to choose some convention for naming tags, based on information such as the name of the program and the version number of the release. For example, one might take the name of the program, immediately followed by the version number with @samp{.} changed to @samp{-}, so that @sc{cvs} 1.9 would be tagged with the name @code{cvs1-9}. If you choose a consistent convention, then you won't constantly be guessing whether a tag is @code{cvs-1-9} or @code{cvs1_9} or what. You might even want to consider enforcing your convention in the taginfo file (@pxref{user-defined logging}). @c Might be nice to say more about using taginfo this @c way, like giving an example, or pointing out any particular @c issues which arise. @cindex Adding a tag @cindex Tag, example The following example shows how you can add a tag to a file. The commands must be issued inside your working directory. That is, you should issue the command in the directory where @file{backend.c} resides. @example $ cvs tag rel-0-4 backend.c T backend.c $ cvs status -v backend.c =================================================================== File: backend.c Status: Up-to-date Version: 1.4 Tue Dec 1 14:39:01 1992 RCS Version: 1.4 /u/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/backend.c,v Sticky Tag: (none) Sticky Date: (none) Sticky Options: (none) Existing Tags: rel-0-4 (revision: 1.4) @end example For a complete summary of the syntax of @code{cvs tag}, including the various options, see @ref{Invoking CVS}. There is seldom reason to tag a file in isolation. A more common use is to tag all the files that constitute a module with the same tag at strategic points in the development life-cycle, such as when a release is made. @example $ cvs tag rel-1-0 . cvs tag: Tagging . T Makefile T backend.c T driver.c T frontend.c T parser.c @end example (When you give @sc{cvs} a directory as argument, it generally applies the operation to all the files in that directory, and (recursively), to any subdirectories that it may contain. @xref{Recursive behavior}.) @cindex Retrieving an old revision using tags @cindex Tag, retrieving old revisions The @code{checkout} command has a flag, @samp{-r}, that lets you check out a certain revision of a module. This flag makes it easy to retrieve the sources that make up release 1.0 of the module @samp{tc} at any time in the future: @example $ cvs checkout -r rel-1-0 tc @end example @noindent This is useful, for instance, if someone claims that there is a bug in that release, but you cannot find the bug in the current working copy. You can also check out a module as it was at any given date. @xref{checkout options}. When specifying @samp{-r} to any of these commands, you will need beware of sticky tags; see @ref{Sticky tags}. When you tag more than one file with the same tag you can think about the tag as "a curve drawn through a matrix of filename vs. revision number." Say we have 5 files with the following revisions: @example @group file1 file2 file3 file4 file5 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1 /--1.1* <-*- TAG 1.2*- 1.2 1.2 -1.2*- 1.3 \- 1.3*- 1.3 / 1.3 1.4 \ 1.4 / 1.4 \-1.5*- 1.5 1.6 @end group @end example At some time in the past, the @code{*} versions were tagged. You can think of the tag as a handle attached to the curve drawn through the tagged revisions. When you pull on the handle, you get all the tagged revisions. Another way to look at it is that you "sight" through a set of revisions that is "flat" along the tagged revisions, like this: @example @group file1 file2 file3 file4 file5 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.3 _ 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.1 / 1.2*----1.3*----1.5*----1.2*----1.1 (--- <--- Look here 1.3 1.6 1.3 \_ 1.4 1.4 1.5 @end group @end example @node Tagging the working directory @section Specifying what to tag from the working directory @cindex tag (subcommand) The example in the previous section demonstrates one of the most common ways to choose which revisions to tag. Namely, running the @code{cvs tag} command without arguments causes @sc{cvs} to select the revisions which are checked out in the current working directory. For example, if the copy of @file{backend.c} in working directory was checked out from revision 1.4, then @sc{cvs} will tag revision 1.4. Note that the tag is applied immediately to revision 1.4 in the repository; tagging is not like modifying a file, or other operations in which one first modifies the working directory and then runs @code{cvs commit} to transfer that modification to the repository. One potentially surprising aspect of the fact that @code{cvs tag} operates on the repository is that you are tagging the checked-in revisions, which may differ from locally modified files in your working directory. If you want to avoid doing this by mistake, specify the @samp{-c} option to @code{cvs tag}. If there are any locally modified files, @sc{cvs} will abort with an error before it tags any files: @example $ cvs tag -c rel-0-4 cvs tag: backend.c is locally modified cvs [tag aborted]: correct the above errors first! @end example @node Tagging by date/tag @section Specifying what to tag by date or revision @cindex rtag (subcommand) The @code{cvs rtag} command tags the repository as of a certain date or time (or can be used to tag the latest revision). @code{rtag} works directly on the repository contents (it requires no prior checkout and does not look for a working directory). The following options specify which date or revision to tag. See @ref{Common options}, for a complete description of them. @table @code @item -D @var{date} Tag the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. @item -f Only useful with the @samp{-D @var{date}} or @samp{-r @var{tag}} flags. If no matching revision is found, use the most recent revision (instead of ignoring the file). @item -r @var{tag} Only tag those files that contain existing tag @var{tag}. @end table The @code{cvs tag} command also allows one to specify files by revision or date, using the same @samp{-r}, @samp{-D}, and @samp{-f} options. However, this feature is probably not what you want. The reason is that @code{cvs tag} chooses which files to tag based on the files that exist in the working directory, rather than the files which existed as of the given tag/date. Therefore, you are generally better off using @code{cvs rtag}. The exceptions might be cases like: @example cvs tag -r 1.4 backend.c @end example @node Modifying tags @section Deleting, moving, and renaming tags @c Also see: @c "How do I move or rename a magic branch tag?" @c in the FAQ (I think the issues it talks about still @c apply, but this could use some sanity.sh work). Normally one does not modify tags. They exist in order to record the history of the repository and so deleting them or changing their meaning would, generally, not be what you want. However, there might be cases in which one uses a tag temporarily or accidentally puts one in the wrong place. Therefore, one might delete, move, or rename a tag. Warning: the commands in this section are dangerous; they permanently discard historical information and it can difficult or impossible to recover from errors. If you are a @sc{cvs} administrator, you may consider restricting these commands with taginfo (@pxref{user-defined logging}). @cindex Deleting tags @cindex Removing tags @cindex Tags, deleting To delete a tag, specify the @samp{-d} option to either @code{cvs tag} or @code{cvs rtag}. For example: @example cvs rtag -d rel-0-4 tc @end example deletes the tag @code{rel-0-4} from the module @code{tc}. @cindex Moving tags @cindex Tags, moving When we say @dfn{move} a tag, we mean to make the same name point to different revisions. For example, the @code{stable} tag may currently point to revision 1.4 of @file{backend.c} and perhaps we want to make it point to revision 1.6. To move a tag, specify the @samp{-F} option to either @code{cvs tag} or @code{cvs rtag}. For example, the task just mentioned might be accomplished as: @example cvs tag -r 1.6 -F stable backend.c @end example @cindex Renaming tags @cindex Tags, renaming When we say @dfn{rename} a tag, we mean to make a different name point to the same revisions as the old tag. For example, one may have misspelled the tag name and want to correct it (hopefully before others are relying on the old spelling). To rename a tag, first create a new tag using the @samp{-r} option to @code{cvs rtag}, and then delete the old name. This leaves the new tag on exactly the same files as the old tag. For example: @example cvs rtag -r old-name-0-4 rel-0-4 tc cvs rtag -d old-name-0-4 tc @end example @node Tagging add/remove @section Tagging and adding and removing files The subject of exactly how tagging interacts with adding and removing files is somewhat obscure; for the most part @sc{cvs} will keep track of whether files exist or not without too much fussing. By default, tags are applied to only files which have a revision corresponding to what is being tagged. Files which did not exist yet, or which were already removed, simply omit the tag, and @sc{cvs} knows to treat the absence of a tag as meaning that the file didn't exist as of that tag. However, this can lose a small amount of information. For example, suppose a file was added and then removed. Then, if the tag is missing for that file, there is no way to know whether the tag refers to the time before the file was added, or the time after it was removed. If you specify the @samp{-r} option to @code{cvs rtag}, then @sc{cvs} tags the files which have been removed, and thereby avoids this problem. For example, one might specify @code{-r HEAD} to tag the head. On the subject of adding and removing files, the @code{cvs rtag} command has a @samp{-a} option which means to clear the tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged. For example, one might specify this option in conjunction with @samp{-F} when moving a tag. If one moved a tag without @samp{-a}, then the tag in the removed files might still refer to the old revision, rather than reflecting the fact that the file had been removed. I don't think this is necessary if @samp{-r} is specified, as noted above. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Sticky tags @section Sticky tags @cindex Sticky tags @cindex Tags, sticky @c A somewhat related issue is per-directory sticky @c tags (see comment at CVS/Tag in node Working @c directory storage); we probably want to say @c something like "you can set a sticky tag for only @c some files, but you don't want to" or some such. Sometimes a working copy's revision has extra data associated with it, for example it might be on a branch (@pxref{Branching and merging}), or restricted to versions prior to a certain date by @samp{checkout -D} or @samp{update -D}. Because this data persists -- that is, it applies to subsequent commands in the working copy -- we refer to it as @dfn{sticky}. Most of the time, stickiness is an obscure aspect of @sc{cvs} that you don't need to think about. However, even if you don't want to use the feature, you may need to know @emph{something} about sticky tags (for example, how to avoid them!). You can use the @code{status} command to see if any sticky tags or dates are set: @example $ cvs status driver.c =================================================================== File: driver.c Status: Up-to-date Version: 1.7.2.1 Sat Dec 5 19:35:03 1992 RCS Version: 1.7.2.1 /u/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/driver.c,v Sticky Tag: rel-1-0-patches (branch: 1.7.2) Sticky Date: (none) Sticky Options: (none) @end example @cindex Resetting sticky tags @cindex Sticky tags, resetting @cindex Deleting sticky tags The sticky tags will remain on your working files until you delete them with @samp{cvs update -A}. The @samp{-A} option retrieves the version of the file from the head of the trunk, and forgets any sticky tags, dates, or options. @cindex Sticky date The most common use of sticky tags is to identify which branch one is working on, as described in @ref{Accessing branches}. However, non-branch sticky tags have uses as well. For example, suppose that you want to avoid updating your working directory, to isolate yourself from possibly destabilizing changes other people are making. You can, of course, just refrain from running @code{cvs update}. But if you want to avoid updating only a portion of a larger tree, then sticky tags can help. If you check out a certain revision (such as 1.4) it will become sticky. Subsequent @code{cvs update} commands will not retrieve the latest revision until you reset the tag with @code{cvs update -A}. Likewise, use of the @samp{-D} option to @code{update} or @code{checkout} sets a @dfn{sticky date}, which, similarly, causes that date to be used for future retrievals. People often want to retrieve an old version of a file without setting a sticky tag. This can be done with the @samp{-p} option to @code{checkout} or @code{update}, which sends the contents of the file to standard output. For example: @example $ cvs update -p -r 1.1 file1 >file1 =================================================================== Checking out file1 RCS: /tmp/cvs-sanity/cvsroot/first-dir/Attic/file1,v VERS: 1.1 *************** $ @end example However, this isn't the easiest way, if you are asking how to undo a previous checkin (in this example, put @file{file1} back to the way it was as of revision 1.1). In that case you are better off using the @samp{-j} option to @code{update}; for further discussion see @ref{Merging two revisions}. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Branching and merging @chapter Branching and merging @cindex Branching @cindex Merging @cindex Copying changes @cindex Main trunk and branches @cindex Revision tree, making branches @cindex Branches, copying changes between @cindex Changes, copying between branches @cindex Modifications, copying between branches @sc{cvs} allows you to isolate changes onto a separate line of development, known as a @dfn{branch}. When you change files on a branch, those changes do not appear on the main trunk or other branches. Later you can move changes from one branch to another branch (or the main trunk) by @dfn{merging}. Merging involves first running @code{cvs update -j}, to merge the changes into the working directory. You can then commit that revision, and thus effectively copy the changes onto another branch. @menu * Branches motivation:: What branches are good for * Creating a branch:: Creating a branch * Accessing branches:: Checking out and updating branches * Branches and revisions:: Branches are reflected in revision numbers * Magic branch numbers:: Magic branch numbers * Merging a branch:: Merging an entire branch * Merging more than once:: Merging from a branch several times * Merging two revisions:: Merging differences between two revisions * Merging adds and removals:: What if files are added or removed? * Merging and keywords:: Avoiding conflicts due to keyword substitution @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Branches motivation @section What branches are good for @cindex Branches motivation @cindex What branches are good for @cindex Motivation for branches @c FIXME: this node mentions one way to use branches, @c but it is by no means the only way. For example, @c the technique of committing a new feature on a branch, @c until it is ready for the main trunk. The whole @c thing is generally speaking more akin to the @c "Revision management" node although it isn't clear to @c me whether policy matters should be centralized or @c distributed throughout the relevant sections. Suppose that release 1.0 of tc has been made. You are continuing to develop tc, planning to create release 1.1 in a couple of months. After a while your customers start to complain about a fatal bug. You check out release 1.0 (@pxref{Tags}) and find the bug (which turns out to have a trivial fix). However, the current revision of the sources are in a state of flux and are not expected to be stable for at least another month. There is no way to make a bugfix release based on the newest sources. The thing to do in a situation like this is to create a @dfn{branch} on the revision trees for all the files that make up release 1.0 of tc. You can then make modifications to the branch without disturbing the main trunk. When the modifications are finished you can elect to either incorporate them on the main trunk, or leave them on the branch. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Creating a branch @section Creating a branch @cindex Creating a branch @cindex Branch, creating a @cindex tag, creating a branch using @cindex rtag, creating a branch using You can create a branch with @code{tag -b}; for example, assuming you're in a working copy: @example $ cvs tag -b rel-1-0-patches @end example @c FIXME: we should be more explicit about the value of @c having a tag on the branchpoint. For example @c "cvs tag rel-1-0-patches-branchpoint" before @c the "cvs tag -b". This points out that @c rel-1-0-patches is a pretty awkward name for @c this example (more so than for the rtag example @c below). This splits off a branch based on the current revisions in the working copy, assigning that branch the name @samp{rel-1-0-patches}. It is important to understand that branches get created in the repository, not in the working copy. Creating a branch based on current revisions, as the above example does, will @emph{not} automatically switch the working copy to be on the new branch. For information on how to do that, see @ref{Accessing branches}. You can also create a branch without reference to any working copy, by using @code{rtag}: @example $ cvs rtag -b -r rel-1-0 rel-1-0-patches tc @end example @samp{-r rel-1-0} says that this branch should be rooted at the revision that corresponds to the tag @samp{rel-1-0}. It need not be the most recent revision -- it's often useful to split a branch off an old revision (for example, when fixing a bug in a past release otherwise known to be stable). As with @samp{tag}, the @samp{-b} flag tells @code{rtag} to create a branch (rather than just a symbolic revision name). Note that the numeric revision number that matches @samp{rel-1-0} will probably be different from file to file. So, the full effect of the command is to create a new branch -- named @samp{rel-1-0-patches} -- in module @samp{tc}, rooted in the revision tree at the point tagged by @samp{rel-1-0}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Accessing branches @section Accessing branches @cindex Check out a branch @cindex Retrieve a branch @cindex Access a branch @cindex Identifying a branch @cindex Branch, check out @cindex Branch, retrieving @cindex Branch, accessing @cindex Branch, identifying You can retrieve a branch in one of two ways: by checking it out fresh from the repository, or by switching an existing working copy over to the branch. To check out a branch from the repository, invoke @samp{checkout} with the @samp{-r} flag, followed by the tag name of the branch (@pxref{Creating a branch}): @example $ cvs checkout -r rel-1-0-patches tc @end example Or, if you already have a working copy, you can switch it to a given branch with @samp{update -r}: @example $ cvs update -r rel-1-0-patches tc @end example or equivalently: @example $ cd tc $ cvs update -r rel-1-0-patches @end example It does not matter if the working copy was originally on the main trunk or on some other branch -- the above command will switch it to the named branch. And similarly to a regular @samp{update} command, @samp{update -r} merges any changes you have made, notifying you of conflicts where they occur. Once you have a working copy tied to a particular branch, it remains there until you tell it otherwise. This means that changes checked in from the working copy will add new revisions on that branch, while leaving the main trunk and other branches unaffected. @cindex Branches, sticky To find out what branch a working copy is on, you can use the @samp{status} command. In its output, look for the field named @samp{Sticky tag} (@pxref{Sticky tags}) -- that's @sc{cvs}'s way of telling you the branch, if any, of the current working files: @example $ cvs status -v driver.c backend.c =================================================================== File: driver.c Status: Up-to-date Version: 1.7 Sat Dec 5 18:25:54 1992 RCS Version: 1.7 /u/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/driver.c,v Sticky Tag: rel-1-0-patches (branch: 1.7.2) Sticky Date: (none) Sticky Options: (none) Existing Tags: rel-1-0-patches (branch: 1.7.2) rel-1-0 (revision: 1.7) =================================================================== File: backend.c Status: Up-to-date Version: 1.4 Tue Dec 1 14:39:01 1992 RCS Version: 1.4 /u/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/backend.c,v Sticky Tag: rel-1-0-patches (branch: 1.4.2) Sticky Date: (none) Sticky Options: (none) Existing Tags: rel-1-0-patches (branch: 1.4.2) rel-1-0 (revision: 1.4) rel-0-4 (revision: 1.4) @end example Don't be confused by the fact that the branch numbers for each file are different (@samp{1.7.2} and @samp{1.4.2} respectively). The branch tag is the same, @samp{rel-1-0-patches}, and the files are indeed on the same branch. The numbers simply reflect the point in each file's revision history at which the branch was made. In the above example, one can deduce that @samp{driver.c} had been through more changes than @samp{backend.c} before this branch was created. See @ref{Branches and revisions} for details about how branch numbers are constructed. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Branches and revisions @section Branches and revisions @cindex Branch number @cindex Number, branch @cindex Revision numbers (branches) Ordinarily, a file's revision history is a linear series of increments (@pxref{Revision numbers}): @example +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 !----! 1.5 ! +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ @end example However, @sc{cvs} is not limited to linear development. The @dfn{revision tree} can be split into @dfn{branches}, where each branch is a self-maintained line of development. Changes made on one branch can easily be moved back to the main trunk. Each branch has a @dfn{branch number}, consisting of an odd number of period-separated decimal integers. The branch number is created by appending an integer to the revision number where the corresponding branch forked off. Having branch numbers allows more than one branch to be forked off from a certain revision. @need 3500 All revisions on a branch have revision numbers formed by appending an ordinal number to the branch number. The following figure illustrates branching with an example. @example @c This example used to have a 1.2.2.4 revision, which @c might help clarify that development can continue on @c 1.2.2. Might be worth reinstating if it can be done @c without overfull hboxes. @group +-------------+ Branch 1.2.2.3.2 -> ! 1.2.2.3.2.1 ! / +-------------+ / / +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ Branch 1.2.2 -> _! 1.2.2.1 !----! 1.2.2.2 !----! 1.2.2.3 ! / +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ / / +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 !----! 1.5 ! <- The main trunk +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! ! ! +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ Branch 1.2.4 -> +---! 1.2.4.1 !----! 1.2.4.2 !----! 1.2.4.3 ! +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ @end group @end example @c -- However, at least for me the figure is not enough. I suggest more @c -- text to accompany it. "A picture is worth a thousand words", so you @c -- have to make sure the reader notices the couple of hundred words @c -- *you* had in mind more than the others! @c -- Why an even number of segments? This section implies that this is @c -- how the main trunk is distinguished from branch roots, but you never @c -- explicitly say that this is the purpose of the [by itself rather @c -- surprising] restriction to an even number of segments. The exact details of how the branch number is constructed is not something you normally need to be concerned about, but here is how it works: When @sc{cvs} creates a branch number it picks the first unused even integer, starting with 2. So when you want to create a branch from revision 6.4 it will be numbered 6.4.2. All branch numbers ending in a zero (such as 6.4.0) are used internally by @sc{cvs} (@pxref{Magic branch numbers}). The branch 1.1.1 has a special meaning. @xref{Tracking sources}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Magic branch numbers @section Magic branch numbers @c Want xref to here from "log"? This section describes a @sc{cvs} feature called @dfn{magic branches}. For most purposes, you need not worry about magic branches; @sc{cvs} handles them for you. However, they are visible to you in certain circumstances, so it may be useful to have some idea of how it works. Externally, branch numbers consist of an odd number of dot-separated decimal integers. @xref{Revision numbers}. That is not the whole truth, however. For efficiency reasons @sc{cvs} sometimes inserts an extra 0 in the second rightmost position (1.2.4 becomes 1.2.0.4, 8.9.10.11.12 becomes 8.9.10.11.0.12 and so on). @sc{cvs} does a pretty good job at hiding these so called magic branches, but in a few places the hiding is incomplete: @itemize @bullet @ignore @c This is in ignore as I'm taking their word for it, @c that this was fixed @c a long time ago. But before deleting this @c entirely, I'd rather verify it (and add a test @c case to the testsuite). @item The magic branch can appear in the output from @code{cvs status} in vanilla @sc{cvs} 1.3. This is fixed in @sc{cvs} 1.3-s2. @end ignore @item The magic branch number appears in the output from @code{cvs log}. @c What output should appear instead? @item You cannot specify a symbolic branch name to @code{cvs admin}. @end itemize @c Can CVS do this automatically the first time @c you check something in to that branch? Should @c it? You can use the @code{admin} command to reassign a symbolic name to a branch the way @sc{rcs} expects it to be. If @code{R4patches} is assigned to the branch 1.4.2 (magic branch number 1.4.0.2) in file @file{numbers.c} you can do this: @example $ cvs admin -NR4patches:1.4.2 numbers.c @end example It only works if at least one revision is already committed on the branch. Be very careful so that you do not assign the tag to the wrong number. (There is no way to see how the tag was assigned yesterday). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Merging a branch @section Merging an entire branch @cindex Merging a branch @cindex -j (merging branches) You can merge changes made on a branch into your working copy by giving the @samp{-j @var{branchname}} flag to the @code{update} subcommand. With one @samp{-j @var{branchname}} option it merges the changes made between the point where the branch forked and newest revision on that branch (into your working copy). @cindex Join The @samp{-j} stands for ``join''. @cindex Branch merge example @cindex Example, branch merge @cindex Merge, branch example Consider this revision tree: @example +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 ! <- The main trunk +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! ! ! +---------+ +---------+ Branch R1fix -> +---! 1.2.2.1 !----! 1.2.2.2 ! +---------+ +---------+ @end example @noindent The branch 1.2.2 has been given the tag (symbolic name) @samp{R1fix}. The following example assumes that the module @samp{mod} contains only one file, @file{m.c}. @example $ cvs checkout mod # @r{Retrieve the latest revision, 1.4} $ cvs update -j R1fix m.c # @r{Merge all changes made on the branch,} # @r{i.e. the changes between revision 1.2} # @r{and 1.2.2.2, into your working copy} # @r{of the file.} $ cvs commit -m "Included R1fix" # @r{Create revision 1.5.} @end example A conflict can result from a merge operation. If that happens, you should resolve it before committing the new revision. @xref{Conflicts example}. If your source files contain keywords (@pxref{Keyword substitution}), you might be getting more conflicts than strictly necessary. See @ref{Merging and keywords}, for information on how to avoid this. The @code{checkout} command also supports the @samp{-j @var{branchname}} flag. The same effect as above could be achieved with this: @example $ cvs checkout -j R1fix mod $ cvs commit -m "Included R1fix" @end example It should be noted that @code{update -j @var{tagname}} will also work but may not produce the desired result. @xref{Merging adds and removals}, for more. @node Merging more than once @section Merging from a branch several times Continuing our example, the revision tree now looks like this: @example +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 !----! 1.5 ! <- The main trunk +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! * ! * ! +---------+ +---------+ Branch R1fix -> +---! 1.2.2.1 !----! 1.2.2.2 ! +---------+ +---------+ @end example where the starred line represents the merge from the @samp{R1fix} branch to the main trunk, as just discussed. Now suppose that development continues on the @samp{R1fix} branch: @example +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 !----! 1.3 !----! 1.4 !----! 1.5 ! <- The main trunk +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ +-----+ ! * ! * ! +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ Branch R1fix -> +---! 1.2.2.1 !----! 1.2.2.2 !----! 1.2.2.3 ! +---------+ +---------+ +---------+ @end example and then you want to merge those new changes onto the main trunk. If you just use the @code{cvs update -j R1fix m.c} command again, @sc{cvs} will attempt to merge again the changes which you have already merged, which can have undesirable side effects. So instead you need to specify that you only want to merge the changes on the branch which have not yet been merged into the trunk. To do that you specify two @samp{-j} options, and @sc{cvs} merges the changes from the first revision to the second revision. For example, in this case the simplest way would be @example cvs update -j 1.2.2.2 -j R1fix m.c # @r{Merge changes from 1.2.2.2 to the} # @r{head of the R1fix branch} @end example The problem with this is that you need to specify the 1.2.2.2 revision manually. A slightly better approach might be to use the date the last merge was done: @example cvs update -j R1fix:yesterday -j R1fix m.c @end example Better yet, tag the R1fix branch after every merge into the trunk, and then use that tag for subsequent merges: @example cvs update -j merged_from_R1fix_to_trunk -j R1fix m.c @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Merging two revisions @section Merging differences between any two revisions @cindex Merging two revisions @cindex Revisions, merging differences between @cindex Differences, merging With two @samp{-j @var{revision}} flags, the @code{update} (and @code{checkout}) command can merge the differences between any two revisions into your working file. @cindex Undoing a change @cindex Removing a change @example $ cvs update -j 1.5 -j 1.3 backend.c @end example @noindent will undo all changes made between revision 1.3 and 1.5. Note the order of the revisions! If you try to use this option when operating on multiple files, remember that the numeric revisions will probably be very different between the various files. You almost always use symbolic tags rather than revision numbers when operating on multiple files. @cindex Restoring old version of removed file @cindex Resurrecting old version of dead file Specifying two @samp{-j} options can also undo file removals or additions. For example, suppose you have a file named @file{file1} which existed as revision 1.1, and you then removed it (thus adding a dead revision 1.2). Now suppose you want to add it again, with the same contents it had previously. Here is how to do it: @example $ cvs update -j 1.2 -j 1.1 file1 U file1 $ cvs commit -m test Checking in file1; /tmp/cvs-sanity/cvsroot/first-dir/file1,v <-- file1 new revision: 1.3; previous revision: 1.2 done $ @end example @node Merging adds and removals @section Merging can add or remove files If the changes which you are merging involve removing or adding some files, @code{update -j} will reflect such additions or removals. @c FIXME: This example needs a lot more explanation. @c We also need other examples for some of the other @c cases (not all--there are too many--as long as we present a @c coherent general principle). For example: @example cvs update -A touch a b c cvs add a b c ; cvs ci -m "added" a b c cvs tag -b branchtag cvs update -r branchtag touch d ; cvs add d rm a ; cvs rm a cvs ci -m "added d, removed a" cvs update -A cvs update -jbranchtag @end example After these commands are executed and a @samp{cvs commit} is done, file @file{a} will be removed and file @file{d} added in the main branch. @c (which was determined by trying it) Note that using a single static tag (@samp{-j @var{tagname}}) rather than a dynamic tag (@samp{-j @var{branchname}}) to merge changes from a branch will usually not remove files which were removed on the branch since @sc{cvs} does not automatically add static tags to dead revisions. The exception to this rule occurs when a static tag has been attached to a dead revision manually. Use the branch tag to merge all changes from the branch or use two static tags as merge endpoints to be sure that all intended changes are propogated in the merge. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Merging and keywords @section Merging and keywords @cindex Merging, and keyword substitution @cindex Keyword substitution, and merging @cindex -j (merging branches), and keyword substitution @cindex -kk, to avoid conflicts during a merge If you merge files containing keywords (@pxref{Keyword substitution}), you will normally get numerous conflicts during the merge, because the keywords are expanded differently in the revisions which you are merging. Therefore, you will often want to specify the @samp{-kk} (@pxref{Substitution modes}) switch to the merge command line. By substituting just the name of the keyword, not the expanded value of that keyword, this option ensures that the revisions which you are merging will be the same as each other, and avoid spurious conflicts. For example, suppose you have a file like this: @example +---------+ _! 1.1.2.1 ! <- br1 / +---------+ / / +-----+ +-----+ ! 1.1 !----! 1.2 ! +-----+ +-----+ @end example and your working directory is currently on the trunk (revision 1.2). Then you might get the following results from a merge: @example $ cat file1 key $@asis{}Revision: 1.2 $ . . . $ cvs update -j br1 U file1 RCS file: /cvsroot/first-dir/file1,v retrieving revision 1.1 retrieving revision 1.1.2.1 Merging differences between 1.1 and 1.1.2.1 into file1 rcsmerge: warning: conflicts during merge $ cat file1 @asis{}<<<<<<< file1 key $@asis{}Revision: 1.2 $ @asis{}======= key $@asis{}Revision: 1.1.2.1 $ @asis{}>>>>>>> 1.1.2.1 . . . @end example What happened was that the merge tried to merge the differences between 1.1 and 1.1.2.1 into your working directory. So, since the keyword changed from @code{Revision: 1.1} to @code{Revision: 1.1.2.1}, @sc{cvs} tried to merge that change into your working directory, which conflicted with the fact that your working directory had contained @code{Revision: 1.2}. Here is what happens if you had used @samp{-kk}: @example $ cat file1 key $@asis{}Revision: 1.2 $ . . . $ cvs update -kk -j br1 U file1 RCS file: /cvsroot/first-dir/file1,v retrieving revision 1.1 retrieving revision 1.1.2.1 Merging differences between 1.1 and 1.1.2.1 into file1 $ cat file1 key $@asis{}Revision$ . . . @end example What is going on here is that revision 1.1 and 1.1.2.1 both expand as plain @code{Revision}, and therefore merging the changes between them into the working directory need not change anything. Therefore, there is no conflict. There is, however, one major caveat with using @samp{-kk} on merges. Namely, it overrides whatever keyword expansion mode @sc{cvs} would normally have used. In particular, this is a problem if the mode had been @samp{-kb} for a binary file. Therefore, if your repository contains binary files, you will need to deal with the conflicts rather than using @samp{-kk}. @ignore The following seems rather confusing, possibly buggy, and in general, in need of much more thought before it is a recommended technique. For one thing, does it apply on Windows as well as on Unix? Unchanged binary files will undergo the same keyword substitution but will not be checked in on a subsequent @code{cvs commit}. Be aware that binary files containing keyword strings which are present in or below the working directory will most likely remain corrupt until repaired, however. A simple @code{cvs update -A} is sufficient to fix these otherwise unaltered binary files if the merge is being done to the main branch but this must be done after the merge has been committed or the merge itself will be lost. For Example: @example cvs update -Akk -jbranchtag cvs commit cvs update -A @end example @noindent will update the current directory from the main trunk of the repository, substituting the base keyword strings for keywords, and merge changes made on the branch @samp{branchtag} into the new work files, performing the same keyword substitution on that file set before comparing the two sets. The final @code{cvs update -A} will restore any corrupted binary files as well as resetting the sticky @samp{-kk} tags which were present on the files in and below the working directory. Unfortunately, this doesn't work as well with an arbitrary branch tag, as the @samp{-r @var{branchtag}} switch does not reset the sticky @samp{-kk} switches attached to the working files as @samp{-A} does. The workaround for this is to release the working directory after the merge has been committed and check it out again. @end ignore @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Recursive behavior @chapter Recursive behavior @cindex Recursive (directory descending) @cindex Directory, descending @cindex Descending directories @cindex Subdirectories Almost all of the subcommands of @sc{cvs} work recursively when you specify a directory as an argument. For instance, consider this directory structure: @example @code{$HOME} | +--@t{tc} | | +--@t{CVS} | (internal @sc{cvs} files) +--@t{Makefile} +--@t{backend.c} +--@t{driver.c} +--@t{frontend.c} +--@t{parser.c} +--@t{man} | | | +--@t{CVS} | | (internal @sc{cvs} files) | +--@t{tc.1} | +--@t{testing} | +--@t{CVS} | (internal @sc{cvs} files) +--@t{testpgm.t} +--@t{test2.t} @end example @noindent If @file{tc} is the current working directory, the following is true: @itemize @bullet @item @samp{cvs update testing} is equivalent to @example cvs update testing/testpgm.t testing/test2.t @end example @item @samp{cvs update testing man} updates all files in the subdirectories @item @samp{cvs update .} or just @samp{cvs update} updates all files in the @code{tc} directory @end itemize If no arguments are given to @code{update} it will update all files in the current working directory and all its subdirectories. In other words, @file{.} is a default argument to @code{update}. This is also true for most of the @sc{cvs} subcommands, not only the @code{update} command. The recursive behavior of the @sc{cvs} subcommands can be turned off with the @samp{-l} option. Conversely, the @samp{-R} option can be used to force recursion if @samp{-l} is specified in @file{~/.cvsrc} (@pxref{~/.cvsrc}). @example $ cvs update -l # @r{Don't update files in subdirectories} @end example @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Adding and removing @chapter Adding, removing, and renaming files and directories In the course of a project, one will often add new files. Likewise with removing or renaming, or with directories. The general concept to keep in mind in all these cases is that instead of making an irreversible change you want @sc{cvs} to record the fact that a change has taken place, just as with modifying an existing file. The exact mechanisms to do this in @sc{cvs} vary depending on the situation. @menu * Adding files:: Adding files * Removing files:: Removing files * Removing directories:: Removing directories * Moving files:: Moving and renaming files * Moving directories:: Moving and renaming directories @end menu @node Adding files @section Adding files to a directory @cindex Adding files To add a new file to a directory, follow these steps. @itemize @bullet @item You must have a working copy of the directory. @xref{Getting the source}. @item Create the new file inside your working copy of the directory. @item Use @samp{cvs add @var{filename}} to tell @sc{cvs} that you want to version control the file. If the file contains binary data, specify @samp{-kb} (@pxref{Binary files}). @item Use @samp{cvs commit @var{filename}} to actually check in the file into the repository. Other developers cannot see the file until you perform this step. @end itemize You can also use the @code{add} command to add a new directory. @c FIXCVS and/or FIXME: Adding a directory doesn't @c require the commit step. This probably can be @c considered a CVS bug, but it is possible we should @c warn people since this behavior probably won't be @c changing right away. Unlike most other commands, the @code{add} command is not recursive. You cannot even type @samp{cvs add foo/bar}! Instead, you have to @c FIXCVS: This is, of course, not a feature. It is @c just that no one has gotten around to fixing "cvs add @c foo/bar". @example $ cd foo $ cvs add bar @end example @cindex add (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs add} [@code{-k} kflag] [@code{-m} message] files @dots{} Schedule @var{files} to be added to the repository. The files or directories specified with @code{add} must already exist in the current directory. To add a whole new directory hierarchy to the source repository (for example, files received from a third-party vendor), use the @code{import} command instead. @xref{import}. The added files are not placed in the source repository until you use @code{commit} to make the change permanent. Doing an @code{add} on a file that was removed with the @code{remove} command will undo the effect of the @code{remove}, unless a @code{commit} command intervened. @xref{Removing files}, for an example. The @samp{-k} option specifies the default way that this file will be checked out; for more information see @ref{Substitution modes}. @c As noted in BUGS, -m is broken client/server (Nov @c 96). Also see testsuite log2-* tests. The @samp{-m} option specifies a description for the file. This description appears in the history log (if it is enabled, @pxref{history file}). It will also be saved in the version history inside the repository when the file is committed. The @code{log} command displays this description. The description can be changed using @samp{admin -t}. @xref{admin}. If you omit the @samp{-m @var{description}} flag, an empty string will be used. You will not be prompted for a description. @end deffn For example, the following commands add the file @file{backend.c} to the repository: @c This example used to specify @c -m "Optimizer and code generation passes." @c to the cvs add command, but that doesn't work @c client/server (see log2 in sanity.sh). Should fix CVS, @c but also seems strange to document things which @c don't work... @example $ cvs add backend.c $ cvs commit -m "Early version. Not yet compilable." backend.c @end example When you add a file it is added only on the branch which you are working on (@pxref{Branching and merging}). You can later merge the additions to another branch if you want (@pxref{Merging adds and removals}). @c Should we mention that earlier versions of CVS @c lacked this feature (1.3) or implemented it in a buggy @c way (well, 1.8 had many bugs in cvs update -j)? @c Should we mention the bug/limitation regarding a @c file being a regular file on one branch and a directory @c on another? @c FIXME: This needs an example, or several, here or @c elsewhere, for it to make much sense. @c Somewhere we need to discuss the aspects of death @c support which don't involve branching, I guess. @c Like the ability to re-create a release from a tag. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Removing files @section Removing files @cindex Removing files @cindex Deleting files @c FIXME: this node wants to be split into several @c smaller nodes. Could make these children of @c "Adding and removing", probably (death support could @c be its own section, for example, as could the @c various bits about undoing mistakes in adding and @c removing). Directories change. New files are added, and old files disappear. Still, you want to be able to retrieve an exact copy of old releases. Here is what you can do to remove a file, but remain able to retrieve old revisions: @itemize @bullet @c FIXME: should probably be saying something about @c having a working directory in the first place. @item Make sure that you have not made any uncommitted modifications to the file. @xref{Viewing differences}, for one way to do that. You can also use the @code{status} or @code{update} command. If you remove the file without committing your changes, you will of course not be able to retrieve the file as it was immediately before you deleted it. @item Remove the file from your working copy of the directory. You can for instance use @code{rm}. @item Use @samp{cvs remove @var{filename}} to tell @sc{cvs} that you really want to delete the file. @item Use @samp{cvs commit @var{filename}} to actually perform the removal of the file from the repository. @end itemize @c FIXME: Somehow this should be linked in with a more @c general discussion of death support. I don't know @c whether we want to use the term "death support" or @c not (we can perhaps get by without it), but we do @c need to discuss the "dead" state in "cvs log" and @c related subjects. The current discussion is @c scattered around, and not xref'd to each other. @c FIXME: I think this paragraph wants to be moved @c later down, at least after the first example. When you commit the removal of the file, @sc{cvs} records the fact that the file no longer exists. It is possible for a file to exist on only some branches and not on others, or to re-add another file with the same name later. @sc{cvs} will correctly create or not create the file, based on the @samp{-r} and @samp{-D} options specified to @code{checkout} or @code{update}. @c FIXME: This style seems to clash with how we @c document things in general. @cindex Remove (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs remove} [options] files @dots{} Schedule file(s) to be removed from the repository (files which have not already been removed from the working directory are not processed). This command does not actually remove the file from the repository until you commit the removal. For a full list of options, see @ref{Invoking CVS}. @end deffn Here is an example of removing several files: @example $ cd test $ rm *.c $ cvs remove cvs remove: Removing . cvs remove: scheduling a.c for removal cvs remove: scheduling b.c for removal cvs remove: use 'cvs commit' to remove these files permanently $ cvs ci -m "Removed unneeded files" cvs commit: Examining . cvs commit: Committing . @end example As a convenience you can remove the file and @code{cvs remove} it in one step, by specifying the @samp{-f} option. For example, the above example could also be done like this: @example $ cd test $ cvs remove -f *.c cvs remove: scheduling a.c for removal cvs remove: scheduling b.c for removal cvs remove: use 'cvs commit' to remove these files permanently $ cvs ci -m "Removed unneeded files" cvs commit: Examining . cvs commit: Committing . @end example If you execute @code{remove} for a file, and then change your mind before you commit, you can undo the @code{remove} with an @code{add} command. @ignore @c is this worth saying or not? Somehow it seems @c confusing to me. Of course, since you have removed your copy of file in the working directory, @sc{cvs} does not necessarily bring back the contents of the file from right before you executed @code{remove}; instead it gets the file from the repository again. @end ignore @c FIXME: what if you change your mind after you commit @c it? (answer is also "cvs add" but we don't say that...). @c We need some index entries for thinks like "undoing @c removal" too. @example $ ls CVS ja.h oj.c $ rm oj.c $ cvs remove oj.c cvs remove: scheduling oj.c for removal cvs remove: use 'cvs commit' to remove this file permanently $ cvs add oj.c U oj.c cvs add: oj.c, version 1.1.1.1, resurrected @end example If you realize your mistake before you run the @code{remove} command you can use @code{update} to resurrect the file: @example $ rm oj.c $ cvs update oj.c cvs update: warning: oj.c was lost U oj.c @end example When you remove a file it is removed only on the branch which you are working on (@pxref{Branching and merging}). You can later merge the removals to another branch if you want (@pxref{Merging adds and removals}). @node Removing directories @section Removing directories @cindex Removing directories @cindex Directories, removing In concept removing directories is somewhat similar to removing files---you want the directory to not exist in your current working directories, but you also want to be able to retrieve old releases in which the directory existed. The way that you remove a directory is to remove all the files in it. You don't remove the directory itself; there is no way to do that. Instead you specify the @samp{-P} option to @code{cvs update} or @code{cvs checkout}, which will cause @sc{cvs} to remove empty directories from working directories. (Note that @code{cvs export} always removes empty directories.) Probably the best way to do this is to always specify @samp{-P}; if you want an empty directory then put a dummy file (for example @file{.keepme}) in it to prevent @samp{-P} from removing it. @c I'd try to give a rationale for this, but I'm not @c sure there is a particularly convincing one. What @c we would _like_ is for CVS to do a better job of version @c controlling whether directories exist, to eliminate the @c need for -P and so that a file can be a directory in @c one revision and a regular file in another. Note that @samp{-P} is implied by the @samp{-r} or @samp{-D} options of @code{checkout}. This way @sc{cvs} will be able to correctly create the directory or not depending on whether the particular version you are checking out contains any files in that directory. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Moving files @section Moving and renaming files @cindex Moving files @cindex Renaming files @cindex Files, moving Moving files to a different directory or renaming them is not difficult, but some of the ways in which this works may be non-obvious. (Moving or renaming a directory is even harder. @xref{Moving directories}.). The examples below assume that the file @var{old} is renamed to @var{new}. @menu * Outside:: The normal way to Rename * Inside:: A tricky, alternative way * Rename by copying:: Another tricky, alternative way @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Outside @subsection The Normal way to Rename @c More rename issues. Not sure whether these are @c worth documenting; I'm putting them here because @c it seems to be as good a place as any to try to @c set down the issues. @c * "cvs annotate" will annotate either the new @c file or the old file; it cannot annotate _each @c line_ based on whether it was last changed in the @c new or old file. Unlike "cvs log", where the @c consequences of having to select either the new @c or old name seem fairly benign, this may be a @c real advantage to having CVS know about renames @c other than as a deletion and an addition. The normal way to move a file is to copy @var{old} to @var{new}, and then issue the normal @sc{cvs} commands to remove @var{old} from the repository, and add @var{new} to it. @c The following sentence is not true: one must cd into @c the directory to run "cvs add". @c (Both @var{old} and @var{new} could @c contain relative paths, for example @file{foo/bar.c}). @example $ mv @var{old} @var{new} $ cvs remove @var{old} $ cvs add @var{new} $ cvs commit -m "Renamed @var{old} to @var{new}" @var{old} @var{new} @end example This is the simplest way to move a file, it is not error-prone, and it preserves the history of what was done. Note that to access the history of the file you must specify the old or the new name, depending on what portion of the history you are accessing. For example, @code{cvs log @var{old}} will give the log up until the time of the rename. When @var{new} is committed its revision numbers will start again, usually at 1.1, so if that bothers you, use the @samp{-r rev} option to commit. For more information see @ref{Assigning revisions}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Inside @subsection Moving the history file This method is more dangerous, since it involves moving files inside the repository. Read this entire section before trying it out! @example $ cd $CVSROOT/@var{dir} $ mv @var{old},v @var{new},v @end example @noindent Advantages: @itemize @bullet @item The log of changes is maintained intact. @item The revision numbers are not affected. @end itemize @noindent Disadvantages: @itemize @bullet @item Old releases cannot easily be fetched from the repository. (The file will show up as @var{new} even in revisions from the time before it was renamed). @item There is no log information of when the file was renamed. @item Nasty things might happen if someone accesses the history file while you are moving it. Make sure no one else runs any of the @sc{cvs} commands while you move it. @end itemize @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Rename by copying @subsection Copying the history file This way also involves direct modifications to the repository. It is safe, but not without drawbacks. @example # @r{Copy the @sc{rcs} file inside the repository} $ cd $CVSROOT/@var{dir} $ cp @var{old},v @var{new},v # @r{Remove the old file} $ cd ~/@var{dir} $ rm @var{old} $ cvs remove @var{old} $ cvs commit @var{old} # @r{Remove all tags from @var{new}} $ cvs update @var{new} $ cvs log @var{new} # @r{Remember the non-branch tag names} $ cvs tag -d @var{tag1} @var{new} $ cvs tag -d @var{tag2} @var{new} @dots{} @end example By removing the tags you will be able to check out old revisions. @noindent Advantages: @itemize @bullet @item @c FIXME: Is this true about -D now that we have death @c support? See 5B.3 in the FAQ. Checking out old revisions works correctly, as long as you use @samp{-r@var{tag}} and not @samp{-D@var{date}} to retrieve the revisions. @item The log of changes is maintained intact. @item The revision numbers are not affected. @end itemize @noindent Disadvantages: @itemize @bullet @item You cannot easily see the history of the file across the rename. @ignore @c Is this true? I don't see how the revision numbers @c _could_ start over, when new,v is just old,v with @c the tags deleted. @c If there is some need to reinstate this text, @c it is "usually 1.1", not "1.0" and it needs an @c xref to Assigning revisions @item Unless you use the @samp{-r rev} (@pxref{commit options}) flag when @var{new} is committed its revision numbers will start at 1.0 again. @end ignore @end itemize @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Moving directories @section Moving and renaming directories @cindex Moving directories @cindex Renaming directories @cindex Directories, moving The normal way to rename or move a directory is to rename or move each file within it as described in @ref{Outside}. Then check out with the @samp{-P} option, as described in @ref{Removing directories}. If you really want to hack the repository to rename or delete a directory in the repository, you can do it like this: @enumerate @item Inform everyone who has a checked out copy of the directory that the directory will be renamed. They should commit all their changes, and remove their working copies, before you take the steps below. @item Rename the directory inside the repository. @example $ cd $CVSROOT/@var{parent-dir} $ mv @var{old-dir} @var{new-dir} @end example @item Fix the @sc{cvs} administrative files, if necessary (for instance if you renamed an entire module). @item Tell everyone that they can check out again and continue working. @end enumerate If someone had a working copy the @sc{cvs} commands will cease to work for him, until he removes the directory that disappeared inside the repository. It is almost always better to move the files in the directory instead of moving the directory. If you move the directory you are unlikely to be able to retrieve old releases correctly, since they probably depend on the name of the directories. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node History browsing @chapter History browsing @cindex History browsing @cindex Traceability @cindex Isolation @ignore @c This is too long for an introduction (goal is @c one 20x80 character screen), and also mixes up a @c variety of issues (parallel development, history, @c maybe even touches on process control). @c -- @quote{To lose ones history is to lose ones soul.} @c -- /// @c -- ///Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. @c -- /// -- George Santayana @c -- /// @sc{cvs} tries to make it easy for a group of people to work together. This is done in two ways: @itemize @bullet @item Isolation---You have your own working copy of the source. You are not affected by modifications made by others until you decide to incorporate those changes (via the @code{update} command---@pxref{update}). @item Traceability---When something has changed, you can always see @emph{exactly} what changed. @end itemize There are several features of @sc{cvs} that together lead to traceability: @itemize @bullet @item Each revision of a file has an accompanying log message. @item All commits are optionally logged to a central history database. @item Logging information can be sent to a user-defined program (@pxref{loginfo}). @end itemize @c -- More text here. This chapter should talk about the history file, the @code{log} command, the usefulness of ChangeLogs even when you run @sc{cvs}, and things like that. @end ignore @c kind of lame, in a lot of ways the above text inside @c the @ignore motivates this chapter better Once you have used @sc{cvs} to store a version control history---what files have changed when, how, and by whom, there are a variety of mechanisms for looking through the history. @c FIXME: should also be talking about how you look at @c old revisions (e.g. "cvs update -p -r 1.2 foo.c"). @menu * log messages:: Log messages * history database:: The history database * user-defined logging:: User-defined logging * annotate:: What revision modified each line of a file? @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node log messages @section Log messages @c FIXME: @xref to place where we talk about how to @c specify message to commit. Whenever you commit a file you specify a log message. @c FIXME: bring the information here, and get rid of or @c greatly shrink the "log" node. To look through the log messages which have been specified for every revision which has been committed, use the @code{cvs log} command (@pxref{log}). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node history database @section The history database @c FIXME: bring the information from the history file @c and history nodes here. Rewrite it to be motivated @c better (start out by clearly explaining what gets @c logged in history, for example). You can use the history file (@pxref{history file}) to log various @sc{cvs} actions. To retrieve the information from the history file, use the @code{cvs history} command (@pxref{history}). Note: you can control what is logged to this file by using the @samp{LogHistory} keyword in the @file{CVSROOT/config} file (@pxref{config}). @c @c The history database has many problems: @c * It is very unclear what field means what. This @c could be improved greatly by better documentation, @c but there are still non-orthogonalities (for @c example, tag does not record the "repository" @c field but most records do). @c * Confusion about files, directories, and modules. @c Some commands record one, some record others. @c * File removal is not logged. There is an 'R' @c record type documented, but CVS never uses it. @c * Tags are only logged for the "cvs rtag" command, @c not "cvs tag". The fix for this is not completely @c clear (see above about modules vs. files). @c * Are there other cases of operations that are not @c logged? One would hope for all changes to the @c repository to be logged somehow (particularly @c operations like tagging, "cvs admin -k", and other @c operations which do not record a history that one @c can get with "cvs log"). Operations on the working @c directory, like export, get, and release, are a @c second category also covered by the current "cvs @c history". @c * The history file does not record the options given @c to a command. The most serious manifestation of @c this is perhaps that it doesn't record whether a command @c was recursive. It is not clear to me whether one @c wants to log at a level very close to the command @c line, as a sort of way of logging each command @c (more or less), or whether one wants @c to log more at the level of what was changed (or @c something in between), but either way the current @c information has pretty big gaps. @c * Further details about a tag--like whether it is a @c branch tag or, if a non-branch tag, which branch it @c is on. One can find out this information about the @c tag as it exists _now_, but if the tag has been @c moved, one doesn't know what it was like at the time @c the history record was written. @c * Whether operating on a particular tag, date, or @c options was implicit (sticky) or explicit. @c @c Another item, only somewhat related to the above, is a @c way to control what is logged in the history file. @c This is probably the only good way to handle @c different people having different ideas about @c information/space tradeoffs. @c @c It isn't really clear that it makes sense to try to @c patch up the history file format as it exists now to @c include all that stuff. It might be better to @c design a whole new CVSROOT/nhistory file and "cvs @c nhistory" command, or some such, or in some other @c way trying to come up with a clean break from the @c past, which can address the above concerns. Another @c open question is how/whether this relates to @c taginfo/loginfo/etc. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node user-defined logging @section User-defined logging @c FIXME: should probably also mention the fact the -l @c global option can disable most of the mechanisms @c discussed here (why? What is the -l global option for?). @c @c FIXME: probably should centralize this information @c here, at least to some extent. Maybe by moving the @c loginfo, etc., nodes here and replacing @c the "user-defined logging" node with one node for @c each method. You can customize @sc{cvs} to log various kinds of actions, in whatever manner you choose. These mechanisms operate by executing a script at various times. The script might append a message to a file listing the information and the programmer who created it, or send mail to a group of developers, or, perhaps, post a message to a particular newsgroup. To log commits, use the @file{loginfo} file (@pxref{loginfo}). @c FIXME: What is difference between doing it in the @c modules file and using loginfo/taginfo? Why should @c user use one or the other? To log commits, checkouts, exports, and tags, respectively, you can also use the @samp{-i}, @samp{-o}, @samp{-e}, and @samp{-t} options in the modules file. For a more flexible way of giving notifications to various users, which requires less in the way of keeping centralized scripts up to date, use the @code{cvs watch add} command (@pxref{Getting Notified}); this command is useful even if you are not using @code{cvs watch on}. @cindex taginfo @cindex Exit status, of taginfo The @file{taginfo} file defines programs to execute when someone executes a @code{tag} or @code{rtag} command. The @file{taginfo} file has the standard form for administrative files (@pxref{Administrative files}), where each line is a regular expression followed by a command to execute. The arguments passed to the command are, in order, the @var{tagname}, @var{operation} (@code{add} for @code{tag}, @code{mov} for @code{tag -F}, and @code{del} for @code{tag -d}), @var{repository}, and any remaining are pairs of @var{filename} @var{revision}. A non-zero exit of the filter program will cause the tag to be aborted. Here is an example of using taginfo to log tag and rtag commands. In the taginfo file put: @example ALL /usr/local/cvsroot/CVSROOT/loggit @end example Where @file{/usr/local/cvsroot/CVSROOT/loggit} contains the following script: @example #!/bin/sh echo "$@@" >>/home/kingdon/cvsroot/CVSROOT/taglog @end example @node annotate @section Annotate command @cindex annotate (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs annotate} [@code{-flR}] [@code{-r rev}|@code{-D date}] files @dots{} For each file in @var{files}, print the head revision of the trunk, together with information on the last modification for each line. For example: @example $ cvs annotate ssfile Annotations for ssfile *************** 1.1 (mary 27-Mar-96): ssfile line 1 1.2 (joe 28-Mar-96): ssfile line 2 @end example The file @file{ssfile} currently contains two lines. The @code{ssfile line 1} line was checked in by @code{mary} on March 27. Then, on March 28, @code{joe} added a line @code{ssfile line 2}, without modifying the @code{ssfile line 1} line. This report doesn't tell you anything about lines which have been deleted or replaced; you need to use @code{cvs diff} for that (@pxref{diff}). @end deffn The options to @code{cvs annotate} are listed in @ref{Invoking CVS}, and can be used to select the files and revisions to annotate. The options are described in more detail in @ref{Common options}. @c FIXME: maybe an example using the options? Just @c what it means to select a revision might be worth a @c few words of explanation ("you want to see who @c changed this line *before* 1.4"...). @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Binary files @chapter Handling binary files @cindex Binary files The most common use for @sc{cvs} is to store text files. With text files, @sc{cvs} can merge revisions, display the differences between revisions in a human-visible fashion, and other such operations. However, if you are willing to give up a few of these abilities, @sc{cvs} can store binary files. For example, one might store a web site in @sc{cvs} including both text files and binary images. @menu * Binary why:: More details on issues with binary files * Binary howto:: How to store them @end menu @node Binary why @section The issues with binary files While the need to manage binary files may seem obvious if the files that you customarily work with are binary, putting them into version control does present some additional issues. One basic function of version control is to show the differences between two revisions. For example, if someone else checked in a new version of a file, you may wish to look at what they changed and determine whether their changes are good. For text files, @sc{cvs} provides this functionality via the @code{cvs diff} command. For binary files, it may be possible to extract the two revisions and then compare them with a tool external to @sc{cvs} (for example, word processing software often has such a feature). If there is no such tool, one must track changes via other mechanisms, such as urging people to write good log messages, and hoping that the changes they actually made were the changes that they intended to make. Another ability of a version control system is the ability to merge two revisions. For @sc{cvs} this happens in two contexts. The first is when users make changes in separate working directories (@pxref{Multiple developers}). The second is when one merges explicitly with the @samp{update -j} command (@pxref{Branching and merging}). In the case of text files, @sc{cvs} can merge changes made independently, and signal a conflict if the changes conflict. With binary files, the best that @sc{cvs} can do is present the two different copies of the file, and leave it to the user to resolve the conflict. The user may choose one copy or the other, or may run an external merge tool which knows about that particular file format, if one exists. Note that having the user merge relies primarily on the user to not accidentally omit some changes, and thus is potentially error prone. If this process is thought to be undesirable, the best choice may be to avoid merging. To avoid the merges that result from separate working directories, see the discussion of reserved checkouts (file locking) in @ref{Multiple developers}. To avoid the merges resulting from branches, restrict use of branches. @node Binary howto @section How to store binary files There are two issues with using @sc{cvs} to store binary files. The first is that @sc{cvs} by default converts line endings between the canonical form in which they are stored in the repository (linefeed only), and the form appropriate to the operating system in use on the client (for example, carriage return followed by line feed for Windows NT). The second is that a binary file might happen to contain data which looks like a keyword (@pxref{Keyword substitution}), so keyword expansion must be turned off. @c FIXME: the third is that one can't do merges with @c binary files. xref to Multiple Developers and the @c reserved checkout issues. The @samp{-kb} option available with some @sc{cvs} commands insures that neither line ending conversion nor keyword expansion will be done. Here is an example of how you can create a new file using the @samp{-kb} flag: @example $ echo '$@asis{}Id$' > kotest $ cvs add -kb -m"A test file" kotest $ cvs ci -m"First checkin; contains a keyword" kotest @end example If a file accidentally gets added without @samp{-kb}, one can use the @code{cvs admin} command to recover. For example: @example $ echo '$@asis{}Id$' > kotest $ cvs add -m"A test file" kotest $ cvs ci -m"First checkin; contains a keyword" kotest $ cvs admin -kb kotest $ cvs update -A kotest # @r{For non-unix systems:} # @r{Copy in a good copy of the file from outside CVS} $ cvs commit -m "make it binary" kotest @end example @c Trying to describe this for both unix and non-unix @c in the same description is very confusing. Might @c want to split the two, or just ditch the unix "shortcut" @c (unixheads don't do much with binary files, anyway). @c This used to say "(Try the above example, and do a @c @code{cat kotest} after every command)". But that @c only really makes sense for the unix case. When you check in the file @file{kotest} the file is not preserved as a binary file, because you did not check it in as a binary file. The @code{cvs admin -kb} command sets the default keyword substitution method for this file, but it does not alter the working copy of the file that you have. If you need to cope with line endings (that is, you are using @sc{cvs} on a non-unix system), then you need to check in a new copy of the file, as shown by the @code{cvs commit} command above. On unix, the @code{cvs update -A} command suffices. @c FIXME: should also describe what the *other users* @c need to do, if they have checked out copies which @c have been corrupted by lack of -kb. I think maybe @c "cvs update -kb" or "cvs @c update -A" would suffice, although the user who @c reported this suggested removing the file, manually @c removing it from CVS/Entries, and then "cvs update" However, in using @code{cvs admin -k} to change the keyword expansion, be aware that the keyword expansion mode is not version controlled. This means that, for example, that if you have a text file in old releases, and a binary file with the same name in new releases, @sc{cvs} provides no way to check out the file in text or binary mode depending on what version you are checking out. There is no good workaround for this problem. You can also set a default for whether @code{cvs add} and @code{cvs import} treat a file as binary based on its name; for example you could say that files who names end in @samp{.exe} are binary. @xref{Wrappers}. There is currently no way to have @sc{cvs} detect whether a file is binary based on its contents. The main difficulty with designing such a feature is that it is not clear how to distinguish between binary and non-binary files, and the rules to apply would vary considerably with the operating system. @c For example, it would be good on MS-DOS-family OSes @c for anything containing ^Z to be binary. Having @c characters with the 8th bit set imply binary is almost @c surely a bad idea in the context of ISO-8859-* and @c other such character sets. On VMS or the Mac, we @c could use the OS's file typing. This is a @c commonly-desired feature, and something of this sort @c may make sense. But there are a lot of pitfalls here. @c @c Another, probably better, way to tell is to read the @c file in text mode, write it to a temp file in text @c mode, and then do a binary mode compare of the two @c files. If they differ, it is a binary file. This @c might have problems on VMS (or some other system @c with several different text modes), but in general @c should be relatively portable. The only other @c downside I can think of is that it would be fairly @c slow, but that is perhaps a small price to pay for @c not having your files corrupted. Another issue is @c what happens if you import a text file with bare @c linefeeds on Windows. Such files will show up on @c Windows sometimes (I think some native windows @c programs even write them, on occasion). Perhaps it @c is reasonable to treat such files as binary; after @c all it is something of a presumption to assume that @c the user would want the linefeeds converted to CRLF. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Multiple developers @chapter Multiple developers @cindex Multiple developers @cindex Team of developers @cindex File locking @cindex Locking files @cindex Working copy @cindex Reserved checkouts @cindex Unreserved checkouts @cindex RCS-style locking When more than one person works on a software project things often get complicated. Often, two people try to edit the same file simultaneously. One solution, known as @dfn{file locking} or @dfn{reserved checkouts}, is to allow only one person to edit each file at a time. This is the only solution with some version control systems, including @sc{rcs} and @sc{sccs}. Currently the usual way to get reserved checkouts with @sc{cvs} is the @code{cvs admin -l} command (@pxref{admin options}). This is not as nicely integrated into @sc{cvs} as the watch features, described below, but it seems that most people with a need for reserved checkouts find it adequate. @c Or "find it better than worrying about implementing @c nicely integrated reserved checkouts" or ...? It also may be possible to use the watches features described below, together with suitable procedures (not enforced by software), to avoid having two people edit at the same time. @c Our unreserved checkout model might not @c be quite the same as others. For example, I @c think that some systems will tend to create a branch @c in the case where CVS prints "up-to-date check failed". @c It isn't clear to me whether we should try to @c explore these subtleties; it could easily just @c confuse people. The default model with @sc{cvs} is known as @dfn{unreserved checkouts}. In this model, developers can edit their own @dfn{working copy} of a file simultaneously. The first person that commits his changes has no automatic way of knowing that another has started to edit it. Others will get an error message when they try to commit the file. They must then use @sc{cvs} commands to bring their working copy up to date with the repository revision. This process is almost automatic. @c FIXME? should probably use the word "watch" here, to @c tie this into the text below and above. @sc{cvs} also supports mechanisms which facilitate various kinds of communication, without actually enforcing rules like reserved checkouts do. The rest of this chapter describes how these various models work, and some of the issues involved in choosing between them. @ignore Here is a draft reserved checkout design or discussion of the issues. This seems like as good a place as any for this. Might want a cvs lock/cvs unlock--in which the names differ from edit/unedit because the network must be up for these to work. unedit gives an error if there is a reserved checkout in place (so that people don't accidentally leave locks around); unlock gives an error if one is not in place (this is more arguable; perhaps it should act like unedit in that case). On the other hand, might want it so that emacs, scripts, etc., can get ready to edit a file without having to know which model is in use. In that case we would have a "cvs watch lock" (or .cvsrc?) (that is, three settings, "on", "off", and "lock"). Having cvs watch lock set would cause a get to record in the CVS directory which model is in use, and cause "cvs edit" to change behaviors. We'd want a way to query which setting is in effect (this would be handy even if it is only "on" or "off" as presently). If lock is in effect, then commit would require a lock before allowing a checkin; chmod wouldn't suffice (might be debatable--see chmod comment below, in watches--but it is the way people expect RCS to work and I can't think of any significant downside. On the other hand, maybe it isn't worth bothering, because people who are used to RCS wouldn't think to use chmod anyway). Implementation: use file attributes or use RCS locking. The former avoids more dependence on RCS behaviors we will need to reimplement as we librarify RCS, and makes it easier to import/export RCS files (in that context, want to ignore the locker field). But note that RCS locks are per-branch, which is the correct behavior (this is also an issue for the "watch on" features; they should be per-branch too). Here are a few more random notes about implementation details, assuming "cvs watch lock" and CVS/Watched file? Or try to fit this into CVS/Entries somehow? Cases: (1) file is checked out (unreserved or with watch on) by old version of @sc{cvs}, now we do something with new one, (2) file is checked out by new version, now we do something with old one. Remote protocol would have a "Watched" analogous to "Mode". Of course it would apply to all Updated-like requests. How do we keep this setting up to date? I guess that there wants to be a Watched request, and the server would send a new one if it isn't up to date? (Ugh--hard to implement and slows down "cvs -q update"--is there an easier way?) "cvs edit"--checks CVS/Watched, and if watch lock, then sends "edit-lock" request. Which comes back with a Checked-in with appropriate Watched (off, on, lock, locked, or some such?), or error message if already locked. "cvs commit"--only will commit if off/on/locked. lock is not OK. Doc: note that "cvs edit" must be connected to network if watch lock is in effect. Talk about what to do if someone has locked a file and you want to edit that file. (breaking locks, or lack thereof). One other idea (which could work along with the existing "cvs admin -l" reserved checkouts, as well as the above): "cvs editors" could show who has the file locked, if someone does. @end ignore @menu * File status:: A file can be in several states * Updating a file:: Bringing a file up-to-date * Conflicts example:: An informative example * Informing others:: To cooperate you must inform * Concurrency:: Simultaneous repository access * Watches:: Mechanisms to track who is editing files * Choosing a model:: Reserved or unreserved checkouts? @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node File status @section File status @cindex File status @cindex Status of a file @c Shouldn't this start with an example or something, @c introducing the unreserved checkout model? Before we @c dive into listing states? Based on what operations you have performed on a checked out file, and what operations others have performed to that file in the repository, one can classify a file in a number of states. The states, as reported by the @code{status} command, are: @c The order of items is chosen to group logically @c similar outputs together. @c People who want alphabetical can use the index... @table @asis @cindex Up-to-date @item Up-to-date The file is identical with the latest revision in the repository for the branch in use. @c FIXME: should we clarify "in use"? The answer is @c sticky tags, and trying to distinguish branch sticky @c tags from non-branch sticky tags seems rather awkward @c here. @c FIXME: What happens with non-branch sticky tags? Is @c a stuck file "Up-to-date" or "Needs checkout" or what? @item Locally Modified @cindex Locally Modified You have edited the file, and not yet committed your changes. @item Locally Added @cindex Locally Added You have added the file with @code{add}, and not yet committed your changes. @c There are many cases involving the file being @c added/removed/modified in the working directory, and @c added/removed/modified in the repository, which we @c don't try to describe here. I'm not sure that "cvs @c status" produces a non-confusing output in most of @c those cases. @item Locally Removed @cindex Locally Removed You have removed the file with @code{remove}, and not yet committed your changes. @item Needs Checkout @cindex Needs Checkout Someone else has committed a newer revision to the repository. The name is slightly misleading; you will ordinarily use @code{update} rather than @code{checkout} to get that newer revision. @item Needs Patch @cindex Needs Patch @c See also newb-123j0 in sanity.sh (although that case @c should probably be changed rather than documented). Like Needs Checkout, but the @sc{cvs} server will send a patch rather than the entire file. Sending a patch or sending an entire file accomplishes the same thing. @item Needs Merge @cindex Needs Merge Someone else has committed a newer revision to the repository, and you have also made modifications to the file. @item File had conflicts on merge @cindex File had conflicts on merge @c is it worth saying that this message was "Unresolved @c Conflict" in CVS 1.9 and earlier? I'm inclined to @c think that is unnecessarily confusing to new users. This is like Locally Modified, except that a previous @code{update} command gave a conflict. If you have not already done so, you need to resolve the conflict as described in @ref{Conflicts example}. @item Unknown @cindex Unknown @sc{cvs} doesn't know anything about this file. For example, you have created a new file and have not run @code{add}. @c @c "Entry Invalid" and "Classify Error" are also in the @c status.c. The latter definitely indicates a CVS bug @c (should it be worded more like "internal error" so @c people submit bug reports if they see it?). The former @c I'm not as sure; I haven't tracked down whether/when it @c appears in "cvs status" output. @end table To help clarify the file status, @code{status} also reports the @code{Working revision} which is the revision that the file in the working directory derives from, and the @code{Repository revision} which is the latest revision in the repository for the branch in use. @c FIXME: should we clarify "in use"? The answer is @c sticky tags, and trying to distinguish branch sticky @c tags from non-branch sticky tags seems rather awkward @c here. @c FIXME: What happens with non-branch sticky tags? @c What is the Repository Revision there? See the @c comment at vn_rcs in cvs.h, which is kind of @c confused--we really need to document better what this @c field contains. @c Q: Should we document "New file!" and other such @c outputs or are they self-explanatory? @c FIXME: what about the date to the right of "Working @c revision"? It doesn't appear with client/server and @c seems unnecessary (redundant with "ls -l") so @c perhaps it should be removed for non-client/server too? @c FIXME: Need some examples. @c FIXME: Working revision can also be something like @c "-1.3" for a locally removed file. Not at all @c self-explanatory (and it is possible that CVS should @c be changed rather than documenting this). @c Would be nice to have an @example showing output @c from cvs status, with comments showing the xref @c where each part of the output is described. This @c might fit in nicely if it is desirable to split this @c node in two; one to introduce "cvs status" and one @c to list each of the states. The options to @code{status} are listed in @ref{Invoking CVS}. For information on its @code{Sticky tag} and @code{Sticky date} output, see @ref{Sticky tags}. For information on its @code{Sticky options} output, see the @samp{-k} option in @ref{update options}. You can think of the @code{status} and @code{update} commands as somewhat complementary. You use @code{update} to bring your files up to date, and you can use @code{status} to give you some idea of what an @code{update} would do (of course, the state of the repository might change before you actually run @code{update}). In fact, if you want a command to display file status in a more brief format than is displayed by the @code{status} command, you can invoke @cindex update, to display file status @example $ cvs -n -q update @end example The @samp{-n} option means to not actually do the update, but merely to display statuses; the @samp{-q} option avoids printing the name of each directory. For more information on the @code{update} command, and these options, see @ref{Invoking CVS}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Updating a file @section Bringing a file up to date @cindex Bringing a file up to date @cindex Updating a file @cindex Merging a file @cindex Update, introduction When you want to update or merge a file, use the @code{update} command. For files that are not up to date this is roughly equivalent to a @code{checkout} command: the newest revision of the file is extracted from the repository and put in your working directory. Your modifications to a file are never lost when you use @code{update}. If no newer revision exists, running @code{update} has no effect. If you have edited the file, and a newer revision is available, @sc{cvs} will merge all changes into your working copy. For instance, imagine that you checked out revision 1.4 and started editing it. In the meantime someone else committed revision 1.5, and shortly after that revision 1.6. If you run @code{update} on the file now, @sc{cvs} will incorporate all changes between revision 1.4 and 1.6 into your file. @cindex Overlap If any of the changes between 1.4 and 1.6 were made too close to any of the changes you have made, an @dfn{overlap} occurs. In such cases a warning is printed, and the resulting file includes both versions of the lines that overlap, delimited by special markers. @xref{update}, for a complete description of the @code{update} command. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Conflicts example @section Conflicts example @cindex Merge, an example @cindex Example of merge @cindex driver.c (merge example) Suppose revision 1.4 of @file{driver.c} contains this: @example #include void main() @{ parse(); if (nerr == 0) gencode(); else fprintf(stderr, "No code generated.\n"); exit(nerr == 0 ? 0 : 1); @} @end example @noindent Revision 1.6 of @file{driver.c} contains this: @example #include int main(int argc, char **argv) @{ parse(); if (argc != 1) @{ fprintf(stderr, "tc: No args expected.\n"); exit(1); @} if (nerr == 0) gencode(); else fprintf(stderr, "No code generated.\n"); exit(!!nerr); @} @end example @noindent Your working copy of @file{driver.c}, based on revision 1.4, contains this before you run @samp{cvs update}: @c -- Really include "cvs"? @example #include #include void main() @{ init_scanner(); parse(); if (nerr == 0) gencode(); else fprintf(stderr, "No code generated.\n"); exit(nerr == 0 ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE); @} @end example @noindent You run @samp{cvs update}: @c -- Really include "cvs"? @example $ cvs update driver.c RCS file: /usr/local/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/driver.c,v retrieving revision 1.4 retrieving revision 1.6 Merging differences between 1.4 and 1.6 into driver.c rcsmerge warning: overlaps during merge cvs update: conflicts found in driver.c C driver.c @end example @noindent @cindex Conflicts (merge example) @sc{cvs} tells you that there were some conflicts. Your original working file is saved unmodified in @file{.#driver.c.1.4}. The new version of @file{driver.c} contains this: @example #include #include int main(int argc, char **argv) @{ init_scanner(); parse(); if (argc != 1) @{ fprintf(stderr, "tc: No args expected.\n"); exit(1); @} if (nerr == 0) gencode(); else fprintf(stderr, "No code generated.\n"); @asis{}<<<<<<< driver.c exit(nerr == 0 ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE); @asis{}======= exit(!!nerr); @asis{}>>>>>>> 1.6 @} @end example @noindent @cindex Markers, conflict @cindex Conflict markers @cindex <<<<<<< @cindex >>>>>>> @cindex ======= Note how all non-overlapping modifications are incorporated in your working copy, and that the overlapping section is clearly marked with @samp{<<<<<<<}, @samp{=======} and @samp{>>>>>>>}. @cindex Resolving a conflict @cindex Conflict resolution You resolve the conflict by editing the file, removing the markers and the erroneous line. Suppose you end up with this file: @c -- Add xref to the pcl-cvs manual when it talks @c -- about this. @example #include #include int main(int argc, char **argv) @{ init_scanner(); parse(); if (argc != 1) @{ fprintf(stderr, "tc: No args expected.\n"); exit(1); @} if (nerr == 0) gencode(); else fprintf(stderr, "No code generated.\n"); exit(nerr == 0 ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE); @} @end example @noindent You can now go ahead and commit this as revision 1.7. @example $ cvs commit -m "Initialize scanner. Use symbolic exit values." driver.c Checking in driver.c; /usr/local/cvsroot/yoyodyne/tc/driver.c,v <-- driver.c new revision: 1.7; previous revision: 1.6 done @end example For your protection, @sc{cvs} will refuse to check in a file if a conflict occurred and you have not resolved the conflict. Currently to resolve a conflict, you must change the timestamp on the file. In previous versions of @sc{cvs}, you also needed to insure that the file contains no conflict markers. Because your file may legitimately contain conflict markers (that is, occurrences of @samp{>>>>>>> } at the start of a line that don't mark a conflict), the current version of @sc{cvs} will print a warning and proceed to check in the file. @c The old behavior was really icky; the only way out @c was to start hacking on @c the @code{CVS/Entries} file or other such workarounds. @c @c If the timestamp thing isn't considered nice enough, @c maybe there should be a "cvs resolved" command @c which clears the conflict indication. For a nice user @c interface, this should be invoked by an interactive @c merge tool like emerge rather than by the user @c directly--such a tool can verify that the user has @c really dealt with each conflict. @cindex emerge If you use release 1.04 or later of pcl-cvs (a @sc{gnu} Emacs front-end for @sc{cvs}) you can use an Emacs package called emerge to help you resolve conflicts. See the documentation for pcl-cvs. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Informing others @section Informing others about commits @cindex Informing others @cindex Spreading information @cindex Mail, automatic mail on commit It is often useful to inform others when you commit a new revision of a file. The @samp{-i} option of the @file{modules} file, or the @file{loginfo} file, can be used to automate this process. @xref{modules}. @xref{loginfo}. You can use these features of @sc{cvs} to, for instance, instruct @sc{cvs} to mail a message to all developers, or post a message to a local newsgroup. @c -- More text would be nice here. @node Concurrency @section Several developers simultaneously attempting to run CVS @cindex Locks, cvs, introduction @c For a discussion of *why* CVS creates locks, see @c the comment at the start of src/lock.c If several developers try to run @sc{cvs} at the same time, one may get the following message: @example [11:43:23] waiting for bach's lock in /usr/local/cvsroot/foo @end example @cindex #cvs.rfl, removing @cindex #cvs.wfl, removing @cindex #cvs.lock, removing @sc{cvs} will try again every 30 seconds, and either continue with the operation or print the message again, if it still needs to wait. If a lock seems to stick around for an undue amount of time, find the person holding the lock and ask them about the cvs command they are running. If they aren't running a cvs command, look in the repository directory mentioned in the message and remove files which they own whose names start with @file{#cvs.rfl}, @file{#cvs.wfl}, or @file{#cvs.lock}. Note that these locks are to protect @sc{cvs}'s internal data structures and have no relationship to the word @dfn{lock} in the sense used by @sc{rcs}---which refers to reserved checkouts (@pxref{Multiple developers}). Any number of people can be reading from a given repository at a time; only when someone is writing do the locks prevent other people from reading or writing. @cindex Atomic transactions, lack of @cindex Transactions, atomic, lack of @c the following talks about what one might call commit/update @c atomicity. @c Probably also should say something about @c commit/commit atomicity, that is, "An update will @c not get partial versions of more than one commit". @c CVS currently has this property and I guess we can @c make it a documented feature. @c For example one person commits @c a/one.c and b/four.c and another commits a/two.c and @c b/three.c. Then an update cannot get the new a/one.c @c and a/two.c and the old b/four.c and b/three.c. One might hope for the following property @example If someone commits some changes in one cvs command, then an update by someone else will either get all the changes, or none of them. @end example but @sc{cvs} does @emph{not} have this property. For example, given the files @example a/one.c a/two.c b/three.c b/four.c @end example if someone runs @example cvs ci a/two.c b/three.c @end example and someone else runs @code{cvs update} at the same time, the person running @code{update} might get only the change to @file{b/three.c} and not the change to @file{a/two.c}. @node Watches @section Mechanisms to track who is editing files @cindex Watches For many groups, use of @sc{cvs} in its default mode is perfectly satisfactory. Users may sometimes go to check in a modification only to find that another modification has intervened, but they deal with it and proceed with their check in. Other groups prefer to be able to know who is editing what files, so that if two people try to edit the same file they can choose to talk about who is doing what when rather than be surprised at check in time. The features in this section allow such coordination, while retaining the ability of two developers to edit the same file at the same time. @c Some people might ask why CVS does not enforce the @c rule on chmod, by requiring a cvs edit before a cvs @c commit. The main reason is that it could always be @c circumvented--one could edit the file, and @c then when ready to check it in, do the cvs edit and put @c in the new contents and do the cvs commit. One @c implementation note: if we _do_ want to have cvs commit @c require a cvs edit, we should store the state on @c whether the cvs edit has occurred in the working @c directory, rather than having the server try to keep @c track of what working directories exist. @c FIXME: should the above discussion be part of the @c manual proper, somewhere, not just in a comment? For maximum benefit developers should use @code{cvs edit} (not @code{chmod}) to make files read-write to edit them, and @code{cvs release} (not @code{rm}) to discard a working directory which is no longer in use, but @sc{cvs} is not able to enforce this behavior. @c I'm a little dissatisfied with this presentation, @c because "watch on"/"edit"/"editors" are one set of @c functionality, and "watch add"/"watchers" is another @c which is somewhat orthogonal even though they interact in @c various ways. But I think it might be @c confusing to describe them separately (e.g. "watch @c add" with loginfo). I don't know. @menu * Setting a watch:: Telling CVS to watch certain files * Getting Notified:: Telling CVS to notify you * Editing files:: How to edit a file which is being watched * Watch information:: Information about who is watching and editing * Watches Compatibility:: Watches interact poorly with CVS 1.6 or earlier @end menu @node Setting a watch @subsection Telling CVS to watch certain files To enable the watch features, you first specify that certain files are to be watched. @cindex watch on (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs watch on} [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} @cindex Read-only files, and watches Specify that developers should run @code{cvs edit} before editing @var{files}. @sc{cvs} will create working copies of @var{files} read-only, to remind developers to run the @code{cvs edit} command before working on them. If @var{files} includes the name of a directory, @sc{cvs} arranges to watch all files added to the corresponding repository directory, and sets a default for files added in the future; this allows the user to set notification policies on a per-directory basis. The contents of the directory are processed recursively, unless the @code{-l} option is given. The @code{-R} option can be used to force recursion if the @code{-l} option is set in @file{~/.cvsrc} (@pxref{~/.cvsrc}). If @var{files} is omitted, it defaults to the current directory. @cindex watch off (subcommand) @end deffn @deffn Command {cvs watch off} [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} Do not create @var{files} read-only on checkout; thus, developers will not be reminded to use @code{cvs edit} and @code{cvs unedit}. @ignore @sc{cvs} will check out @var{files} read-write as usual, unless other permissions override due to the @code{PreservePermissions} option being enabled in the @file{config} administrative file (@pxref{Special Files}, @pxref{config}) @end ignore The @var{files} and options are processed as for @code{cvs watch on}. @end deffn @node Getting Notified @subsection Telling CVS to notify you You can tell @sc{cvs} that you want to receive notifications about various actions taken on a file. You can do this without using @code{cvs watch on} for the file, but generally you will want to use @code{cvs watch on}, so that developers use the @code{cvs edit} command. @cindex watch add (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs watch add} [@code{-a} action] [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} Add the current user to the list of people to receive notification of work done on @var{files}. The @code{-a} option specifies what kinds of events @sc{cvs} should notify the user about. @var{action} is one of the following: @table @code @item edit Another user has applied the @code{cvs edit} command (described below) to a file. @item unedit Another user has applied the @code{cvs unedit} command (described below) or the @code{cvs release} command to a file, or has deleted the file and allowed @code{cvs update} to recreate it. @item commit Another user has committed changes to a file. @item all All of the above. @item none None of the above. (This is useful with @code{cvs edit}, described below.) @end table The @code{-a} option may appear more than once, or not at all. If omitted, the action defaults to @code{all}. The @var{files} and options are processed as for the @code{cvs watch} commands. @end deffn @cindex watch remove (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs watch remove} [@code{-a} action] [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} Remove a notification request established using @code{cvs watch add}; the arguments are the same. If the @code{-a} option is present, only watches for the specified actions are removed. @end deffn @cindex notify (admin file) When the conditions exist for notification, @sc{cvs} calls the @file{notify} administrative file. Edit @file{notify} as one edits the other administrative files (@pxref{Intro administrative files}). This file follows the usual conventions for administrative files (@pxref{syntax}), where each line is a regular expression followed by a command to execute. The command should contain a single occurrence of @samp{%s} which will be replaced by the user to notify; the rest of the information regarding the notification will be supplied to the command on standard input. The standard thing to put in the @code{notify} file is the single line: @example ALL mail %s -s "CVS notification" @end example This causes users to be notified by electronic mail. @c FIXME: should it be this hard to set up this @c behavior (and the result when one fails to do so, @c silent failure to notify, so non-obvious)? Should @c CVS give a warning if no line in notify matches (and @c document the use of "DEFAULT :" for the case where @c skipping the notification is indeed desired)? @cindex users (admin file) Note that if you set this up in the straightforward way, users receive notifications on the server machine. One could of course write a @file{notify} script which directed notifications elsewhere, but to make this easy, @sc{cvs} allows you to associate a notification address for each user. To do so create a file @file{users} in @file{CVSROOT} with a line for each user in the format @var{user}:@var{value}. Then instead of passing the name of the user to be notified to @file{notify}, @sc{cvs} will pass the @var{value} (normally an email address on some other machine). @sc{cvs} does not notify you for your own changes. Currently this check is done based on whether the user name of the person taking the action which triggers notification matches the user name of the person getting notification. In fact, in general, the watches features only track one edit by each user. It probably would be more useful if watches tracked each working directory separately, so this behavior might be worth changing. @c "behavior might be worth changing" is an effort to @c point to future directions while also not promising @c that "they" (as in "why don't they fix CVS to....") @c will do this. @c one implementation issue is identifying whether a @c working directory is same or different. Comparing @c pathnames/hostnames is hopeless, but having the server @c supply a serial number which the client stores in the @c CVS directory as a magic cookie should work. @node Editing files @subsection How to edit a file which is being watched @cindex Checkout, as term for getting ready to edit Since a file which is being watched is checked out read-only, you cannot simply edit it. To make it read-write, and inform others that you are planning to edit it, use the @code{cvs edit} command. Some systems call this a @dfn{checkout}, but @sc{cvs} uses that term for obtaining a copy of the sources (@pxref{Getting the source}), an operation which those systems call a @dfn{get} or a @dfn{fetch}. @c Issue to think about: should we transition CVS @c towards the "get" terminology? "cvs get" is already a @c synonym for "cvs checkout" and that section of the @c manual refers to "Getting the source". If this is @c done, needs to be done gingerly (for example, we should @c still accept "checkout" in .cvsrc files indefinitely @c even if the CVS's messages are changed from "cvs checkout: " @c to "cvs get: "). @c There is a concern about whether "get" is not as @c good for novices because it is a more general term @c than "checkout" (and thus arguably harder to assign @c a technical meaning for). @cindex edit (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs edit} [options] files @dots{} Prepare to edit the working files @var{files}. @sc{cvs} makes the @var{files} read-write, and notifies users who have requested @code{edit} notification for any of @var{files}. The @code{cvs edit} command accepts the same @var{options} as the @code{cvs watch add} command, and establishes a temporary watch for the user on @var{files}; @sc{cvs} will remove the watch when @var{files} are @code{unedit}ed or @code{commit}ted. If the user does not wish to receive notifications, she should specify @code{-a none}. The @var{files} and options are processed as for the @code{cvs watch} commands. @ignore @strong{Caution:} If the @code{PreservePermissions} option is enabled in the repository (@pxref{config}), @sc{cvs} will not change the permissions on any of the @var{files}. The reason for this change is to ensure that using @samp{cvs edit} does not interfere with the ability to store file permissions in the @sc{cvs} repository. @end ignore @end deffn Normally when you are done with a set of changes, you use the @code{cvs commit} command, which checks in your changes and returns the watched files to their usual read-only state. But if you instead decide to abandon your changes, or not to make any changes, you can use the @code{cvs unedit} command. @cindex unedit (subcommand) @cindex Abandoning work @cindex Reverting to repository version @deffn Command {cvs unedit} [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} Abandon work on the working files @var{files}, and revert them to the repository versions on which they are based. @sc{cvs} makes those @var{files} read-only for which users have requested notification using @code{cvs watch on}. @sc{cvs} notifies users who have requested @code{unedit} notification for any of @var{files}. The @var{files} and options are processed as for the @code{cvs watch} commands. If watches are not in use, the @code{unedit} command probably does not work, and the way to revert to the repository version is to remove the file and then use @code{cvs update} to get a new copy. The meaning is not precisely the same; removing and updating may also bring in some changes which have been made in the repository since the last time you updated. @c It would be a useful enhancement to CVS to make @c unedit work in the non-watch case as well. @end deffn When using client/server @sc{cvs}, you can use the @code{cvs edit} and @code{cvs unedit} commands even if @sc{cvs} is unable to successfully communicate with the server; the notifications will be sent upon the next successful @sc{cvs} command. @node Watch information @subsection Information about who is watching and editing @cindex watchers (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs watchers} [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} List the users currently watching changes to @var{files}. The report includes the files being watched, and the mail address of each watcher. The @var{files} and options are processed as for the @code{cvs watch} commands. @end deffn @cindex editors (subcommand) @deffn Command {cvs editors} [@code{-lR}] files @dots{} List the users currently working on @var{files}. The report includes the mail address of each user, the time when the user began working with the file, and the host and path of the working directory containing the file. The @var{files} and options are processed as for the @code{cvs watch} commands. @end deffn @node Watches Compatibility @subsection Using watches with old versions of CVS @cindex CVS 1.6, and watches If you use the watch features on a repository, it creates @file{CVS} directories in the repository and stores the information about watches in that directory. If you attempt to use @sc{cvs} 1.6 or earlier with the repository, you get an error message such as the following (all on one line): @example cvs update: cannot open CVS/Entries for reading: No such file or directory @end example and your operation will likely be aborted. To use the watch features, you must upgrade all copies of @sc{cvs} which use that repository in local or server mode. If you cannot upgrade, use the @code{watch off} and @code{watch remove} commands to remove all watches, and that will restore the repository to a state which @sc{cvs} 1.6 can cope with. @node Choosing a model @section Choosing between reserved or unreserved checkouts @cindex Choosing, reserved or unreserved checkouts Reserved and unreserved checkouts each have pros and cons. Let it be said that a lot of this is a matter of opinion or what works given different groups' working styles, but here is a brief description of some of the issues. There are many ways to organize a team of developers. @sc{cvs} does not try to enforce a certain organization. It is a tool that can be used in several ways. Reserved checkouts can be very counter-productive. If two persons want to edit different parts of a file, there may be no reason to prevent either of them from doing so. Also, it is common for someone to take out a lock on a file, because they are planning to edit it, but then forget to release the lock. @c "many groups"? specifics? cites to papers on this? @c some way to weasel-word it a bit more so we don't @c need facts :-)? People, especially people who are familiar with reserved checkouts, often wonder how often conflicts occur if unreserved checkouts are used, and how difficult they are to resolve. The experience with many groups is that they occur rarely and usually are relatively straightforward to resolve. The rarity of serious conflicts may be surprising, until one realizes that they occur only when two developers disagree on the proper design for a given section of code; such a disagreement suggests that the team has not been communicating properly in the first place. In order to collaborate under @emph{any} source management regimen, developers must agree on the general design of the system; given this agreement, overlapping changes are usually straightforward to merge. In some cases unreserved checkouts are clearly inappropriate. If no merge tool exists for the kind of file you are managing (for example word processor files or files edited by Computer Aided Design programs), and it is not desirable to change to a program which uses a mergeable data format, then resolving conflicts is going to be unpleasant enough that you generally will be better off to simply avoid the conflicts instead, by using reserved checkouts. The watches features described above in @ref{Watches} can be considered to be an intermediate model between reserved checkouts and unreserved checkouts. When you go to edit a file, it is possible to find out who else is editing it. And rather than having the system simply forbid both people editing the file, it can tell you what the situation is and let you figure out whether it is a problem in that particular case or not. Therefore, for some groups it can be considered the best of both the reserved checkout and unreserved checkout worlds. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Revision management @chapter Revision management @cindex Revision management @c -- This chapter could be expanded a lot. @c -- Experiences are very welcome! If you have read this far, you probably have a pretty good grasp on what @sc{cvs} can do for you. This chapter talks a little about things that you still have to decide. If you are doing development on your own using @sc{cvs} you could probably skip this chapter. The questions this chapter takes up become more important when more than one person is working in a repository. @menu * When to commit:: Some discussion on the subject @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node When to commit @section When to commit? @cindex When to commit @cindex Commit, when to @cindex Policy Your group should decide which policy to use regarding commits. Several policies are possible, and as your experience with @sc{cvs} grows you will probably find out what works for you. If you commit files too quickly you might commit files that do not even compile. If your partner updates his working sources to include your buggy file, he will be unable to compile the code. On the other hand, other persons will not be able to benefit from the improvements you make to the code if you commit very seldom, and conflicts will probably be more common. It is common to only commit files after making sure that they can be compiled. Some sites require that the files pass a test suite. Policies like this can be enforced using the commitinfo file (@pxref{commitinfo}), but you should think twice before you enforce such a convention. By making the development environment too controlled it might become too regimented and thus counter-productive to the real goal, which is to get software written. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Keyword substitution @chapter Keyword substitution @cindex Keyword substitution @cindex Keyword expansion @cindex Identifying files @comment Be careful when editing this chapter. @comment Remember that this file is kept under @comment version control, so we must not accidentally @comment include a valid keyword in the running text. As long as you edit source files inside a working directory you can always find out the state of your files via @samp{cvs status} and @samp{cvs log}. But as soon as you export the files from your development environment it becomes harder to identify which revisions they are. @sc{cvs} can use a mechanism known as @dfn{keyword substitution} (or @dfn{keyword expansion}) to help identifying the files. Embedded strings of the form @code{$@var{keyword}$} and @code{$@var{keyword}:@dots{}$} in a file are replaced with strings of the form @code{$@var{keyword}:@var{value}$} whenever you obtain a new revision of the file. @menu * Keyword list:: Keywords * Using keywords:: Using keywords * Avoiding substitution:: Avoiding substitution * Substitution modes:: Substitution modes * Log keyword:: Problems with the $@asis{}Log$ keyword. @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Keyword list @section Keyword List @cindex Keyword List @c FIXME: need some kind of example here I think, @c perhaps in a @c "Keyword intro" node. The intro in the "Keyword @c substitution" node itself seems OK, but to launch @c into a list of the keywords somehow seems too abrupt. This is a list of the keywords: @table @code @cindex Author keyword @item $@asis{Author}$ The login name of the user who checked in the revision. @cindex Date keyword @item $@asis{Date}$ The date and time (UTC) the revision was checked in. @cindex Header keyword @item $@asis{Header}$ A standard header containing the full pathname of the @sc{rcs} file, the revision number, the date (UTC), the author, the state, and the locker (if locked). Files will normally never be locked when you use @sc{cvs}. @cindex Id keyword @item $@asis{Id}$ Same as @code{$@asis{Header}$}, except that the @sc{rcs} filename is without a path. @cindex Name keyword @item $@asis{Name}$ Tag name used to check out this file. The keyword is expanded only if one checks out with an explicit tag name. For example, when running the command @code{cvs co -r first}, the keyword expands to @samp{Name: first}. @cindex Locker keyword @item $@asis{Locker}$ The login name of the user who locked the revision (empty if not locked, which is the normal case unless @code{cvs admin -l} is in use). @cindex Log keyword @item $@asis{Log}$ The log message supplied during commit, preceded by a header containing the @sc{rcs} filename, the revision number, the author, and the date (UTC). Existing log messages are @emph{not} replaced. Instead, the new log message is inserted after @code{$@asis{Log:@dots{}}$}. Each new line is prefixed with the same string which precedes the @code{$Log} keyword. For example, if the file contains @example /* Here is what people have been up to: * * $@asis{}Log: frob.c,v $ * Revision 1.1 1997/01/03 14:23:51 joe * Add the superfrobnicate option * */ @end example @noindent then additional lines which are added when expanding the @code{$Log} keyword will be preceded by @samp{ * }. Unlike previous versions of @sc{cvs} and @sc{rcs}, the @dfn{comment leader} from the @sc{rcs} file is not used. The @code{$Log} keyword is useful for accumulating a complete change log in a source file, but for several reasons it can be problematic. @xref{Log keyword}. @cindex RCSfile keyword @item $@asis{RCSfile}$ The name of the RCS file without a path. @cindex Revision keyword @item $@asis{Revision}$ The revision number assigned to the revision. @cindex Source keyword @item $@asis{Source}$ The full pathname of the RCS file. @cindex State keyword @item $@asis{State}$ The state assigned to the revision. States can be assigned with @code{cvs admin -s}---see @ref{admin options}. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Using keywords @section Using keywords To include a keyword string you simply include the relevant text string, such as @code{$@asis{Id}$}, inside the file, and commit the file. @sc{cvs} will automatically expand the string as part of the commit operation. It is common to embed the @code{$@asis{}Id$} string in the source files so that it gets passed through to generated files. For example, if you are managing computer program source code, you might include a variable which is initialized to contain that string. Or some C compilers may provide a @code{#pragma ident} directive. Or a document management system might provide a way to pass a string through to generated files. @c Would be nice to give an example, but doing this in @c portable C is not possible and the problem with @c picking any one language (VMS HELP files, Ada, @c troff, whatever) is that people use CVS for all @c kinds of files. @cindex Ident (shell command) The @code{ident} command (which is part of the @sc{rcs} package) can be used to extract keywords and their values from a file. This can be handy for text files, but it is even more useful for extracting keywords from binary files. @example $ ident samp.c samp.c: $@asis{}Id: samp.c,v 1.5 1993/10/19 14:57:32 ceder Exp $ $ gcc samp.c $ ident a.out a.out: $@asis{}Id: samp.c,v 1.5 1993/10/19 14:57:32 ceder Exp $ @end example @cindex What (shell command) S@sc{ccs} is another popular revision control system. It has a command, @code{what}, which is very similar to @code{ident} and used for the same purpose. Many sites without @sc{rcs} have @sc{sccs}. Since @code{what} looks for the character sequence @code{@@(#)} it is easy to include keywords that are detected by either command. Simply prefix the keyword with the magic @sc{sccs} phrase, like this: @example static char *id="@@(#) $@asis{}Id: ab.c,v 1.5 1993/10/19 14:57:32 ceder Exp $"; @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Avoiding substitution @section Avoiding substitution Keyword substitution has its disadvantages. Sometimes you might want the literal text string @samp{$@asis{}Author$} to appear inside a file without @sc{cvs} interpreting it as a keyword and expanding it into something like @samp{$@asis{}Author: ceder $}. There is unfortunately no way to selectively turn off keyword substitution. You can use @samp{-ko} (@pxref{Substitution modes}) to turn off keyword substitution entirely. In many cases you can avoid using keywords in the source, even though they appear in the final product. For example, the source for this manual contains @samp{$@@asis@{@}Author$} whenever the text @samp{$@asis{}Author$} should appear. In @code{nroff} and @code{troff} you can embed the null-character @code{\&} inside the keyword for a similar effect. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Substitution modes @section Substitution modes @cindex Keyword substitution, changing modes @cindex -k (keyword substitution) @cindex Kflag @c FIXME: This could be made more coherent, by expanding it @c with more examples or something. Each file has a stored default substitution mode, and each working directory copy of a file also has a substitution mode. The former is set by the @samp{-k} option to @code{cvs add} and @code{cvs admin}; the latter is set by the @samp{-k} or @samp{-A} options to @code{cvs checkout} or @code{cvs update}. @code{cvs diff} also has a @samp{-k} option. For some examples, see @ref{Binary files}, and @ref{Merging and keywords}. @c The fact that -A is overloaded to mean both reset @c sticky options and reset sticky tags/dates is @c somewhat questionable. Perhaps there should be @c separate options to reset sticky options (e.g. -k @c A") and tags/dates (someone suggested -r HEAD could @c do this instead of setting a sticky tag of "HEAD" @c as in the status quo but I haven't thought much @c about that idea. Of course -r .reset or something @c could be coined if this needs to be a new option). @c On the other hand, having -A mean "get things back @c into the state after a fresh checkout" has a certain @c appeal, and maybe there is no sufficient reason for @c creeping featurism in this area. The modes available are: @table @samp @item -kkv Generate keyword strings using the default form, e.g. @code{$@asis{}Revision: 5.7 $} for the @code{Revision} keyword. @item -kkvl Like @samp{-kkv}, except that a locker's name is always inserted if the given revision is currently locked. The locker's name is only relevant if @code{cvs admin -l} is in use. @item -kk Generate only keyword names in keyword strings; omit their values. For example, for the @code{Revision} keyword, generate the string @code{$@asis{}Revision$} instead of @code{$@asis{}Revision: 5.7 $}. This option is useful to ignore differences due to keyword substitution when comparing different revisions of a file (@pxref{Merging and keywords}). @item -ko Generate the old keyword string, present in the working file just before it was checked in. For example, for the @code{Revision} keyword, generate the string @code{$@asis{}Revision: 1.1 $} instead of @code{$@asis{}Revision: 5.7 $} if that is how the string appeared when the file was checked in. @item -kb Like @samp{-ko}, but also inhibit conversion of line endings between the canonical form in which they are stored in the repository (linefeed only), and the form appropriate to the operating system in use on the client. For systems, like unix, which use linefeed only to terminate lines, this is the same as @samp{-ko}. For more information on binary files, see @ref{Binary files}. @item -kv Generate only keyword values for keyword strings. For example, for the @code{Revision} keyword, generate the string @code{5.7} instead of @code{$@asis{}Revision: 5.7 $}. This can help generate files in programming languages where it is hard to strip keyword delimiters like @code{$@asis{}Revision: $} from a string. However, further keyword substitution cannot be performed once the keyword names are removed, so this option should be used with care. One often would like to use @samp{-kv} with @code{cvs export}---@pxref{export}. But be aware that doesn't handle an export containing binary files correctly. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Log keyword @section Problems with the $@asis{}Log$ keyword. The @code{$@asis{}Log$} keyword is somewhat controversial. As long as you are working on your development system the information is easily accessible even if you do not use the @code{$@asis{}Log$} keyword---just do a @code{cvs log}. Once you export the file the history information might be useless anyhow. A more serious concern is that @sc{cvs} is not good at handling @code{$@asis{}Log$} entries when a branch is merged onto the main trunk. Conflicts often result from the merging operation. @c Might want to check whether the CVS implementation @c of RCS_merge has this problem the same way rcsmerge @c does. I would assume so.... People also tend to "fix" the log entries in the file (correcting spelling mistakes and maybe even factual errors). If that is done the information from @code{cvs log} will not be consistent with the information inside the file. This may or may not be a problem in real life. It has been suggested that the @code{$@asis{}Log$} keyword should be inserted @emph{last} in the file, and not in the files header, if it is to be used at all. That way the long list of change messages will not interfere with everyday source file browsing. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Tracking sources @chapter Tracking third-party sources @cindex Third-party sources @cindex Tracking sources @c FIXME: Need discussion of added and removed files. @c FIXME: This doesn't really adequately introduce the @c concepts of "vendor" and "you". They don't *have* @c to be separate organizations or separate people. @c We want a description which is somewhat more based on @c the technical issues of which sources go where, but @c also with enough examples of how this relates to @c relationships like customer-supplier, developer-QA, @c maintainer-contributor, or whatever, to make it @c seem concrete. If you modify a program to better fit your site, you probably want to include your modifications when the next release of the program arrives. @sc{cvs} can help you with this task. @cindex Vendor @cindex Vendor branch @cindex Branch, vendor- In the terminology used in @sc{cvs}, the supplier of the program is called a @dfn{vendor}. The unmodified distribution from the vendor is checked in on its own branch, the @dfn{vendor branch}. @sc{cvs} reserves branch 1.1.1 for this use. When you modify the source and commit it, your revision will end up on the main trunk. When a new release is made by the vendor, you commit it on the vendor branch and copy the modifications onto the main trunk. Use the @code{import} command to create and update the vendor branch. When you import a new file, the vendor branch is made the `head' revision, so anyone that checks out a copy of the file gets that revision. When a local modification is committed it is placed on the main trunk, and made the `head' revision. @menu * First import:: Importing for the first time * Update imports:: Updating with the import command * Reverting local changes:: Reverting to the latest vendor release * Binary files in imports:: Binary files require special handling * Keywords in imports:: Keyword substitution might be undesirable * Multiple vendor branches:: What if you get sources from several places? @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node First import @section Importing for the first time @cindex Importing modules @c Should mention naming conventions for vendor tags, @c release tags, and perhaps directory names. Use the @code{import} command to check in the sources for the first time. When you use the @code{import} command to track third-party sources, the @dfn{vendor tag} and @dfn{release tags} are useful. The @dfn{vendor tag} is a symbolic name for the branch (which is always 1.1.1, unless you use the @samp{-b @var{branch}} flag---see @ref{Multiple vendor branches}.). The @dfn{release tags} are symbolic names for a particular release, such as @samp{FSF_0_04}. @c I'm not completely sure this belongs here. But @c we need to say it _somewhere_ reasonably obvious; it @c is a common misconception among people first learning CVS Note that @code{import} does @emph{not} change the directory in which you invoke it. In particular, it does not set up that directory as a @sc{cvs} working directory; if you want to work with the sources import them first and then check them out into a different directory (@pxref{Getting the source}). @cindex wdiff (import example) Suppose you have the sources to a program called @code{wdiff} in a directory @file{wdiff-0.04}, and are going to make private modifications that you want to be able to use even when new releases are made in the future. You start by importing the source to your repository: @example $ cd wdiff-0.04 $ cvs import -m "Import of FSF v. 0.04" fsf/wdiff FSF_DIST WDIFF_0_04 @end example The vendor tag is named @samp{FSF_DIST} in the above example, and the only release tag assigned is @samp{WDIFF_0_04}. @c FIXME: Need to say where fsf/wdiff comes from. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Update imports @section Updating with the import command When a new release of the source arrives, you import it into the repository with the same @code{import} command that you used to set up the repository in the first place. The only difference is that you specify a different release tag this time. @example $ tar xfz wdiff-0.05.tar.gz $ cd wdiff-0.05 $ cvs import -m "Import of FSF v. 0.05" fsf/wdiff FSF_DIST WDIFF_0_05 @end example For files that have not been modified locally, the newly created revision becomes the head revision. If you have made local changes, @code{import} will warn you that you must merge the changes into the main trunk, and tell you to use @samp{checkout -j} to do so. @c FIXME: why "wdiff" here and "fsf/wdiff" in the @c "import"? I think the assumption is that one has @c "wdiff fsf/wdiff" or some such in modules, but it @c would be better to not use modules in this example. @example $ cvs checkout -jFSF_DIST:yesterday -jFSF_DIST wdiff @end example @noindent The above command will check out the latest revision of @samp{wdiff}, merging the changes made on the vendor branch @samp{FSF_DIST} since yesterday into the working copy. If any conflicts arise during the merge they should be resolved in the normal way (@pxref{Conflicts example}). Then, the modified files may be committed. Using a date, as suggested above, assumes that you do not import more than one release of a product per day. If you do, you can always use something like this instead: @example $ cvs checkout -jWDIFF_0_04 -jWDIFF_0_05 wdiff @end example @noindent In this case, the two above commands are equivalent. @node Reverting local changes @section Reverting to the latest vendor release You can also revert local changes completely and return to the latest vendor release by changing the `head' revision back to the vendor branch on all files. For example, if you have a checked-out copy of the sources in @file{~/work.d/wdiff}, and you want to revert to the vendor's version for all the files in that directory, you would type: @example $ cd ~/work.d/wdiff $ cvs admin -bWDIFF . @end example @noindent You must specify the @samp{-bWDIFF} without any space after the @samp{-b}. @xref{admin options}. @node Binary files in imports @section How to handle binary files with cvs import Use the @samp{-k} wrapper option to tell import which files are binary. @xref{Wrappers}. @node Keywords in imports @section How to handle keyword substitution with cvs import The sources which you are importing may contain keywords (@pxref{Keyword substitution}). For example, the vendor may use @sc{cvs} or some other system which uses similar keyword expansion syntax. If you just import the files in the default fashion, then the keyword expansions supplied by the vendor will be replaced by keyword expansions supplied by your own copy of @sc{cvs}. It may be more convenient to maintain the expansions supplied by the vendor, so that this information can supply information about the sources that you imported from the vendor. To maintain the keyword expansions supplied by the vendor, supply the @samp{-ko} option to @code{cvs import} the first time you import the file. This will turn off keyword expansion for that file entirely, so if you want to be more selective you'll have to think about what you want and use the @samp{-k} option to @code{cvs update} or @code{cvs admin} as appropriate. @c Supplying -ko to import if the file already existed @c has no effect. Not clear to me whether it should @c or not. @node Multiple vendor branches @section Multiple vendor branches All the examples so far assume that there is only one vendor from which you are getting sources. In some situations you might get sources from a variety of places. For example, suppose that you are dealing with a project where many different people and teams are modifying the software. There are a variety of ways to handle this, but in some cases you have a bunch of source trees lying around and what you want to do more than anything else is just to all put them in @sc{cvs} so that you at least have them in one place. For handling situations in which there may be more than one vendor, you may specify the @samp{-b} option to @code{cvs import}. It takes as an argument the vendor branch to import to. The default is @samp{-b 1.1.1}. For example, suppose that there are two teams, the red team and the blue team, that are sending you sources. You want to import the red team's efforts to branch 1.1.1 and use the vendor tag RED. You want to import the blue team's efforts to branch 1.1.3 and use the vendor tag BLUE. So the commands you might use are: @example $ cvs import dir RED RED_1-0 $ cvs import -b 1.1.3 dir BLUE BLUE_1-5 @end example Note that if your vendor tag does not match your @samp{-b} option, @sc{cvs} will not detect this case! For example, @example $ cvs import -b 1.1.3 dir RED RED_1-0 @end example @noindent Be careful; this kind of mismatch is sure to sow confusion or worse. I can't think of a useful purpose for the ability to specify a mismatch here, but if you discover such a use, don't. @sc{cvs} is likely to make this an error in some future release. @c Probably should say more about the semantics of @c multiple branches. What about the default branch? @c What about joining (perhaps not as useful with @c multiple branches, or perhaps it is. Either way @c should be mentioned). @c I'm not sure about the best location for this. In @c one sense, it might belong right after we've introduced @c CVS's basic version control model, because people need @c to figure out builds right away. The current location @c is based on the theory that it kind of akin to the @c "Revision management" section. @node Builds @chapter How your build system interacts with CVS @cindex Builds @cindex make As mentioned in the introduction, @sc{cvs} does not contain software for building your software from source code. This section describes how various aspects of your build system might interact with @sc{cvs}. @c Is there a way to discuss this without reference to @c tools other than CVS? I'm not sure there is; I @c wouldn't think that people who learn CVS first would @c even have this concern. One common question, especially from people who are accustomed to @sc{rcs}, is how to make their build get an up to date copy of the sources. The answer to this with @sc{cvs} is two-fold. First of all, since @sc{cvs} itself can recurse through directories, there is no need to modify your @file{Makefile} (or whatever configuration file your build tool uses) to make sure each file is up to date. Instead, just use two commands, first @code{cvs -q update} and then @code{make} or whatever the command is to invoke your build tool. Secondly, you do not necessarily @emph{want} to get a copy of a change someone else made until you have finished your own work. One suggested approach is to first update your sources, then implement, build and test the change you were thinking of, and then commit your sources (updating first if necessary). By periodically (in between changes, using the approach just described) updating your entire tree, you ensure that your sources are sufficiently up to date. @cindex Bill of materials One common need is to record which versions of which source files went into a particular build. This kind of functionality is sometimes called @dfn{bill of materials} or something similar. The best way to do this with @sc{cvs} is to use the @code{tag} command to record which versions went into a given build (@pxref{Tags}). Using @sc{cvs} in the most straightforward manner possible, each developer will have a copy of the entire source tree which is used in a particular build. If the source tree is small, or if developers are geographically dispersed, this is the preferred solution. In fact one approach for larger projects is to break a project down into smaller @c I say subsystem instead of module because they may or @c may not use the modules file. separately-compiled subsystems, and arrange a way of releasing them internally so that each developer need check out only those subsystems which are they are actively working on. Another approach is to set up a structure which allows developers to have their own copies of some files, and for other files to access source files from a central location. Many people have come up with some such a @c two such people are paul@sander.cupertino.ca.us (for @c a previous employer) @c and gtornblo@senet.abb.se (spicm and related tools), @c but as far as I know @c no one has nicely packaged or released such a system (or @c instructions for constructing one). system using features such as the symbolic link feature found in many operating systems, or the @code{VPATH} feature found in many versions of @code{make}. One build tool which is designed to help with this kind of thing is Odin (see @code{ftp://ftp.cs.colorado.edu/pub/distribs/odin}). @c Should we be saying more about Odin? Or how you use @c it with CVS? Also, the Prime Time Freeware for Unix @c disk (see http://www.ptf.com/) has Odin (with a nice @c paragraph summarizing it on the web), so that might be a @c semi-"official" place to point people. @c @c Of course, many non-CVS systems have this kind of @c functionality, for example OSF's ODE @c (http://www.osf.org/ode/) or mk @c (http://www.grin.net/~pzi/mk-3.18.4.docs/mk_toc.html @c He has changed providers in the past; a search engine search @c for "Peter Ziobrzynski" probably won't get too many @c spurious hits :-). A more stable URL might be @c ftp://ftp.uu.net/pub/cmvc/mk). But I'm not sure @c there is any point in mentioning them here unless they @c can work with CVS. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Special Files @chapter Special Files @cindex Special files @cindex Device nodes @cindex Ownership, saving in CVS @cindex Permissions, saving in CVS @cindex Hard links @cindex Symbolic links In normal circumstances, @sc{cvs} works only with regular files. Every file in a project is assumed to be persistent; it must be possible to open, read and close them; and so on. @sc{cvs} also ignores file permissions and ownerships, leaving such issues to be resolved by the developer at installation time. In other words, it is not possible to "check in" a device into a repository; if the device file cannot be opened, @sc{cvs} will refuse to handle it. Files also lose their ownerships and permissions during repository transactions. @ignore If the configuration variable @code{PreservePermissions} (@pxref{config}) is set in the repository, @sc{cvs} will save the following file characteristics in the repository: @itemize @bullet @item user and group ownership @item permissions @item major and minor device numbers @item symbolic links @item hard link structure @end itemize Using the @code{PreservePermissions} option affects the behavior of @sc{cvs} in several ways. First, some of the new operations supported by @sc{cvs} are not accessible to all users. In particular, file ownership and special file characteristics may only be changed by the superuser. When the @code{PreservePermissions} configuration variable is set, therefore, users will have to be `root' in order to perform @sc{cvs} operations. When @code{PreservePermissions} is in use, some @sc{cvs} operations (such as @samp{cvs status}) will not recognize a file's hard link structure, and so will emit spurious warnings about mismatching hard links. The reason is that @sc{cvs}'s internal structure does not make it easy for these operations to collect all the necessary data about hard links, so they check for file conflicts with inaccurate data. A more subtle difference is that @sc{cvs} considers a file to have changed only if its contents have changed (specifically, if the modification time of the working file does not match that of the repository's file). Therefore, if only the permissions, ownership or hard linkage have changed, or if a device's major or minor numbers have changed, @sc{cvs} will not notice. In order to commit such a change to the repository, you must force the commit with @samp{cvs commit -f}. This also means that if a file's permissions have changed and the repository file is newer than the working copy, performing @samp{cvs update} will silently change the permissions on the working copy. Changing hard links in a @sc{cvs} repository is particularly delicate. Suppose that file @file{foo} is linked to file @file{old}, but is later relinked to file @file{new}. You can wind up in the unusual situation where, although @file{foo}, @file{old} and @file{new} have all had their underlying link patterns changed, only @file{foo} and @file{new} have been modified, so @file{old} is not considered a candidate for checking in. It can be very easy to produce inconsistent results this way. Therefore, we recommend that when it is important to save hard links in a repository, the prudent course of action is to @code{touch} any file whose linkage or status has changed since the last checkin. Indeed, it may be wise to @code{touch *} before each commit in a directory with complex hard link structures. It is worth noting that only regular files may be merged, for reasons that hopefully are obvious. If @samp{cvs update} or @samp{cvs checkout -j} attempts to merge a symbolic link with a regular file, or two device files for different kinds of devices, @sc{cvs} will report a conflict and refuse to perform the merge. At the same time, @samp{cvs diff} will not report any differences between these files, since no meaningful textual comparisons can be made on files which contain no text. The @code{PreservePermissions} features do not work with client/server @sc{cvs}. Another limitation is that hard links must be to other files within the same directory; hard links across directories are not supported. @end ignore @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node CVS commands @appendix Guide to CVS commands This appendix describes the overall structure of @sc{cvs} commands, and describes some commands in detail (others are described elsewhere; for a quick reference to @sc{cvs} commands, @pxref{Invoking CVS}). @c The idea is that we want to move the commands which @c are described here into the main body of the manual, @c in the process reorganizing the manual to be @c organized around what the user wants to do, not @c organized around CVS commands. @c @c Note that many users do expect a manual which is @c organized by command. At least some users do. @c One good addition to the "organized by command" @c section (if any) would be "see also" links. @c The awk manual might be a good example; it has a @c reference manual which is more verbose than Invoking @c CVS but probably somewhat less verbose than CVS @c Commands. @menu * Structure:: Overall structure of CVS commands * Exit status:: Indicating CVS's success or failure * ~/.cvsrc:: Default options with the ~/.csvrc file * Global options:: Options you give to the left of cvs_command * Common options:: Options you give to the right of cvs_command * admin:: Administration * checkout:: Checkout sources for editing * commit:: Check files into the repository * diff:: Show differences between revisions * export:: Export sources from CVS, similar to checkout * history:: Show status of files and users * import:: Import sources into CVS, using vendor branches * log:: Show log messages for files * rdiff:: 'patch' format diffs between releases * release:: Indicate that a directory is no longer in use * update:: Bring work tree in sync with repository @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Structure @appendixsec Overall structure of CVS commands @cindex Structure @cindex CVS command structure @cindex Command structure @cindex Format of CVS commands The overall format of all @sc{cvs} commands is: @example cvs [ cvs_options ] cvs_command [ command_options ] [ command_args ] @end example @table @code @item cvs The name of the @sc{cvs} program. @item cvs_options Some options that affect all sub-commands of @sc{cvs}. These are described below. @item cvs_command One of several different sub-commands. Some of the commands have aliases that can be used instead; those aliases are noted in the reference manual for that command. There are only two situations where you may omit @samp{cvs_command}: @samp{cvs -H} elicits a list of available commands, and @samp{cvs -v} displays version information on @sc{cvs} itself. @item command_options Options that are specific for the command. @item command_args Arguments to the commands. @end table There is unfortunately some confusion between @code{cvs_options} and @code{command_options}. @samp{-l}, when given as a @code{cvs_option}, only affects some of the commands. When it is given as a @code{command_option} is has a different meaning, and is accepted by more commands. In other words, do not take the above categorization too seriously. Look at the documentation instead. @node Exit status @appendixsec CVS's exit status @cindex Exit status, of CVS @sc{cvs} can indicate to the calling environment whether it succeeded or failed by setting its @dfn{exit status}. The exact way of testing the exit status will vary from one operating system to another. For example in a unix shell script the @samp{$?} variable will be 0 if the last command returned a successful exit status, or greater than 0 if the exit status indicated failure. If @sc{cvs} is successful, it returns a successful status; if there is an error, it prints an error message and returns a failure status. The one exception to this is the @code{cvs diff} command. It will return a successful status if it found no differences, or a failure status if there were differences or if there was an error. Because this behavior provides no good way to detect errors, in the future it is possible that @code{cvs diff} will be changed to behave like the other @sc{cvs} commands. @c It might seem like checking whether cvs -q diff @c produces empty or non-empty output can tell whether @c there were differences or not. But it seems like @c there are cases with output but no differences @c (testsuite basica-8b). It is not clear to me how @c useful it is for a script to be able to check @c whether there were differences. @c FIXCVS? In previous versions of CVS, cvs diff @c returned 0 for no differences, 1 for differences, or @c 2 for errors. Is this behavior worth trying to @c bring back (but what does it mean for VMS?)? @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node ~/.cvsrc @appendixsec Default options and the ~/.cvsrc file @cindex .cvsrc file @cindex Option defaults There are some @code{command_options} that are used so often that you might have set up an alias or some other means to make sure you always specify that option. One example (the one that drove the implementation of the @file{.cvsrc} support, actually) is that many people find the default output of the @samp{diff} command to be very hard to read, and that either context diffs or unidiffs are much easier to understand. The @file{~/.cvsrc} file is a way that you can add default options to @code{cvs_commands} within cvs, instead of relying on aliases or other shell scripts. The format of the @file{~/.cvsrc} file is simple. The file is searched for a line that begins with the same name as the @code{cvs_command} being executed. If a match is found, then the remainder of the line is split up (at whitespace characters) into separate options and added to the command arguments @emph{before} any options from the command line. If a command has two names (e.g., @code{checkout} and @code{co}), the official name, not necessarily the one used on the command line, will be used to match against the file. So if this is the contents of the user's @file{~/.cvsrc} file: @example log -N diff -u update -P checkout -P @end example @noindent the command @samp{cvs checkout foo} would have the @samp{-P} option added to the arguments, as well as @samp{cvs co foo}. With the example file above, the output from @samp{cvs diff foobar} will be in unidiff format. @samp{cvs diff -c foobar} will provide context diffs, as usual. Getting "old" format diffs would be slightly more complicated, because @code{diff} doesn't have an option to specify use of the "old" format, so you would need @samp{cvs -f diff foobar}. In place of the command name you can use @code{cvs} to specify global options (@pxref{Global options}). For example the following line in @file{.cvsrc} @example cvs -z6 @end example causes @sc{cvs} to use compression level 6. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Global options @appendixsec Global options @cindex Options, global @cindex Global options @cindex Left-hand options The available @samp{cvs_options} (that are given to the left of @samp{cvs_command}) are: @table @code @item --allow-root=@var{rootdir} Specify legal @sc{cvsroot} directory. See @ref{Password authentication server}. @cindex Authentication, stream @cindex Stream authentication @item -a Authenticate all communication between the client and the server. Only has an effect on the @sc{cvs} client. As of this writing, this is only implemented when using a GSSAPI connection (@pxref{GSSAPI authenticated}). Authentication prevents certain sorts of attacks involving hijacking the active @sc{tcp} connection. Enabling authentication does not enable encryption. @cindex RCSBIN, overriding @cindex Overriding RCSBIN @item -b @var{bindir} In @sc{cvs} 1.9.18 and older, this specified that @sc{rcs} programs are in the @var{bindir} directory. Current versions of @sc{cvs} do not run @sc{rcs} programs; for compatibility this option is accepted, but it does nothing. @cindex TMPDIR, overriding @cindex Overriding TMPDIR @item -T @var{tempdir} Use @var{tempdir} as the directory where temporary files are located. Overrides the setting of the @code{$TMPDIR} environment variable and any precompiled directory. This parameter should be specified as an absolute pathname. @cindex CVSROOT, overriding @cindex Overriding CVSROOT @item -d @var{cvs_root_directory} Use @var{cvs_root_directory} as the root directory pathname of the repository. Overrides the setting of the @code{$CVSROOT} environment variable. @xref{Repository}. @cindex EDITOR, overriding @cindex Overriding EDITOR @item -e @var{editor} Use @var{editor} to enter revision log information. Overrides the setting of the @code{$CVSEDITOR} and @code{$EDITOR} environment variables. For more information, see @ref{Committing your changes}. @item -f Do not read the @file{~/.cvsrc} file. This option is most often used because of the non-orthogonality of the @sc{cvs} option set. For example, the @samp{cvs log} option @samp{-N} (turn off display of tag names) does not have a corresponding option to turn the display on. So if you have @samp{-N} in the @file{~/.cvsrc} entry for @samp{log}, you may need to use @samp{-f} to show the tag names. @item -H @itemx --help Display usage information about the specified @samp{cvs_command} (but do not actually execute the command). If you don't specify a command name, @samp{cvs -H} displays overall help for @sc{cvs}, including a list of other help options. @c It seems to me it is better to document it this way @c rather than trying to update this documentation @c every time that we add a --help-foo option. But @c perhaps that is confusing... @item -l Do not log the @samp{cvs_command} in the command history (but execute it anyway). @xref{history}, for information on command history. @cindex Read-only mode @item -n Do not change any files. Attempt to execute the @samp{cvs_command}, but only to issue reports; do not remove, update, or merge any existing files, or create any new files. Note that @sc{cvs} will not necessarily produce exactly the same output as without @samp{-n}. In some cases the output will be the same, but in other cases @sc{cvs} will skip some of the processing that would have been required to produce the exact same output. @item -Q Cause the command to be really quiet; the command will only generate output for serious problems. @item -q Cause the command to be somewhat quiet; informational messages, such as reports of recursion through subdirectories, are suppressed. @cindex Read-only files, and -r @item -r Make new working files read-only. Same effect as if the @code{$CVSREAD} environment variable is set (@pxref{Environment variables}). The default is to make working files writable, unless watches are on (@pxref{Watches}). @item -s @var{variable}=@var{value} Set a user variable (@pxref{Variables}). @cindex Trace @item -t Trace program execution; display messages showing the steps of @sc{cvs} activity. Particularly useful with @samp{-n} to explore the potential impact of an unfamiliar command. @item -v @item --version Display version and copyright information for @sc{cvs}. @cindex CVSREAD, overriding @cindex Overriding CVSREAD @item -w Make new working files read-write. Overrides the setting of the @code{$CVSREAD} environment variable. Files are created read-write by default, unless @code{$CVSREAD} is set or @samp{-r} is given. @c Note that -w only overrides -r and CVSREAD; it has @c no effect on files which are readonly because of @c "cvs watch on". My guess is that is the way it @c should be (or should "cvs -w get" on a watched file @c be the same as a get and a cvs edit?), but I'm not @c completely sure whether to document it this way. @item -x @cindex Encryption Encrypt all communication between the client and the server. Only has an effect on the @sc{cvs} client. As of this writing, this is only implemented when using a GSSAPI connection (@pxref{GSSAPI authenticated}) or a Kerberos connection (@pxref{Kerberos authenticated}). Enabling encryption implies that message traffic is also authenticated. Encryption support is not available by default; it must be enabled using a special configure option, @file{--enable-encryption}, when you build @sc{cvs}. @item -z @var{gzip-level} @cindex Compression @cindex Gzip Set the compression level. Valid levels are 1 (high speed, low compression) to 9 (low speed, high compression), or 0 to disable compression (the default). Only has an effect on the @sc{cvs} client. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Common options @appendixsec Common command options @cindex Common options @cindex Right-hand options This section describes the @samp{command_options} that are available across several @sc{cvs} commands. These options are always given to the right of @samp{cvs_command}. Not all commands support all of these options; each option is only supported for commands where it makes sense. However, when a command has one of these options you can almost always count on the same behavior of the option as in other commands. (Other command options, which are listed with the individual commands, may have different behavior from one @sc{cvs} command to the other). @strong{Warning:} the @samp{history} command is an exception; it supports many options that conflict even with these standard options. @table @code @cindex Dates @cindex Time @cindex Specifying dates @item -D @var{date_spec} Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date_spec}. @var{date_spec} is a single argument, a date description specifying a date in the past. The specification is @dfn{sticky} when you use it to make a private copy of a source file; that is, when you get a working file using @samp{-D}, @sc{cvs} records the date you specified, so that further updates in the same directory will use the same date (for more information on sticky tags/dates, @pxref{Sticky tags}). @samp{-D} is available with the @code{checkout}, @code{diff}, @code{export}, @code{history}, @code{rdiff}, @code{rtag}, and @code{update} commands. (The @code{history} command uses this option in a slightly different way; @pxref{history options}). @c What other formats should we accept? I don't want @c to start accepting a whole mess of non-standard @c new formats (there are a lot which are in wide use in @c one context or another), but practicality does @c dictate some level of flexibility. @c * POSIX.2 (e.g. touch, ls output, date) and other @c POSIX and/or de facto unix standards (e.g. at). The @c practice here is too inconsistent to be of any use. @c * VMS dates. This is not a formal standard, but @c there is a published specification (see SYS$ASCTIM @c and SYS$BINTIM in the _VMS System Services Reference @c Manual_), it is implemented consistently in VMS @c utilities, and VMS users will expect CVS running on @c VMS to support this format (and if we're going to do @c that, better to make CVS support it on all @c platforms. Maybe). @c @c NOTE: The tar manual has some documentation for @c getdate.y (just for our info; we don't want to @c attempt to document all the formats accepted by @c getdate.y). @c @c One more note: In output, CVS should consistently @c use one date format, and that format should be one that @c it accepts in input as well. The former isn't @c really true (see survey below), and I'm not @c sure that either of those formats is accepted in @c input. @c @c cvs log @c current 1996/01/02 13:45:31 @c Internet 02 Jan 1996 13:45:31 UT @c ISO 1996-01-02 13:45:31 @c cvs ann @c current 02-Jan-96 @c Internet-like 02 Jan 96 @c ISO 96-01-02 @c cvs status @c current Tue Jun 11 02:54:53 1996 @c Internet [Tue,] 11 Jun 1996 02:54:53 @c ISO 1996-06-11 02:54:53 @c note: date possibly should be omitted entirely for @c other reasons. @c cvs editors @c current Tue Jun 11 02:54:53 1996 GMT @c cvs history @c current 06/11 02:54 +0000 @c any others? @c There is a good chance the proper solution has to @c involve at least some level of letting the user @c decide which format (with the default being the @c formats CVS has always used; changing these might be @c _very_ disruptive since scripts may very well be @c parsing them). @c @c Another random bit of prior art concerning dates is @c the strptime function which takes templates such as @c "%m/%d/%y", and apparent a variant of getdate() @c which also honors them. See @c X/Open CAE Specification, System Interfaces and @c Headers Issue 4, Version 2 (September 1994), in the @c entry for getdate() on page 231 @cindex Timezone, in input @cindex Zone, time, in input A wide variety of date formats are supported by @sc{cvs}. The most standard ones are ISO8601 (from the International Standards Organization) and the Internet e-mail standard (specified in RFC822 as amended by RFC1123). @c Probably should be doing more to spell out just what @c the rules are, rather than just giving examples. @c But I want to keep this simple too. @c So I don't know.... @c A few specific issues: (1) Maybe should reassure @c people that years after 2000 @c work (they are in the testsuite, so they do indeed @c work). (2) What do two digit years @c mean? Where do we accept them? (3) Local times can @c be ambiguous or nonexistent if they fall during the @c hour when daylight savings time goes into or out of @c effect. Pretty obscure, so I'm not at all sure we @c should be documenting the behavior in that case. ISO8601 dates have many variants but a few examples are: @example 1972-09-24 1972-09-24 20:05 @end example @c I doubt we really accept all ISO8601 format dates @c (for example, decimal hours like 1972-09-24 20,2) @c I'm not sure we should, many of them are pretty @c bizarre and it has lots of gratuitous multiple ways @c to specify the same thing. There are a lot more ISO8601 date formats, and @sc{cvs} accepts many of them, but you probably don't want to hear the @emph{whole} long story :-). @c Citing a URL here is kind of problematic given how @c much they change and people who have old versions of @c this manual, but in case we want to reinstate an @c ISO8601 URL, a few are: @c http://www.saqqara.demon.co.uk/datefmt.htm @c http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/iso-time.html @c Citing some other ISO8601 source is probably even @c worse :-). In addition to the dates allowed in Internet e-mail itself, @sc{cvs} also allows some of the fields to be omitted. For example: @c FIXME: Need to figure out better, and document, @c what we want to allow the user to omit. @c NOTE: "omit" does not imply "reorder". @c FIXME: Need to cite a web page describing how to get @c RFC's. @example 24 Sep 1972 20:05 24 Sep @end example The date is interpreted as being in the local timezone, unless a specific timezone is specified. These two date formats are preferred. However, @sc{cvs} currently accepts a wide variety of other date formats. They are intentionally not documented here in any detail, and future versions of @sc{cvs} might not accept all of them. @c We should document and testsuite "now" and @c "yesterday". "now" is mentioned in the FAQ and @c "yesterday" is mentioned in this document (and the @c message from "cvs import" suggesting a merge @c command). What else? Probably some/all of the "3 @c weeks ago" family. @c @c Maybe at @c some point have CVS start give warnings on "unofficial" @c formats (many of which might be typos or user @c misunderstandings, and/or formats people never/rarely @c use to specify dates)? One such format is @code{@var{month}/@var{day}/@var{year}}. This may confuse people who are accustomed to having the month and day in the other order; @samp{1/4/96} is January 4, not April 1. Remember to quote the argument to the @samp{-D} flag so that your shell doesn't interpret spaces as argument separators. A command using the @samp{-D} flag can look like this: @example $ cvs diff -D "1 hour ago" cvs.texinfo @end example @cindex Forcing a tag match @item -f When you specify a particular date or tag to @sc{cvs} commands, they normally ignore files that do not contain the tag (or did not exist prior to the date) that you specified. Use the @samp{-f} option if you want files retrieved even when there is no match for the tag or date. (The most recent revision of the file will be used). Note that even with @samp{-f}, a tag that you specify must exist (that is, in some file, not necessary in every file). This is so that @sc{cvs} will continue to give an error if you mistype a tag name. @need 800 @samp{-f} is available with these commands: @code{annotate}, @code{checkout}, @code{export}, @code{rdiff}, @code{rtag}, and @code{update}. @strong{Warning:} The @code{commit} and @code{remove} commands also have a @samp{-f} option, but it has a different behavior for those commands. See @ref{commit options}, and @ref{Removing files}. @item -k @var{kflag} Alter the default processing of keywords. @xref{Keyword substitution}, for the meaning of @var{kflag}. Your @var{kflag} specification is @dfn{sticky} when you use it to create a private copy of a source file; that is, when you use this option with the @code{checkout} or @code{update} commands, @sc{cvs} associates your selected @var{kflag} with the file, and continues to use it with future update commands on the same file until you specify otherwise. The @samp{-k} option is available with the @code{add}, @code{checkout}, @code{diff}, @code{import} and @code{update} commands. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory, rather than recursing through subdirectories. @strong{Warning:} this is not the same as the overall @samp{cvs -l} option, which you can specify to the left of a cvs command! Available with the following commands: @code{annotate}, @code{checkout}, @code{commit}, @code{diff}, @code{edit}, @code{editors}, @code{export}, @code{log}, @code{rdiff}, @code{remove}, @code{rtag}, @code{status}, @code{tag}, @code{unedit}, @code{update}, @code{watch}, and @code{watchers}. @cindex Editor, avoiding invocation of @cindex Avoiding editor invocation @item -m @var{message} Use @var{message} as log information, instead of invoking an editor. Available with the following commands: @code{add}, @code{commit} and @code{import}. @item -n Do not run any checkout/commit/tag program. (A program can be specified to run on each of these activities, in the modules database (@pxref{modules}); this option bypasses it). @strong{Warning:} this is not the same as the overall @samp{cvs -n} option, which you can specify to the left of a cvs command! Available with the @code{checkout}, @code{commit}, @code{export}, and @code{rtag} commands. @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Removing directories}. @item -p Pipe the files retrieved from the repository to standard output, rather than writing them in the current directory. Available with the @code{checkout} and @code{update} commands. @item -R Process directories recursively. This is on by default. Available with the following commands: @code{annotate}, @code{checkout}, @code{commit}, @code{diff}, @code{edit}, @code{editors}, @code{export}, @code{rdiff}, @code{remove}, @code{rtag}, @code{status}, @code{tag}, @code{unedit}, @code{update}, @code{watch}, and @code{watchers}. @item -r @var{tag} @cindex HEAD, special tag @cindex BASE, special tag Use the revision specified by the @var{tag} argument instead of the default @dfn{head} revision. As well as arbitrary tags defined with the @code{tag} or @code{rtag} command, two special tags are always available: @samp{HEAD} refers to the most recent version available in the repository, and @samp{BASE} refers to the revision you last checked out into the current working directory. @c FIXME: What does HEAD really mean? I believe that @c the current answer is the head of the default branch @c for all cvs commands except diff. For diff, it @c seems to be (a) the head of the trunk (or the default @c branch?) if there is no sticky tag, (b) the head of the @c branch for the sticky tag, if there is a sticky tag. @c (b) is ugly as it differs @c from what HEAD means for other commands, but people @c and/or scripts are quite possibly used to it. @c See "head" tests in sanity.sh. @c Probably the best fix is to introduce two new @c special tags, ".thead" for the head of the trunk, @c and ".bhead" for the head of the current branch. @c Then deprecate HEAD. This has the advantage of @c not surprising people with a change to HEAD, and a @c side benefit of also phasing out the poorly-named @c HEAD (see discussion of reserved tag names in node @c "Tags"). Of course, .thead and .bhead should be @c carefully implemented (with the implementation the @c same for "diff" as for everyone else), test cases @c written (similar to the ones in "head"), new tests @c cases written for things like default branches, &c. The tag specification is sticky when you use this @c option with @code{checkout} or @code{update} to make your own copy of a file: @sc{cvs} remembers the tag and continues to use it on future update commands, until you specify otherwise (for more information on sticky tags/dates, @pxref{Sticky tags}). The tag can be either a symbolic or numeric tag, as described in @ref{Tags}, or the name of a branch, as described in @ref{Branching and merging}. Specifying the @samp{-q} global option along with the @samp{-r} command option is often useful, to suppress the warning messages when the @sc{rcs} file does not contain the specified tag. @strong{Warning:} this is not the same as the overall @samp{cvs -r} option, which you can specify to the left of a @sc{cvs} command! @samp{-r} is available with the @code{checkout}, @code{commit}, @code{diff}, @code{history}, @code{export}, @code{rdiff}, @code{rtag}, and @code{update} commands. @item -W Specify file names that should be filtered. You can use this option repeatedly. The spec can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can specify in the @file{.cvswrappers} file. Available with the following commands: @code{import}, and @code{update}. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node admin @appendixsec admin---Administration @cindex Admin (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Requires: repository, working directory. @item Changes: repository. @item Synonym: rcs @end itemize This is the @sc{cvs} interface to assorted administrative facilities. Some of them have questionable usefulness for @sc{cvs} but exist for historical purposes. Some of the questionable options are likely to disappear in the future. This command @emph{does} work recursively, so extreme care should be used. @cindex cvsadmin On unix, if there is a group named @code{cvsadmin}, only members of that group can run @code{cvs admin} (except for the @code{cvs admin -k} command, which can be run by anybody). This group should exist on the server, or any system running the non-client/server @sc{cvs}. To disallow @code{cvs admin} for all users, create a group with no users in it. On NT, the @code{cvsadmin} feature does not exist and all users can run @code{cvs admin}. @menu * admin options:: admin options @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node admin options @appendixsubsec admin options Some of these options have questionable usefulness for @sc{cvs} but exist for historical purposes. Some even make it impossible to use @sc{cvs} until you undo the effect! @table @code @item -A@var{oldfile} Might not work together with @sc{cvs}. Append the access list of @var{oldfile} to the access list of the @sc{rcs} file. @item -a@var{logins} Might not work together with @sc{cvs}. Append the login names appearing in the comma-separated list @var{logins} to the access list of the @sc{rcs} file. @item -b[@var{rev}] Set the default branch to @var{rev}. In @sc{cvs}, you normally do not manipulate default branches; sticky tags (@pxref{Sticky tags}) are a better way to decide which branch you want to work on. There is one reason to run @code{cvs admin -b}: to revert to the vendor's version when using vendor branches (@pxref{Reverting local changes}). There can be no space between @samp{-b} and its argument. @c Hmm, we don't document the usage where rev is @c omitted. Maybe that usage can/should be deprecated @c (and replaced with -bHEAD or something?) (so we can toss @c the optional argument). Note that -bHEAD does not @c work, as of 17 Sep 1997, but probably will once "cvs @c admin" is internal to CVS. @cindex Comment leader @item -c@var{string} Sets the comment leader to @var{string}. The comment leader is not used by current versions of @sc{cvs} or @sc{rcs} 5.7. Therefore, you can almost surely not worry about it. @xref{Keyword substitution}. @item -e[@var{logins}] Might not work together with @sc{cvs}. Erase the login names appearing in the comma-separated list @var{logins} from the access list of the RCS file. If @var{logins} is omitted, erase the entire access list. There can be no space between @samp{-e} and its argument. @item -I Run interactively, even if the standard input is not a terminal. This option does not work with the client/server @sc{cvs} and is likely to disappear in a future release of @sc{cvs}. @item -i Useless with @sc{cvs}. This creates and initializes a new @sc{rcs} file, without depositing a revision. With @sc{cvs}, add files with the @code{cvs add} command (@pxref{Adding files}). @item -k@var{subst} Set the default keyword substitution to @var{subst}. @xref{Keyword substitution}. Giving an explicit @samp{-k} option to @code{cvs update}, @code{cvs export}, or @code{cvs checkout} overrides this default. @item -l[@var{rev}] Lock the revision with number @var{rev}. If a branch is given, lock the latest revision on that branch. If @var{rev} is omitted, lock the latest revision on the default branch. There can be no space between @samp{-l} and its argument. This can be used in conjunction with the @file{rcslock.pl} script in the @file{contrib} directory of the @sc{cvs} source distribution to provide reserved checkouts (where only one user can be editing a given file at a time). See the comments in that file for details (and see the @file{README} file in that directory for disclaimers about the unsupported nature of contrib). According to comments in that file, locking must set to strict (which is the default). @item -L Set locking to strict. Strict locking means that the owner of an RCS file is not exempt from locking for checkin. For use with @sc{cvs}, strict locking must be set; see the discussion under the @samp{-l} option above. @cindex Changing a log message @cindex Replacing a log message @cindex Correcting a log message @cindex Fixing a log message @cindex Log message, correcting @item -m@var{rev}:@var{msg} Replace the log message of revision @var{rev} with @var{msg}. @c The rcs -M option, to suppress sending mail, has never been @c documented as a cvs admin option. @item -N@var{name}[:[@var{rev}]] Act like @samp{-n}, except override any previous assignment of @var{name}. For use with magic branches, see @ref{Magic branch numbers}. @item -n@var{name}[:[@var{rev}]] Associate the symbolic name @var{name} with the branch or revision @var{rev}. It is normally better to use @samp{cvs tag} or @samp{cvs rtag} instead. Delete the symbolic name if both @samp{:} and @var{rev} are omitted; otherwise, print an error message if @var{name} is already associated with another number. If @var{rev} is symbolic, it is expanded before association. A @var{rev} consisting of a branch number followed by a @samp{.} stands for the current latest revision in the branch. A @samp{:} with an empty @var{rev} stands for the current latest revision on the default branch, normally the trunk. For example, @samp{cvs admin -n@var{name}:} associates @var{name} with the current latest revision of all the RCS files; this contrasts with @samp{cvs admin -n@var{name}:$} which associates @var{name} with the revision numbers extracted from keyword strings in the corresponding working files. @cindex Deleting revisions @cindex Outdating revisions @cindex Saving space @item -o@var{range} Deletes (@dfn{outdates}) the revisions given by @var{range}. Note that this command can be quite dangerous unless you know @emph{exactly} what you are doing (for example see the warnings below about how the @var{rev1}:@var{rev2} syntax is confusing). If you are short on disc this option might help you. But think twice before using it---there is no way short of restoring the latest backup to undo this command! If you delete different revisions than you planned, either due to carelessness or (heaven forbid) a @sc{cvs} bug, there is no opportunity to correct the error before the revisions are deleted. It probably would be a good idea to experiment on a copy of the repository first. Specify @var{range} in one of the following ways: @table @code @item @var{rev1}::@var{rev2} Collapse all revisions between rev1 and rev2, so that @sc{cvs} only stores the differences associated with going from rev1 to rev2, not intermediate steps. For example, after @samp{-o 1.3::1.5} one can retrieve revision 1.3, revision 1.5, or the differences to get from 1.3 to 1.5, but not the revision 1.4, or the differences between 1.3 and 1.4. Other examples: @samp{-o 1.3::1.4} and @samp{-o 1.3::1.3} have no effect, because there are no intermediate revisions to remove. @item ::@var{rev} Collapse revisions between the beginning of the branch containing @var{rev} and @var{rev} itself. The branchpoint and @var{rev} are left intact. For example, @samp{-o ::1.3.2.6} deletes revision 1.3.2.1, revision 1.3.2.5, and everything in between, but leaves 1.3 and 1.3.2.6 intact. @item @var{rev}:: Collapse revisions between @var{rev} and the end of the branch containing @var{rev}. Revision @var{rev} is left intact but the head revision is deleted. @item @var{rev} Delete the revision @var{rev}. For example, @samp{-o 1.3} is equivalent to @samp{-o 1.2::1.4}. @item @var{rev1}:@var{rev2} Delete the revisions from @var{rev1} to @var{rev2}, inclusive, on the same branch. One will not be able to retrieve @var{rev1} or @var{rev2} or any of the revisions in between. For example, the command @samp{cvs admin -oR_1_01:R_1_02 .} is rarely useful. It means to delete revisions up to, and including, the tag R_1_02. But beware! If there are files that have not changed between R_1_02 and R_1_03 the file will have @emph{the same} numerical revision number assigned to the tags R_1_02 and R_1_03. So not only will it be impossible to retrieve R_1_02; R_1_03 will also have to be restored from the tapes! In most cases you want to specify @var{rev1}::@var{rev2} instead. @item :@var{rev} Delete revisions from the beginning of the branch containing @var{rev} up to and including @var{rev}. @item @var{rev}: Delete revisions from revision @var{rev}, including @var{rev} itself, to the end of the branch containing @var{rev}. @end table None of the revisions to be deleted may have branches or locks. If any of the revisions to be deleted have symbolic names, and one specifies one of the @samp{::} syntaxes, then @sc{cvs} will give an error and not delete any revisions. If you really want to delete both the symbolic names and the revisions, first delete the symbolic names with @code{cvs tag -d}, then run @code{cvs admin -o}. If one specifies the non-@samp{::} syntaxes, then @sc{cvs} will delete the revisions but leave the symbolic names pointing to nonexistent revisions. This behavior is preserved for compatibility with previous versions of @sc{cvs}, but because it isn't very useful, in the future it may change to be like the @samp{::} case. Due to the way @sc{cvs} handles branches @var{rev} cannot be specified symbolically if it is a branch. @xref{Magic branch numbers}, for an explanation. @c FIXME: is this still true? I suspect not. Make sure that no-one has checked out a copy of the revision you outdate. Strange things will happen if he starts to edit it and tries to check it back in. For this reason, this option is not a good way to take back a bogus commit; commit a new revision undoing the bogus change instead (@pxref{Merging two revisions}). @item -q Run quietly; do not print diagnostics. @item -s@var{state}[:@var{rev}] Useful with @sc{cvs}. Set the state attribute of the revision @var{rev} to @var{state}. If @var{rev} is a branch number, assume the latest revision on that branch. If @var{rev} is omitted, assume the latest revision on the default branch. Any identifier is acceptable for @var{state}. A useful set of states is @samp{Exp} (for experimental), @samp{Stab} (for stable), and @samp{Rel} (for released). By default, the state of a new revision is set to @samp{Exp} when it is created. The state is visible in the output from @var{cvs log} (@pxref{log}), and in the @samp{$@asis{}Log$} and @samp{$@asis{}State$} keywords (@pxref{Keyword substitution}). Note that @sc{cvs} uses the @code{dead} state for its own purposes; to take a file to or from the @code{dead} state use commands like @code{cvs remove} and @code{cvs add}, not @code{cvs admin -s}. @item -t[@var{file}] Useful with @sc{cvs}. Write descriptive text from the contents of the named @var{file} into the RCS file, deleting the existing text. The @var{file} pathname may not begin with @samp{-}. The descriptive text can be seen in the output from @samp{cvs log} (@pxref{log}). There can be no space between @samp{-t} and its argument. If @var{file} is omitted, obtain the text from standard input, terminated by end-of-file or by a line containing @samp{.} by itself. Prompt for the text if interaction is possible; see @samp{-I}. @item -t-@var{string} Similar to @samp{-t@var{file}}. Write descriptive text from the @var{string} into the @sc{rcs} file, deleting the existing text. There can be no space between @samp{-t} and its argument. @c The rcs -T option, do not update last-mod time for @c minor changes, has never been documented as a @c cvs admin option. @item -U Set locking to non-strict. Non-strict locking means that the owner of a file need not lock a revision for checkin. For use with @sc{cvs}, strict locking must be set; see the discussion under the @samp{-l} option above. @item -u[@var{rev}] See the option @samp{-l} above, for a discussion of using this option with @sc{cvs}. Unlock the revision with number @var{rev}. If a branch is given, unlock the latest revision on that branch. If @var{rev} is omitted, remove the latest lock held by the caller. Normally, only the locker of a revision may unlock it; somebody else unlocking a revision breaks the lock. This causes the original locker to be sent a @code{commit} notification (@pxref{Getting Notified}). There can be no space between @samp{-u} and its argument. @item -V@var{n} In previous versions of @sc{cvs}, this option meant to write an @sc{rcs} file which would be acceptable to @sc{rcs} version @var{n}, but it is now obsolete and specifying it will produce an error. @c Note that -V without an argument has never been @c documented as a cvs admin option. @item -x@var{suffixes} In previous versions of @sc{cvs}, this was documented as a way of specifying the names of the @sc{rcs} files. However, @sc{cvs} has always required that the @sc{rcs} files used by @sc{cvs} end in @samp{,v}, so this option has never done anything useful. @c The rcs -z option, to specify the timezone, has @c never been documented as a cvs admin option. @end table @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node checkout @appendixsec checkout---Check out sources for editing @cindex checkout (subcommand) @cindex co (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: checkout [options] modules@dots{} @item Requires: repository. @item Changes: working directory. @item Synonyms: co, get @end itemize Create or update a working directory containing copies of the source files specified by @var{modules}. You must execute @code{checkout} before using most of the other @sc{cvs} commands, since most of them operate on your working directory. The @var{modules} are either symbolic names for some collection of source directories and files, or paths to directories or files in the repository. The symbolic names are defined in the @samp{modules} file. @xref{modules}. @c Needs an example, particularly of the non-"modules" @c case but probably of both. @c FIXME: this seems like a very odd place to introduce @c people to how CVS works. The bit about unreserved @c checkouts is also misleading as it depends on how @c things are set up. Depending on the modules you specify, @code{checkout} may recursively create directories and populate them with the appropriate source files. You can then edit these source files at any time (regardless of whether other software developers are editing their own copies of the sources); update them to include new changes applied by others to the source repository; or commit your work as a permanent change to the source repository. Note that @code{checkout} is used to create directories. The top-level directory created is always added to the directory where @code{checkout} is invoked, and usually has the same name as the specified module. In the case of a module alias, the created sub-directory may have a different name, but you can be sure that it will be a sub-directory, and that @code{checkout} will show the relative path leading to each file as it is extracted into your private work area (unless you specify the @samp{-Q} global option). The files created by @code{checkout} are created read-write, unless the @samp{-r} option to @sc{cvs} (@pxref{Global options}) is specified, the @code{CVSREAD} environment variable is specified (@pxref{Environment variables}), or a watch is in effect for that file (@pxref{Watches}). Note that running @code{checkout} on a directory that was already built by a prior @code{checkout} is also permitted. This is similar to specifying the @samp{-d} option to the @code{update} command in the sense that new directories that have been created in the repository will appear in your work area. However, @code{checkout} takes a module name whereas @code{update} takes a directory name. Also to use @code{checkout} this way it must be run from the top level directory (where you originally ran @code{checkout} from), so before you run @code{checkout} to update an existing directory, don't forget to change your directory to the top level directory. For the output produced by the @code{checkout} command see @ref{update output}. @menu * checkout options:: checkout options * checkout examples:: checkout examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node checkout options @appendixsubsec checkout options These standard options are supported by @code{checkout} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -D @var{date} Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. This option is sticky, and implies @samp{-P}. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @item -f Only useful with the @samp{-D @var{date}} or @samp{-r @var{tag}} flags. If no matching revision is found, retrieve the most recent revision (instead of ignoring the file). @item -k @var{kflag} Process keywords according to @var{kflag}. See @ref{Keyword substitution}. This option is sticky; future updates of this file in this working directory will use the same @var{kflag}. The @code{status} command can be viewed to see the sticky options. See @ref{Invoking CVS}, for more information on the @code{status} command. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @item -n Do not run any checkout program (as specified with the @samp{-o} option in the modules file; @pxref{modules}). @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Moving directories}. @item -p Pipe files to the standard output. @item -R Checkout directories recursively. This option is on by default. @item -r @var{tag} Use revision @var{tag}. This option is sticky, and implies @samp{-P}. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @end table In addition to those, you can use these special command options with @code{checkout}: @table @code @item -A Reset any sticky tags, dates, or @samp{-k} options. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @item -c Copy the module file, sorted, to the standard output, instead of creating or modifying any files or directories in your working directory. @item -d @var{dir} Create a directory called @var{dir} for the working files, instead of using the module name. In general, using this flag is equivalent to using @samp{mkdir @var{dir}; cd @var{dir}} followed by the checkout command without the @samp{-d} flag. There is an important exception, however. It is very convenient when checking out a single item to have the output appear in a directory that doesn't contain empty intermediate directories. In this case @emph{only}, @sc{cvs} tries to ``shorten'' pathnames to avoid those empty directories. For example, given a module @samp{foo} that contains the file @samp{bar.c}, the command @samp{cvs co -d dir foo} will create directory @samp{dir} and place @samp{bar.c} inside. Similarly, given a module @samp{bar} which has subdirectory @samp{baz} wherein there is a file @samp{quux.c}, the command @samp{cvs -d dir co bar/baz} will create directory @samp{dir} and place @samp{quux.c} inside. Using the @samp{-N} flag will defeat this behavior. Given the same module definitions above, @samp{cvs co -N -d dir foo} will create directories @samp{dir/foo} and place @samp{bar.c} inside, while @samp{cvs co -N -d dir bar/baz} will create directories @samp{dir/bar/baz} and place @samp{quux.c} inside. @item -j @var{tag} With two @samp{-j} options, merge changes from the revision specified with the first @samp{-j} option to the revision specified with the second @samp{j} option, into the working directory. With one @samp{-j} option, merge changes from the ancestor revision to the revision specified with the @samp{-j} option, into the working directory. The ancestor revision is the common ancestor of the revision which the working directory is based on, and the revision specified in the @samp{-j} option. In addition, each -j option can contain an optional date specification which, when used with branches, can limit the chosen revision to one within a specific date. An optional date is specified by adding a colon (:) to the tag: @samp{-j@var{Symbolic_Tag}:@var{Date_Specifier}}. @xref{Branching and merging}. @item -N Only useful together with @samp{-d @var{dir}}. With this option, @sc{cvs} will not ``shorten'' module paths in your working directory when you check out a single module. See the @samp{-d} flag for examples and a discussion. @item -s Like @samp{-c}, but include the status of all modules, and sort it by the status string. @xref{modules}, for info about the @samp{-s} option that is used inside the modules file to set the module status. @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node checkout examples @appendixsubsec checkout examples Get a copy of the module @samp{tc}: @example $ cvs checkout tc @end example Get a copy of the module @samp{tc} as it looked one day ago: @example $ cvs checkout -D yesterday tc @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node commit @appendixsec commit---Check files into the repository @cindex commit (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: commit [-lnRf] [-m 'log_message' | -F file] [-r revision] [files@dots{}] @item Requires: working directory, repository. @item Changes: repository. @item Synonym: ci @end itemize Use @code{commit} when you want to incorporate changes from your working source files into the source repository. If you don't specify particular files to commit, all of the files in your working current directory are examined. @code{commit} is careful to change in the repository only those files that you have really changed. By default (or if you explicitly specify the @samp{-R} option), files in subdirectories are also examined and committed if they have changed; you can use the @samp{-l} option to limit @code{commit} to the current directory only. @code{commit} verifies that the selected files are up to date with the current revisions in the source repository; it will notify you, and exit without committing, if any of the specified files must be made current first with @code{update} (@pxref{update}). @code{commit} does not call the @code{update} command for you, but rather leaves that for you to do when the time is right. When all is well, an editor is invoked to allow you to enter a log message that will be written to one or more logging programs (@pxref{modules}, and @pxref{loginfo}) and placed in the @sc{rcs} file inside the repository. This log message can be retrieved with the @code{log} command; see @ref{log}. You can specify the log message on the command line with the @samp{-m @var{message}} option, and thus avoid the editor invocation, or use the @samp{-F @var{file}} option to specify that the argument file contains the log message. @menu * commit options:: commit options * commit examples:: commit examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node commit options @appendixsubsec commit options These standard options are supported by @code{commit} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @item -n Do not run any module program. @item -R Commit directories recursively. This is on by default. @item -r @var{revision} Commit to @var{revision}. @var{revision} must be either a branch, or a revision on the main trunk that is higher than any existing revision number (@pxref{Assigning revisions}). You cannot commit to a specific revision on a branch. @c FIXME: Need xref for branch case. @end table @code{commit} also supports these options: @table @code @item -F @var{file} Read the log message from @var{file}, instead of invoking an editor. @item -f Note that this is not the standard behavior of the @samp{-f} option as defined in @ref{Common options}. Force @sc{cvs} to commit a new revision even if you haven't made any changes to the file. If the current revision of @var{file} is 1.7, then the following two commands are equivalent: @example $ cvs commit -f @var{file} $ cvs commit -r 1.8 @var{file} @end example @c This is odd, but it's how CVS has worked for some @c time. The @samp{-f} option disables recursion (i.e., it implies @samp{-l}). To force @sc{cvs} to commit a new revision for all files in all subdirectories, you must use @samp{-f -R}. @item -m @var{message} Use @var{message} as the log message, instead of invoking an editor. @end table @need 2000 @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node commit examples @appendixsubsec commit examples @c FIXME: this material wants to be somewhere @c in "Branching and merging". @appendixsubsubsec Committing to a branch You can commit to a branch revision (one that has an even number of dots) with the @samp{-r} option. To create a branch revision, use the @samp{-b} option of the @code{rtag} or @code{tag} commands (@pxref{Branching and merging}). Then, either @code{checkout} or @code{update} can be used to base your sources on the newly created branch. From that point on, all @code{commit} changes made within these working sources will be automatically added to a branch revision, thereby not disturbing main-line development in any way. For example, if you had to create a patch to the 1.2 version of the product, even though the 2.0 version is already under development, you might do: @example $ cvs rtag -b -r FCS1_2 FCS1_2_Patch product_module $ cvs checkout -r FCS1_2_Patch product_module $ cd product_module [[ hack away ]] $ cvs commit @end example @noindent This works automatically since the @samp{-r} option is sticky. @appendixsubsubsec Creating the branch after editing Say you have been working on some extremely experimental software, based on whatever revision you happened to checkout last week. If others in your group would like to work on this software with you, but without disturbing main-line development, you could commit your change to a new branch. Others can then checkout your experimental stuff and utilize the full benefit of @sc{cvs} conflict resolution. The scenario might look like: @c FIXME: Should we be recommending tagging the branchpoint? @example [[ hacked sources are present ]] $ cvs tag -b EXPR1 $ cvs update -r EXPR1 $ cvs commit @end example The @code{update} command will make the @samp{-r EXPR1} option sticky on all files. Note that your changes to the files will never be removed by the @code{update} command. The @code{commit} will automatically commit to the correct branch, because the @samp{-r} is sticky. You could also do like this: @c FIXME: Should we be recommending tagging the branchpoint? @example [[ hacked sources are present ]] $ cvs tag -b EXPR1 $ cvs commit -r EXPR1 @end example @noindent but then, only those files that were changed by you will have the @samp{-r EXPR1} sticky flag. If you hack away, and commit without specifying the @samp{-r EXPR1} flag, some files may accidentally end up on the main trunk. To work with you on the experimental change, others would simply do @example $ cvs checkout -r EXPR1 whatever_module @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node diff @appendixsec diff---Show differences between revisions @cindex diff (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: diff [-lR] [format_options] [[-r rev1 | -D date1] [-r rev2 | -D date2]] [files@dots{}] @item Requires: working directory, repository. @item Changes: nothing. @end itemize The @code{diff} command is used to compare different revisions of files. The default action is to compare your working files with the revisions they were based on, and report any differences that are found. If any file names are given, only those files are compared. If any directories are given, all files under them will be compared. The exit status for diff is different than for other @sc{cvs} commands; for details @ref{Exit status}. @menu * diff options:: diff options * diff examples:: diff examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node diff options @appendixsubsec diff options These standard options are supported by @code{diff} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -D @var{date} Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. See @samp{-r} for how this affects the comparison. @item -k @var{kflag} Process keywords according to @var{kflag}. See @ref{Keyword substitution}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @item -R Examine directories recursively. This option is on by default. @item -r @var{tag} Compare with revision @var{tag}. Zero, one or two @samp{-r} options can be present. With no @samp{-r} option, the working file will be compared with the revision it was based on. With one @samp{-r}, that revision will be compared to your current working file. With two @samp{-r} options those two revisions will be compared (and your working file will not affect the outcome in any way). @c We should be a lot more explicit, with examples, @c about the difference between "cvs diff" and "cvs @c diff -r HEAD". This often confuses new users. One or both @samp{-r} options can be replaced by a @samp{-D @var{date}} option, described above. @end table @c Conceptually, this is a disaster. There are 3 @c zillion diff formats that we support via the diff @c library. It is not obvious to me that we should @c document them all. Maybe just the most common ones @c like -c and -u, and think about phasing out the @c obscure ones. @c FIXCVS: also should be a way to specify an external @c diff program (which can be different for different @c file types) and pass through @c arbitrary options, so that the user can do @c "--pass=-Z --pass=foo" or something even if CVS @c doesn't know about the "-Z foo" option to diff. @c This would fit nicely with deprecating/eliminating @c the obscure options of the diff library, because it @c would let people specify an external GNU diff if @c they are into that sort of thing. The following options specify the format of the output. They have the same meaning as in GNU diff. @example -0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 --binary --brief --changed-group-format=@var{arg} -c -C @var{nlines} --context[=@var{lines}] -e --ed -t --expand-tabs -f --forward-ed --horizon-lines=@var{arg} --ifdef=@var{arg} -w --ignore-all-space -B --ignore-blank-lines -i --ignore-case -I @var{regexp} --ignore-matching-lines=@var{regexp} -h -b --ignore-space-change -T --initial-tab -L @var{label} --label=@var{label} --left-column -d --minimal -N --new-file --new-line-format=@var{arg} --old-line-format=@var{arg} --paginate -n --rcs -s --report-identical-files -p --show-c-function -y --side-by-side -F @var{regexp} --show-function-line=@var{regexp} -H --speed-large-files --suppress-common-lines -a --text --unchanged-group-format=@var{arg} -u -U @var{nlines} --unified[=@var{lines}] @c FIXCVS: This option is accepted by src/diff.c but @c not diff/diff.c; it would appear that any attempt to @c use it would get an error. -V @var{arg} -W @var{columns} --width=@var{columns} @end example @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node diff examples @appendixsubsec diff examples The following line produces a Unidiff (@samp{-u} flag) between revision 1.14 and 1.19 of @file{backend.c}. Due to the @samp{-kk} flag no keywords are substituted, so differences that only depend on keyword substitution are ignored. @example $ cvs diff -kk -u -r 1.14 -r 1.19 backend.c @end example Suppose the experimental branch EXPR1 was based on a set of files tagged RELEASE_1_0. To see what has happened on that branch, the following can be used: @example $ cvs diff -r RELEASE_1_0 -r EXPR1 @end example A command like this can be used to produce a context diff between two releases: @example $ cvs diff -c -r RELEASE_1_0 -r RELEASE_1_1 > diffs @end example If you are maintaining ChangeLogs, a command like the following just before you commit your changes may help you write the ChangeLog entry. All local modifications that have not yet been committed will be printed. @example $ cvs diff -u | less @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node export @appendixsec export---Export sources from CVS, similar to checkout @cindex export (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: export [-flNnR] [-r rev|-D date] [-k subst] [-d dir] module@dots{} @item Requires: repository. @item Changes: current directory. @end itemize This command is a variant of @code{checkout}; use it when you want a copy of the source for module without the @sc{cvs} administrative directories. For example, you might use @code{export} to prepare source for shipment off-site. This command requires that you specify a date or tag (with @samp{-D} or @samp{-r}), so that you can count on reproducing the source you ship to others (and thus it always prunes empty directories). One often would like to use @samp{-kv} with @code{cvs export}. This causes any keywords to be expanded such that an import done at some other site will not lose the keyword revision information. But be aware that doesn't handle an export containing binary files correctly. Also be aware that after having used @samp{-kv}, one can no longer use the @code{ident} command (which is part of the @sc{rcs} suite---see ident(1)) which looks for keyword strings. If you want to be able to use @code{ident} you must not use @samp{-kv}. @menu * export options:: export options @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node export options @appendixsubsec export options These standard options are supported by @code{export} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -D @var{date} Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. @item -f If no matching revision is found, retrieve the most recent revision (instead of ignoring the file). @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @item -n Do not run any checkout program. @item -R Export directories recursively. This is on by default. @item -r @var{tag} Use revision @var{tag}. @end table In addition, these options (that are common to @code{checkout} and @code{export}) are also supported: @table @code @item -d @var{dir} Create a directory called @var{dir} for the working files, instead of using the module name. @xref{checkout options}, for complete details on how @sc{cvs} handles this flag. @item -k @var{subst} Set keyword expansion mode (@pxref{Substitution modes}). @item -N Only useful together with @samp{-d @var{dir}}. @xref{checkout options}, for complete details on how @sc{cvs} handles this flag. @end table @ignore @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @c @node export examples @appendixsubsec export examples Contributed examples are gratefully accepted. @c -- Examples here!! @end ignore @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node history @appendixsec history---Show status of files and users @cindex history (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: history [-report] [-flags] [-options args] [files@dots{}] @item Requires: the file @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history} @item Changes: nothing. @end itemize @sc{cvs} can keep a history file that tracks each use of the @code{checkout}, @code{commit}, @code{rtag}, @code{update}, and @code{release} commands. You can use @code{history} to display this information in various formats. Logging must be enabled by creating the file @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history}. @strong{Warning:} @code{history} uses @samp{-f}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-n}, and @samp{-p} in ways that conflict with the normal use inside @sc{cvs} (@pxref{Common options}). @menu * history options:: history options @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node history options @appendixsubsec history options Several options (shown above as @samp{-report}) control what kind of report is generated: @table @code @item -c Report on each time commit was used (i.e., each time the repository was modified). @item -e Everything (all record types). Equivalent to specifying @samp{-x} with all record types. Of course, @samp{-e} will also include record types which are added in a future version of @sc{cvs}; if you are writing a script which can only handle certain record types, you'll want to specify @samp{-x}. @item -m @var{module} Report on a particular module. (You can meaningfully use @samp{-m} more than once on the command line.) @item -o Report on checked-out modules. This is the default report type. @item -T Report on all tags. @item -x @var{type} Extract a particular set of record types @var{type} from the @sc{cvs} history. The types are indicated by single letters, which you may specify in combination. Certain commands have a single record type: @table @code @item F release @item O checkout @item E export @item T rtag @end table @noindent One of four record types may result from an update: @table @code @item C A merge was necessary but collisions were detected (requiring manual merging). @item G A merge was necessary and it succeeded. @item U A working file was copied from the repository. @item W The working copy of a file was deleted during update (because it was gone from the repository). @end table @noindent One of three record types results from commit: @table @code @item A A file was added for the first time. @item M A file was modified. @item R A file was removed. @end table @end table The options shown as @samp{-flags} constrain or expand the report without requiring option arguments: @table @code @item -a Show data for all users (the default is to show data only for the user executing @code{history}). @item -l Show last modification only. @item -w Show only the records for modifications done from the same working directory where @code{history} is executing. @end table The options shown as @samp{-options @var{args}} constrain the report based on an argument: @table @code @item -b @var{str} Show data back to a record containing the string @var{str} in either the module name, the file name, or the repository path. @item -D @var{date} Show data since @var{date}. This is slightly different from the normal use of @samp{-D @var{date}}, which selects the newest revision older than @var{date}. @item -f @var{file} Show data for a particular file (you can specify several @samp{-f} options on the same command line). This is equivalent to specifying the file on the command line. @item -n @var{module} Show data for a particular module (you can specify several @samp{-n} options on the same command line). @item -p @var{repository} Show data for a particular source repository (you can specify several @samp{-p} options on the same command line). @item -r @var{rev} Show records referring to revisions since the revision or tag named @var{rev} appears in individual @sc{rcs} files. Each @sc{rcs} file is searched for the revision or tag. @item -t @var{tag} Show records since tag @var{tag} was last added to the history file. This differs from the @samp{-r} flag above in that it reads only the history file, not the @sc{rcs} files, and is much faster. @item -u @var{name} Show records for user @var{name}. @item -z @var{timezone} Show times in the selected records using the specified time zone instead of UTC. @end table @ignore @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @c @node history examples @appendixsubsec history examples Contributed examples will gratefully be accepted. @c -- Examples here! @end ignore @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node import @appendixsec import---Import sources into CVS, using vendor branches @cindex import (subcommand) @c FIXME: This node is way too long for one which has subnodes. @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: import [-options] repository vendortag releasetag@dots{} @item Requires: Repository, source distribution directory. @item Changes: repository. @end itemize Use @code{import} to incorporate an entire source distribution from an outside source (e.g., a source vendor) into your source repository directory. You can use this command both for initial creation of a repository, and for wholesale updates to the module from the outside source. @xref{Tracking sources}, for a discussion on this subject. The @var{repository} argument gives a directory name (or a path to a directory) under the @sc{cvs} root directory for repositories; if the directory did not exist, import creates it. When you use import for updates to source that has been modified in your source repository (since a prior import), it will notify you of any files that conflict in the two branches of development; use @samp{checkout -j} to reconcile the differences, as import instructs you to do. If @sc{cvs} decides a file should be ignored (@pxref{cvsignore}), it does not import it and prints @samp{I } followed by the filename (@pxref{import output}, for a complete description of the output). If the file @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/cvswrappers} exists, any file whose names match the specifications in that file will be treated as packages and the appropriate filtering will be performed on the file/directory before being imported. @xref{Wrappers}. The outside source is saved in a first-level branch, by default 1.1.1. Updates are leaves of this branch; for example, files from the first imported collection of source will be revision 1.1.1.1, then files from the first imported update will be revision 1.1.1.2, and so on. At least three arguments are required. @var{repository} is needed to identify the collection of source. @var{vendortag} is a tag for the entire branch (e.g., for 1.1.1). You must also specify at least one @var{releasetag} to identify the files at the leaves created each time you execute @code{import}. @c I'm not completely sure this belongs here. But @c we need to say it _somewhere_ reasonably obvious; it @c is a common misconception among people first learning CVS Note that @code{import} does @emph{not} change the directory in which you invoke it. In particular, it does not set up that directory as a @sc{cvs} working directory; if you want to work with the sources import them first and then check them out into a different directory (@pxref{Getting the source}). @menu * import options:: import options * import output:: import output * import examples:: import examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node import options @appendixsubsec import options This standard option is supported by @code{import} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description): @table @code @item -m @var{message} Use @var{message} as log information, instead of invoking an editor. @end table There are the following additional special options. @table @code @item -b @var{branch} See @ref{Multiple vendor branches}. @item -k @var{subst} Indicate the keyword expansion mode desired. This setting will apply to all files created during the import, but not to any files that previously existed in the repository. See @ref{Substitution modes}, for a list of valid @samp{-k} settings. @item -I @var{name} Specify file names that should be ignored during import. You can use this option repeatedly. To avoid ignoring any files at all (even those ignored by default), specify `-I !'. @var{name} can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can specify in the @file{.cvsignore} file. @xref{cvsignore}. @c -- Is this really true? @item -W @var{spec} Specify file names that should be filtered during import. You can use this option repeatedly. @var{spec} can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can specify in the @file{.cvswrappers} file. @xref{Wrappers}. @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node import output @appendixsubsec import output @code{import} keeps you informed of its progress by printing a line for each file, preceded by one character indicating the status of the file: @table @code @item U @var{file} The file already exists in the repository and has not been locally modified; a new revision has been created (if necessary). @item N @var{file} The file is a new file which has been added to the repository. @item C @var{file} The file already exists in the repository but has been locally modified; you will have to merge the changes. @item I @var{file} The file is being ignored (@pxref{cvsignore}). @cindex Symbolic link, importing @cindex Link, symbolic, importing @c FIXME: also (somewhere else) probably @c should be documenting what happens if you "cvs add" @c a symbolic link. Also maybe what happens if @c you manually create symbolic links within the @c repository (? - not sure why we'd want to suggest @c doing that). @item L @var{file} The file is a symbolic link; @code{cvs import} ignores symbolic links. People periodically suggest that this behavior should be changed, but if there is a consensus on what it should be changed to, it doesn't seem to be apparent. (Various options in the @file{modules} file can be used to recreate symbolic links on checkout, update, etc.; @pxref{modules}.) @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node import examples @appendixsubsec import examples See @ref{Tracking sources}, and @ref{From files}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node log @appendixsec log---Print out log information for files @cindex log (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item Synopsis: log [options] [files@dots{}] @item Requires: repository, working directory. @item Changes: nothing. @end itemize Display log information for files. @code{log} used to call the @sc{rcs} utility @code{rlog}. Although this is no longer true in the current sources, this history determines the format of the output and the options, which are not quite in the style of the other @sc{cvs} commands. @cindex Timezone, in output @cindex Zone, time, in output @c Kind of a funny place to document the timezone used @c in output from commands other than @code{log}. @c There is also more we need to say about this, @c including what happens in a client/server environment. The output includes the location of the @sc{rcs} file, the @dfn{head} revision (the latest revision on the trunk), all symbolic names (tags) and some other things. For each revision, the revision number, the author, the number of lines added/deleted and the log message are printed. All times are displayed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). (Other parts of @sc{cvs} print times in the local timezone). @c FIXCVS: need a better way to control the timezone @c used in output. Previous/current versions of CVS did/do @c sometimes support -z in RCSINIT, and/or an @c undocumented (except by reference to 'rlog') -z option @c to cvs log, but this has not been a consistent, @c documented feature. Perhaps a new global option, @c where LT means the client's timezone, which the @c client then communicates to the server, is the @c right solution. @strong{Warning:} @code{log} uses @samp{-R} in a way that conflicts with the normal use inside @sc{cvs} (@pxref{Common options}). @menu * log options:: log options * log examples:: log examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node log options @appendixsubsec log options By default, @code{log} prints all information that is available. All other options restrict the output. @table @code @item -b Print information about the revisions on the default branch, normally the highest branch on the trunk. @item -d @var{dates} Print information about revisions with a checkin date/time in the range given by the semicolon-separated list of dates. The date formats accepted are those accepted by the @samp{-D} option to many other @sc{cvs} commands (@pxref{Common options}). Dates can be combined into ranges as follows: @c Should we be thinking about accepting ISO8601 @c ranges? For example "1972-09-10/1972-09-12". @table @code @item @var{d1}<@var{d2} @itemx @var{d2}>@var{d1} Select the revisions that were deposited between @var{d1} and @var{d2}. @item <@var{d} @itemx @var{d}> Select all revisions dated @var{d} or earlier. @item @var{d}< @itemx >@var{d} Select all revisions dated @var{d} or later. @item @var{d} Select the single, latest revision dated @var{d} or earlier. @end table The @samp{>} or @samp{<} characters may be followed by @samp{=} to indicate an inclusive range rather than an exclusive one. Note that the separator is a semicolon (;). @item -h Print only the name of the @sc{rcs} file, name of the file in the working directory, head, default branch, access list, locks, symbolic names, and suffix. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. (Default is to run recursively). @item -N Do not print the list of tags for this file. This option can be very useful when your site uses a lot of tags, so rather than "more"'ing over 3 pages of tag information, the log information is presented without tags at all. @item -R Print only the name of the @sc{rcs} file. @c Note that using a bare revision (in addition to not @c being explicitly documented here) is potentially @c confusing; it shows the log message to get from the @c previous revision to that revision. "-r1.3 -r1.6" @c (equivalent to "-r1.3,1.6") is even worse; it @c prints the messages to get from 1.2 to 1.3 and 1.5 @c to 1.6. By analogy with "cvs diff", users might @c expect that it is more like specifying a range. @c It is not 100% clear to me how much of this should @c be documented (for example, multiple -r options @c perhaps could/should be deprecated given the false @c analogy with "cvs diff"). @c In general, this section should be rewritten to talk @c about messages to get from revision rev1 to rev2, @c rather than messages for revision rev2 (that is, the @c messages are associated with a change not a static @c revision and failing to make this distinction causes @c much confusion). @item -r@var{revisions} Print information about revisions given in the comma-separated list @var{revisions} of revisions and ranges. The following table explains the available range formats: @table @code @item @var{rev1}:@var{rev2} Revisions @var{rev1} to @var{rev2} (which must be on the same branch). @item @var{rev1}::@var{rev2} Revisions between, but not including, @var{rev1} and @var{rev2}. @item :@var{rev} Revisions from the beginning of the branch up to and including @var{rev}. @item ::@var{rev} Revisions from the beginning of the branch up to, but not including, @var{rev}. @item @var{rev}: Revisions starting with @var{rev} to the end of the branch containing @var{rev}. @item @var{rev}: Revisions starting just after @var{rev} to the end of the branch containing @var{rev}. @item @var{branch} An argument that is a branch means all revisions on that branch. @item @var{branch1}:@var{branch2} @itemx @var{branch1}::@var{branch2} A range of branches means all revisions on the branches in that range. @item @var{branch}. The latest revision in @var{branch}. @end table A bare @samp{-r} with no revisions means the latest revision on the default branch, normally the trunk. There can be no space between the @samp{-r} option and its argument. @item -s @var{states} Print information about revisions whose state attributes match one of the states given in the comma-separated list @var{states}. @item -t Print the same as @samp{-h}, plus the descriptive text. @item -w@var{logins} Print information about revisions checked in by users with login names appearing in the comma-separated list @var{logins}. If @var{logins} is omitted, the user's login is assumed. There can be no space between the @samp{-w} option and its argument. @end table @code{log} prints the intersection of the revisions selected with the options @samp{-d}, @samp{-s}, and @samp{-w}, intersected with the union of the revisions selected by @samp{-b} and @samp{-r}. @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node log examples @appendixsubsec log examples Contributed examples are gratefully accepted. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node rdiff @appendixsec rdiff---'patch' format diffs between releases @cindex rdiff (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item rdiff [-flags] [-V vn] [-r t|-D d [-r t2|-D d2]] modules@dots{} @item Requires: repository. @item Changes: nothing. @item Synonym: patch @end itemize Builds a Larry Wall format patch(1) file between two releases, that can be fed directly into the @code{patch} program to bring an old release up-to-date with the new release. (This is one of the few @sc{cvs} commands that operates directly from the repository, and doesn't require a prior checkout.) The diff output is sent to the standard output device. You can specify (using the standard @samp{-r} and @samp{-D} options) any combination of one or two revisions or dates. If only one revision or date is specified, the patch file reflects differences between that revision or date and the current head revisions in the @sc{rcs} file. Note that if the software release affected is contained in more than one directory, then it may be necessary to specify the @samp{-p} option to the @code{patch} command when patching the old sources, so that @code{patch} is able to find the files that are located in other directories. @menu * rdiff options:: rdiff options * rdiff examples:: rdiff examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node rdiff options @appendixsubsec rdiff options These standard options are supported by @code{rdiff} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -D @var{date} Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. @item -f If no matching revision is found, retrieve the most recent revision (instead of ignoring the file). @item -l Local; don't descend subdirectories. @item -R Examine directories recursively. This option is on by default. @item -r @var{tag} Use revision @var{tag}. @end table In addition to the above, these options are available: @table @code @item -c Use the context diff format. This is the default format. @item -s Create a summary change report instead of a patch. The summary includes information about files that were changed or added between the releases. It is sent to the standard output device. This is useful for finding out, for example, which files have changed between two dates or revisions. @item -t A diff of the top two revisions is sent to the standard output device. This is most useful for seeing what the last change to a file was. @item -u Use the unidiff format for the context diffs. Remember that old versions of the @code{patch} program can't handle the unidiff format, so if you plan to post this patch to the net you should probably not use @samp{-u}. @item -V @var{vn} Expand keywords according to the rules current in @sc{rcs} version @var{vn} (the expansion format changed with @sc{rcs} version 5). Note that this option is no longer accepted. @sc{cvs} will always expand keywords the way that @sc{rcs} version 5 does. @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node rdiff examples @appendixsubsec rdiff examples Suppose you receive mail from @t{foo@@example.net} asking for an update from release 1.2 to 1.4 of the tc compiler. You have no such patches on hand, but with @sc{cvs} that can easily be fixed with a command such as this: @example $ cvs rdiff -c -r FOO1_2 -r FOO1_4 tc | \ $$ Mail -s 'The patches you asked for' foo@@example.net @end example Suppose you have made release 1.3, and forked a branch called @samp{R_1_3fix} for bugfixes. @samp{R_1_3_1} corresponds to release 1.3.1, which was made some time ago. Now, you want to see how much development has been done on the branch. This command can be used: @example $ cvs patch -s -r R_1_3_1 -r R_1_3fix module-name cvs rdiff: Diffing module-name File ChangeLog,v changed from revision 1.52.2.5 to 1.52.2.6 File foo.c,v changed from revision 1.52.2.3 to 1.52.2.4 File bar.h,v changed from revision 1.29.2.1 to 1.2 @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node release @appendixsec release---Indicate that a Module is no longer in use @cindex release (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item release [-d] directories@dots{} @item Requires: Working directory. @item Changes: Working directory, history log. @end itemize This command is meant to safely cancel the effect of @samp{cvs checkout}. Since @sc{cvs} doesn't lock files, it isn't strictly necessary to use this command. You can always simply delete your working directory, if you like; but you risk losing changes you may have forgotten, and you leave no trace in the @sc{cvs} history file (@pxref{history file}) that you've abandoned your checkout. Use @samp{cvs release} to avoid these problems. This command checks that no uncommitted changes are present; that you are executing it from immediately above a @sc{cvs} working directory; and that the repository recorded for your files is the same as the repository defined in the module database. If all these conditions are true, @samp{cvs release} leaves a record of its execution (attesting to your intentionally abandoning your checkout) in the @sc{cvs} history log. @menu * release options:: release options * release output:: release output * release examples:: release examples @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node release options @appendixsubsec release options The @code{release} command supports one command option: @table @code @item -d Delete your working copy of the file if the release succeeds. If this flag is not given your files will remain in your working directory. @strong{Warning:} The @code{release} command deletes all directories and files recursively. This has the very serious side-effect that any directory that you have created inside your checked-out sources, and not added to the repository (using the @code{add} command; @pxref{Adding files}) will be silently deleted---even if it is non-empty! @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node release output @appendixsubsec release output Before @code{release} releases your sources it will print a one-line message for any file that is not up-to-date. @strong{Warning:} Any new directories that you have created, but not added to the @sc{cvs} directory hierarchy with the @code{add} command (@pxref{Adding files}) will be silently ignored (and deleted, if @samp{-d} is specified), even if they contain files. @c FIXCVS: This is a bug. But is it true? I think @c maybe they print "? dir" now. @table @code @item U @var{file} @itemx P @var{file} There exists a newer revision of this file in the repository, and you have not modified your local copy of the file (@samp{U} and @samp{P} mean the same thing). @item A @var{file} The file has been added to your private copy of the sources, but has not yet been committed to the repository. If you delete your copy of the sources this file will be lost. @item R @var{file} The file has been removed from your private copy of the sources, but has not yet been removed from the repository, since you have not yet committed the removal. @xref{commit}. @item M @var{file} The file is modified in your working directory. There might also be a newer revision inside the repository. @item ? @var{file} @var{file} is in your working directory, but does not correspond to anything in the source repository, and is not in the list of files for @sc{cvs} to ignore (see the description of the @samp{-I} option, and @pxref{cvsignore}). If you remove your working sources, this file will be lost. @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node release examples @appendixsubsec release examples Release the @file{tc} directory, and delete your local working copy of the files. @example $ cd .. # @r{You must stand immediately above the} # @r{sources when you issue @samp{cvs release}.} $ cvs release -d tc You have [0] altered files in this repository. Are you sure you want to release (and delete) directory `tc': y $ @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node update @appendixsec update---Bring work tree in sync with repository @cindex update (subcommand) @itemize @bullet @item update [-AdflPpR] [-d] [-r tag|-D date] files@dots{} @item Requires: repository, working directory. @item Changes: working directory. @end itemize After you've run checkout to create your private copy of source from the common repository, other developers will continue changing the central source. From time to time, when it is convenient in your development process, you can use the @code{update} command from within your working directory to reconcile your work with any revisions applied to the source repository since your last checkout or update. @menu * update options:: update options * update output:: update output @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node update options @appendixsubsec update options These standard options are available with @code{update} (@pxref{Common options}, for a complete description of them): @table @code @item -D date Use the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. This option is sticky, and implies @samp{-P}. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @item -f Only useful with the @samp{-D @var{date}} or @samp{-r @var{tag}} flags. If no matching revision is found, retrieve the most recent revision (instead of ignoring the file). @item -k @var{kflag} Process keywords according to @var{kflag}. See @ref{Keyword substitution}. This option is sticky; future updates of this file in this working directory will use the same @var{kflag}. The @code{status} command can be viewed to see the sticky options. See @ref{Invoking CVS}, for more information on the @code{status} command. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Moving directories}. @item -p Pipe files to the standard output. @item -R Update directories recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r rev Retrieve revision/tag @var{rev}. This option is sticky, and implies @samp{-P}. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @end table @need 800 These special options are also available with @code{update}. @table @code @item -A Reset any sticky tags, dates, or @samp{-k} options. See @ref{Sticky tags}, for more information on sticky tags/dates. @item -C Overwrite locally modified files with clean copies from the repository (the modified file is saved in @file{.#@var{file}.@var{revision}}, however). @item -d Create any directories that exist in the repository if they're missing from the working directory. Normally, @code{update} acts only on directories and files that were already enrolled in your working directory. This is useful for updating directories that were created in the repository since the initial checkout; but it has an unfortunate side effect. If you deliberately avoided certain directories in the repository when you created your working directory (either through use of a module name or by listing explicitly the files and directories you wanted on the command line), then updating with @samp{-d} will create those directories, which may not be what you want. @item -I @var{name} Ignore files whose names match @var{name} (in your working directory) during the update. You can specify @samp{-I} more than once on the command line to specify several files to ignore. Use @samp{-I !} to avoid ignoring any files at all. @xref{cvsignore}, for other ways to make @sc{cvs} ignore some files. @item -W@var{spec} Specify file names that should be filtered during update. You can use this option repeatedly. @var{spec} can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can specify in the @file{.cvswrappers} file. @xref{Wrappers}. @item -j@var{revision} With two @samp{-j} options, merge changes from the revision specified with the first @samp{-j} option to the revision specified with the second @samp{j} option, into the working directory. With one @samp{-j} option, merge changes from the ancestor revision to the revision specified with the @samp{-j} option, into the working directory. The ancestor revision is the common ancestor of the revision which the working directory is based on, and the revision specified in the @samp{-j} option. Note that using a single @samp{-j @var{tagname}} option rather than @samp{-j @var{branchname}} to merge changes from a branch will often not remove files which were removed on the branch. @xref{Merging adds and removals}, for more. In addition, each @samp{-j} option can contain an optional date specification which, when used with branches, can limit the chosen revision to one within a specific date. An optional date is specified by adding a colon (:) to the tag: @samp{-j@var{Symbolic_Tag}:@var{Date_Specifier}}. @xref{Branching and merging}. @end table @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node update output @appendixsubsec update output @code{update} and @code{checkout} keep you informed of their progress by printing a line for each file, preceded by one character indicating the status of the file: @table @code @item U @var{file} The file was brought up to date with respect to the repository. This is done for any file that exists in the repository but not in your source, and for files that you haven't changed but are not the most recent versions available in the repository. @item P @var{file} Like @samp{U}, but the @sc{cvs} server sends a patch instead of an entire file. These two things accomplish the same thing. @item A @var{file} The file has been added to your private copy of the sources, and will be added to the source repository when you run @code{commit} on the file. This is a reminder to you that the file needs to be committed. @item R @var{file} The file has been removed from your private copy of the sources, and will be removed from the source repository when you run @code{commit} on the file. This is a reminder to you that the file needs to be committed. @item M @var{file} The file is modified in your working directory. @samp{M} can indicate one of two states for a file you're working on: either there were no modifications to the same file in the repository, so that your file remains as you last saw it; or there were modifications in the repository as well as in your copy, but they were merged successfully, without conflict, in your working directory. @sc{cvs} will print some messages if it merges your work, and a backup copy of your working file (as it looked before you ran @code{update}) will be made. The exact name of that file is printed while @code{update} runs. @item C @var{file} @cindex .# files @cindex __ files (VMS) A conflict was detected while trying to merge your changes to @var{file} with changes from the source repository. @var{file} (the copy in your working directory) is now the result of attempting to merge the two revisions; an unmodified copy of your file is also in your working directory, with the name @file{.#@var{file}.@var{revision}} where @var{revision} is the revision that your modified file started from. Resolve the conflict as described in @ref{Conflicts example}. @c "some systems" as in out-of-the-box OSes? Not as @c far as I know. We need to advise sysadmins as well @c as users how to set up this kind of purge, if that is @c what they want. @c We also might want to think about cleaner solutions, @c like having CVS remove the .# file once the conflict @c has been resolved or something like that. (Note that some systems automatically purge files that begin with @file{.#} if they have not been accessed for a few days. If you intend to keep a copy of your original file, it is a very good idea to rename it.) Under @sc{vms}, the file name starts with @file{__} rather than @file{.#}. @item ? @var{file} @var{file} is in your working directory, but does not correspond to anything in the source repository, and is not in the list of files for @sc{cvs} to ignore (see the description of the @samp{-I} option, and @pxref{cvsignore}). @end table @node Invoking CVS @appendix Quick reference to CVS commands @cindex Command reference @cindex Reference, commands @cindex Invoking CVS This appendix describes how to invoke @sc{cvs}, with references to where each command or feature is described in detail. For other references run the @code{cvs --help} command, or see @ref{Index}. A @sc{cvs} command looks like: @example cvs [ @var{global_options} ] @var{command} [ @var{command_options} ] [ @var{command_args} ] @end example Global options: @table @code @item --allow-root=@var{rootdir} Specify legal @sc{cvsroot} directory (server only) (not in @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older). See @ref{Password authentication server}. @item -a Authenticate all communication (client only) (not in @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older). See @ref{Global options}. @item -b Specify RCS location (@sc{cvs} 1.9 and older). See @ref{Global options}. @item -d @var{root} Specify the @sc{cvsroot}. See @ref{Repository}. @item -e @var{editor} Edit messages with @var{editor}. See @ref{Committing your changes}. @item -f Do not read the @file{~/.cvsrc} file. See @ref{Global options}. @item -H @itemx --help Print a help message. See @ref{Global options}. @item -l Do not log in @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history} file. See @ref{Global options}. @item -n Do not change any files. See @ref{Global options}. @item -Q Be really quiet. See @ref{Global options}. @item -q Be somewhat quiet. See @ref{Global options}. @item -r Make new working files read-only. See @ref{Global options}. @item -s @var{variable}=@var{value} Set a user variable. See @ref{Variables}. @item -T @var{tempdir} Put temporary files in @var{tempdir}. See @ref{Global options}. @item -t Trace @sc{cvs} execution. See @ref{Global options}. @item -v @item --version Display version and copyright information for @sc{cvs}. @item -w Make new working files read-write. See @ref{Global options}. @item -x Encrypt all communication (client only). See @ref{Global options}. @item -z @var{gzip-level} @cindex Compression @cindex Gzip Set the compression level (client only). See @ref{Global options}. @end table Keyword expansion modes (@pxref{Substitution modes}): @example -kkv $@asis{}Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp $ -kkvl $@asis{}Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $ -kk $@asis{}Id$ -kv file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp -ko @i{no expansion} -kb @i{no expansion, file is binary} @end example Keywords (@pxref{Keyword list}): @example $@asis{}Author: joe $ $@asis{}Date: 1993/12/09 03:21:13 $ $@asis{}Header: /home/files/file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $ $@asis{}Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $ $@asis{}Locker: harry $ $@asis{}Name: snapshot_1_14 $ $@asis{}RCSfile: file1,v $ $@asis{}Revision: 1.1 $ $@asis{}Source: /home/files/file1,v $ $@asis{}State: Exp $ $@asis{}Log: file1,v $ Revision 1.1 1993/12/09 03:30:17 joe Initial revision @end example @c The idea behind this table is that we want each item @c to be a sentence or two at most. Preferably a @c single line. @c @c In some cases refs to "foo options" are just to get @c this thing written quickly, not because the "foo @c options" node is really the best place to point. Commands, command options, and command arguments: @table @code @item add [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Add a new file/directory. See @ref{Adding files}. @table @code @item -k @var{kflag} Set keyword expansion. @item -m @var{msg} Set file description. @end table @item admin [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Administration of history files in the repository. See @ref{admin}. @c This list omits those options which are not @c documented as being useful with CVS. That might be @c a mistake... @table @code @item -b[@var{rev}] Set default branch. See @ref{Reverting local changes}. @item -c@var{string} Set comment leader. @item -k@var{subst} Set keyword substitution. See @ref{Keyword substitution}. @item -l[@var{rev}] Lock revision @var{rev}, or latest revision. @item -m@var{rev}:@var{msg} Replace the log message of revision @var{rev} with @var{msg}. @item -o@var{range} Delete revisions from the repository. See @ref{admin options}. @item -q Run quietly; do not print diagnostics. @item -s@var{state}[:@var{rev}] Set the state. @c Does not work for client/server CVS @item -t Set file description from standard input. @item -t@var{file} Set file description from @var{file}. @item -t-@var{string} Set file description to @var{string}. @item -u[@var{rev}] Unlock revision @var{rev}, or latest revision. @end table @item annotate [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Show last revision where each line was modified. See @ref{annotate}. @table @code @item -D @var{date} Annotate the most recent revision no later than @var{date}. See @ref{Common options}. @item -f Use head revision if tag/date not found. See @ref{Common options}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{tag} Annotate revision @var{tag}. See @ref{Common options}. @end table @item checkout [@var{options}] @var{modules}@dots{} Get a copy of the sources. See @ref{checkout}. @table @code @item -A Reset any sticky tags/date/options. See @ref{Sticky tags} and @ref{Keyword substitution}. @item -c Output the module database. See @ref{checkout options}. @item -D @var{date} Check out revisions as of @var{date} (is sticky). See @ref{Common options}. @item -d @var{dir} Check out into @var{dir}. See @ref{checkout options}. @item -f Use head revision if tag/date not found. See @ref{Common options}. @c Probably want to use rev1/rev2 style like for diff @c -r. Here and in on-line help. @item -j @var{rev} Merge in changes. See @ref{checkout options}. @item -k @var{kflag} Use @var{kflag} keyword expansion. See @ref{Substitution modes}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -N Don't ``shorten'' module paths if -d specified. See @ref{checkout options}. @item -n Do not run module program (if any). See @ref{checkout options}. @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Moving directories}. @item -p Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness). See @ref{checkout options}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{tag} Checkout revision @var{tag} (is sticky). See @ref{Common options}. @item -s Like -c, but include module status. See @ref{checkout options}. @end table @item commit [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Check changes into the repository. See @ref{commit}. @table @code @item -F @var{file} Read log message from @var{file}. See @ref{commit options}. @item -f @c What is this "disables recursion"? It is from the @c on-line help; is it documented in this manual? Force the file to be committed; disables recursion. See @ref{commit options}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -m @var{msg} Use @var{msg} as log message. See @ref{commit options}. @item -n Do not run module program (if any). See @ref{commit options}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{rev} Commit to @var{rev}. See @ref{commit options}. @c FIXME: should be dragging over text from @c commit options, especially if it can be cleaned up @c and made concise enough. @end table @item diff [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Show differences between revisions. See @ref{diff}. In addition to the options shown below, accepts a wide variety of options to control output style, for example @samp{-c} for context diffs. @table @code @item -D @var{date1} Diff revision for date against working file. See @ref{diff options}. @item -D @var{date2} Diff @var{rev1}/@var{date1} against @var{date2}. See @ref{diff options}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -N Include diffs for added and removed files. See @ref{diff options}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{rev1} Diff revision for @var{rev1} against working file. See @ref{diff options}. @item -r @var{rev2} Diff @var{rev1}/@var{date1} against @var{rev2}. See @ref{diff options}. @end table @item edit [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Get ready to edit a watched file. See @ref{Editing files}. @table @code @item -a @var{actions} Specify actions for temporary watch, where @var{actions} is @code{edit}, @code{unedit}, @code{commit}, @code{all}, or @code{none}. See @ref{Editing files}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @item editors [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] See who is editing a watched file. See @ref{Watch information}. @table @code @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @item export [@var{options}] @var{modules}@dots{} Export files from @sc{cvs}. See @ref{export}. @table @code @item -D @var{date} Check out revisions as of @var{date}. See @ref{Common options}. @item -d @var{dir} Check out into @var{dir}. See @ref{export options}. @item -f Use head revision if tag/date not found. See @ref{Common options}. @item -k @var{kflag} Use @var{kflag} keyword expansion. See @ref{Substitution modes}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -N Don't ``shorten'' module paths if -d specified. See @ref{export options}. @item -n Do not run module program (if any). See @ref{export options}. @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Moving directories}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{tag} Checkout revision @var{tag}. See @ref{Common options}. @end table @item history [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Show repository access history. See @ref{history}. @table @code @item -a All users (default is self). See @ref{history options}. @item -b @var{str} Back to record with @var{str} in module/file/repos field. See @ref{history options}. @item -c Report on committed (modified) files. See @ref{history options}. @item -D @var{date} Since @var{date}. See @ref{history options}. @item -e Report on all record types. See @ref{history options}. @item -l Last modified (committed or modified report). See @ref{history options}. @item -m @var{module} Report on @var{module} (repeatable). See @ref{history options}. @item -n @var{module} In @var{module}. See @ref{history options}. @item -o Report on checked out modules. See @ref{history options}. @item -r @var{rev} Since revision @var{rev}. See @ref{history options}. @item -T @c What the @#$@# is a TAG? Same as a tag? This @c wording is also in the online-line help. Produce report on all TAGs. See @ref{history options}. @item -t @var{tag} Since tag record placed in history file (by anyone). See @ref{history options}. @item -u @var{user} For user @var{user} (repeatable). See @ref{history options}. @item -w Working directory must match. See @ref{history options}. @item -x @var{types} Report on @var{types}, one or more of @code{TOEFWUCGMAR}. See @ref{history options}. @item -z @var{zone} Output for time zone @var{zone}. See @ref{history options}. @end table @item import [@var{options}] @var{repository} @var{vendor-tag} @var{release-tags}@dots{} Import files into @sc{cvs}, using vendor branches. See @ref{import}. @table @code @item -b @var{bra} Import to vendor branch @var{bra}. See @ref{Multiple vendor branches}. @item -d Use the file's modification time as the time of import. See @ref{import options}. @item -k @var{kflag} Set default keyword substitution mode. See @ref{import options}. @item -m @var{msg} Use @var{msg} for log message. See @ref{import options}. @item -I @var{ign} More files to ignore (! to reset). See @ref{import options}. @item -W @var{spec} More wrappers. See @ref{import options}. @end table @item init Create a @sc{cvs} repository if it doesn't exist. See @ref{Creating a repository}. @item log [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Print out history information for files. See @ref{log}. @table @code @item -b Only list revisions on the default branch. See @ref{log options}. @item -d @var{dates} Specify dates (@var{d1}<@var{d2} for range, @var{d} for latest before). See @ref{log options}. @item -h Only print header. See @ref{log options}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -N Do not list tags. See @ref{log options}. @item -R Only print name of RCS file. See @ref{log options}. @item -r@var{revs} Only list revisions @var{revs}. See @ref{log options}. @item -s @var{states} Only list revisions with specified states. See @ref{log options}. @item -t Only print header and descriptive text. See @ref{log options}. @item -w@var{logins} Only list revisions checked in by specified logins. See @ref{log options}. @end table @item login Prompt for password for authenticating server. See @ref{Password authentication client}. @item logout Remove stored password for authenticating server. See @ref{Password authentication client}. @item rdiff [@var{options}] @var{modules}@dots{} Show differences between releases. See @ref{rdiff}. @table @code @item -c Context diff output format (default). See @ref{rdiff options}. @item -D @var{date} Select revisions based on @var{date}. See @ref{Common options}. @item -f Use head revision if tag/date not found. See @ref{Common options}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{rev} Select revisions based on @var{rev}. See @ref{Common options}. @item -s Short patch - one liner per file. See @ref{rdiff options}. @item -t Top two diffs - last change made to the file. See @ref{diff options}. @item -u Unidiff output format. See @ref{rdiff options}. @item -V @var{vers} Use RCS Version @var{vers} for keyword expansion (obsolete). See @ref{rdiff options}. @end table @item release [@var{options}] @var{directory} Indicate that a directory is no longer in use. See @ref{release}. @table @code @item -d Delete the given directory. See @ref{release options}. @end table @item remove [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Remove an entry from the repository. See @ref{Removing files}. @table @code @item -f Delete the file before removing it. See @ref{Removing files}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @item rtag [@var{options}] @var{tag} @var{modules}@dots{} Add a symbolic tag to a module. See @ref{Revisions} and @ref{Branching and merging}. @table @code @item -a Clear tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged. See @ref{Tagging add/remove}. @item -b Create a branch named @var{tag}. See @ref{Branching and merging}. @item -D @var{date} Tag revisions as of @var{date}. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @item -d Delete @var{tag}. See @ref{Modifying tags}. @item -F Move @var{tag} if it already exists. See @ref{Modifying tags}. @item -f Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -n No execution of tag program. See @ref{Common options}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{rev} Tag existing tag @var{rev}. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @end table @item status [@var{options}] @var{files}@dots{} Display status information in a working directory. See @ref{File status}. @table @code @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -v Include tag information for file. See @ref{Tags}. @end table @item tag [@var{options}] @var{tag} [@var{files}@dots{}] Add a symbolic tag to checked out version of files. See @ref{Revisions} and @ref{Branching and merging}. @table @code @item -b Create a branch named @var{tag}. See @ref{Branching and merging}. @item -c Check that working files are unmodified. See @ref{Tagging the working directory}. @item -D @var{date} Tag revisions as of @var{date}. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @item -d Delete @var{tag}. See @ref{Modifying tags}. @item -F Move @var{tag} if it already exists. See @ref{Modifying tags}. @item -f Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{rev} Tag existing tag @var{rev}. See @ref{Tagging by date/tag}. @end table @item unedit [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Undo an edit command. See @ref{Editing files}. @table @code @item -a @var{actions} Specify actions for temporary watch, where @var{actions} is @code{edit}, @code{unedit}, @code{commit}, @code{all}, or @code{none}. See @ref{Editing files}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @item update [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] Bring work tree in sync with repository. See @ref{update}. @table @code @item -A Reset any sticky tags/date/options. See @ref{Sticky tags} and @ref{Keyword substitution}. @item -C Overwrite locally modified files with clean copies from the repository (the modified file is saved in @file{.#@var{file}.@var{revision}}, however). @item -D @var{date} Check out revisions as of @var{date} (is sticky). See @ref{Common options}. @item -d Create directories. See @ref{update options}. @item -f Use head revision if tag/date not found. See @ref{Common options}. @item -I @var{ign} More files to ignore (! to reset). See @ref{import options}. @c Probably want to use rev1/rev2 style like for diff @c -r. Here and in on-line help. @item -j @var{rev} Merge in changes. See @ref{update options}. @item -k @var{kflag} Use @var{kflag} keyword expansion. See @ref{Substitution modes}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -P Prune empty directories. See @ref{Moving directories}. @item -p Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness). See @ref{update options}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @item -r @var{tag} Checkout revision @var{tag} (is sticky). See @ref{Common options}. @item -W @var{spec} More wrappers. See @ref{import options}. @end table @item version @cindex version (subcommand) Display the version of @sc{cvs} being used. If the repository is remote, display both the client and server versions. @item watch [on|off|add|remove] [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] on/off: turn on/off read-only checkouts of files. See @ref{Setting a watch}. add/remove: add or remove notification on actions. See @ref{Getting Notified}. @table @code @item -a @var{actions} Specify actions for temporary watch, where @var{actions} is @code{edit}, @code{unedit}, @code{commit}, @code{all}, or @code{none}. See @ref{Editing files}. @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @item watchers [@var{options}] [@var{files}@dots{}] See who is watching a file. See @ref{Watch information}. @table @code @item -l Local; run only in current working directory. See @ref{Recursive behavior}. @item -R Operate recursively (default). @xref{Recursive behavior}. @end table @end table @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Administrative files @appendix Reference manual for Administrative files @cindex Administrative files (reference) @cindex Files, reference manual @cindex Reference manual (files) @cindex CVSROOT (file) @c FIXME? Somewhere there needs to be a more "how-to" @c guide to writing these. I think the triggers @c (commitinfo, loginfo, taginfo, &c) are perhaps a @c different case than files like modules. One @c particular issue that people sometimes are @c (unnecessarily?) worried about is performance, and @c the impact of writing in perl or sh or ____. Inside the repository, in the directory @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT}, there are a number of supportive files for @sc{cvs}. You can use @sc{cvs} in a limited fashion without any of them, but if they are set up properly they can help make life easier. For a discussion of how to edit them, see @ref{Intro administrative files}. The most important of these files is the @file{modules} file, which defines the modules inside the repository. @menu * modules:: Defining modules * Wrappers:: Specify binary-ness based on file name * commit files:: The commit support files * commitinfo:: Pre-commit checking * verifymsg:: How are log messages evaluated? * editinfo:: Specifying how log messages are created (obsolete) * loginfo:: Where should log messages be sent? * rcsinfo:: Templates for the log messages * cvsignore:: Ignoring files via cvsignore * checkoutlist:: Adding your own administrative files * history file:: History information * Variables:: Various variables are expanded * config:: Miscellaneous CVS configuration @end menu @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node modules @appendixsec The modules file @cindex Modules (admin file) @cindex Defining modules (reference manual) The @file{modules} file records your definitions of names for collections of source code. @sc{cvs} will use these definitions if you use @sc{cvs} to update the modules file (use normal commands like @code{add}, @code{commit}, etc). The @file{modules} file may contain blank lines and comments (lines beginning with @samp{#}) as well as module definitions. Long lines can be continued on the next line by specifying a backslash (@samp{\}) as the last character on the line. There are three basic types of modules: alias modules, regular modules, and ampersand modules. The difference between them is the way that they map files in the repository to files in the working directory. In all of the following examples, the top-level repository contains a directory called @file{first-dir}, which contains two files, @file{file1} and @file{file2}, and a directory @file{sdir}. @file{first-dir/sdir} contains a file @file{sfile}. @c FIXME: should test all the examples in this section. @menu * Alias modules:: The simplest kind of module * Regular modules:: * Ampersand modules:: * Excluding directories:: Excluding directories from a module * Module options:: Regular and ampersand modules can take options * Module program options:: How the modules ``program options'' programs are run. @end menu @node Alias modules @appendixsubsec Alias modules @cindex Alias modules @cindex -a, in modules file Alias modules are the simplest kind of module: @table @code @item @var{mname} -a @var{aliases}@dots{} This represents the simplest way of defining a module @var{mname}. The @samp{-a} flags the definition as a simple alias: @sc{cvs} will treat any use of @var{mname} (as a command argument) as if the list of names @var{aliases} had been specified instead. @var{aliases} may contain either other module names or paths. When you use paths in aliases, @code{checkout} creates all intermediate directories in the working directory, just as if the path had been specified explicitly in the @sc{cvs} arguments. @end table For example, if the modules file contains: @example amodule -a first-dir @end example @noindent then the following two commands are equivalent: @example $ cvs co amodule $ cvs co first-dir @end example @noindent and they each would provide output such as: @example cvs checkout: Updating first-dir U first-dir/file1 U first-dir/file2 cvs checkout: Updating first-dir/sdir U first-dir/sdir/sfile @end example @node Regular modules @appendixsubsec Regular modules @cindex Regular modules @table @code @item @var{mname} [ options ] @var{dir} [ @var{files}@dots{} ] In the simplest case, this form of module definition reduces to @samp{@var{mname} @var{dir}}. This defines all the files in directory @var{dir} as module mname. @var{dir} is a relative path (from @code{$CVSROOT}) to a directory of source in the source repository. In this case, on checkout, a single directory called @var{mname} is created as a working directory; no intermediate directory levels are used by default, even if @var{dir} was a path involving several directory levels. @end table For example, if a module is defined by: @example regmodule first-dir @end example @noindent then regmodule will contain the files from first-dir: @example $ cvs co regmodule cvs checkout: Updating regmodule U regmodule/file1 U regmodule/file2 cvs checkout: Updating regmodule/sdir U regmodule/sdir/sfile $ @end example By explicitly specifying files in the module definition after @var{dir}, you can select particular files from directory @var{dir}. Here is an example: @example regfiles first-dir/sdir sfile @end example @noindent With this definition, getting the regfiles module will create a single working directory @file{regfiles} containing the file listed, which comes from a directory deeper in the @sc{cvs} source repository: @example $ cvs co regfiles U regfiles/sfile $ @end example @node Ampersand modules @appendixsubsec Ampersand modules @cindex Ampersand modules @cindex &, in modules file A module definition can refer to other modules by including @samp{&@var{module}} in its definition. @example @var{mname} [ options ] @var{&module}@dots{} @end example Then getting the module creates a subdirectory for each such module, in the directory containing the module. For example, if modules contains @example ampermod &first-dir @end example then a checkout will create an @code{ampermod} directory which contains a directory called @code{first-dir}, which in turns contains all the directories and files which live there. For example, the command @example $ cvs co ampermod @end example @noindent will create the following files: @example ampermod/first-dir/file1 ampermod/first-dir/file2 ampermod/first-dir/sdir/sfile @end example There is one quirk/bug: the messages that @sc{cvs} prints omit the @file{ampermod}, and thus do not correctly display the location to which it is checking out the files: @example $ cvs co ampermod cvs checkout: Updating first-dir U first-dir/file1 U first-dir/file2 cvs checkout: Updating first-dir/sdir U first-dir/sdir/sfile $ @end example Do not rely on this buggy behavior; it may get fixed in a future release of @sc{cvs}. @c FIXCVS: What happens if regular and & modules are @c combined, as in "ampermodule first-dir &second-dir"? @c When I tried it, it seemed to just ignore the @c "first-dir". I think perhaps it should be an error @c (but this needs further investigation). @c In addition to discussing what each one does, we @c should put in a few words about why you would use one or @c the other in various situations. @node Excluding directories @appendixsubsec Excluding directories @cindex Excluding directories, in modules file @cindex !, in modules file An alias module may exclude particular directories from other modules by using an exclamation mark (@samp{!}) before the name of each directory to be excluded. For example, if the modules file contains: @example exmodule -a !first-dir/sdir first-dir @end example then checking out the module @samp{exmodule} will check out everything in @samp{first-dir} except any files in the subdirectory @samp{first-dir/sdir}. @c Note that the "!first-dir/sdir" sometimes must be listed @c before "first-dir". That seems like a probable bug, in which @c case perhaps it should be fixed (to allow either @c order) rather than documented. See modules4 in testsuite. @node Module options @appendixsubsec Module options @cindex Options, in modules file Either regular modules or ampersand modules can contain options, which supply additional information concerning the module. @table @code @cindex -d, in modules file @item -d @var{name} Name the working directory something other than the module name. @c FIXME: Needs a bunch of examples, analogous to the @c examples for alias, regular, and ampersand modules @c which show where the files go without -d. @cindex Export program @cindex -e, in modules file @item -e @var{prog} Specify a program @var{prog} to run whenever files in a module are exported. @var{prog} runs with a single argument, the module name. @c FIXME: Is it run on server? client? @cindex Checkin program @cindex -i, in modules file @item -i @var{prog} Specify a program @var{prog} to run whenever files in a module are committed. @var{prog} runs with a single argument, the full pathname of the affected directory in a source repository. The @file{commitinfo}, @file{loginfo}, and @file{verifymsg} files provide other ways to call a program on commit. @c FIXME: Is it run on server? client? @cindex Checkout program @cindex -o, in modules file @item -o @var{prog} Specify a program @var{prog} to run whenever files in a module are checked out. @var{prog} runs with a single argument, the module name. @c FIXME: Is it run on server? client? @cindex Status of a module @cindex Module status @cindex -s, in modules file @item -s @var{status} Assign a status to the module. When the module file is printed with @samp{cvs checkout -s} the modules are sorted according to primarily module status, and secondarily according to the module name. This option has no other meaning. You can use this option for several things besides status: for instance, list the person that is responsible for this module. @cindex Tag program @cindex -t, in modules file @item -t @var{prog} Specify a program @var{prog} to run whenever files in a module are tagged with @code{rtag}. @var{prog} runs with two arguments: the module name and the symbolic tag specified to @code{rtag}. It is not run when @code{tag} is executed. Generally you will find that taginfo is a better solution (@pxref{user-defined logging}). @c FIXME: Is it run on server? client? @c Problems with -t include: @c * It is run after the tag not before @c * It doesn't get passed all the information that @c taginfo does ("mov", &c). @c * It only is run for rtag, not tag. @cindex Update program @cindex -u, in modules file @item -u @var{prog} Specify a program @var{prog} to run whenever @samp{cvs update} is executed from the top-level directory of the checked-out module. @var{prog} runs with a single argument, the full path to the source repository for this module. @c FIXME: Is it run on server? client? @c One drawback of -u and -i are that CVS/Update.prog @c and CVS/Checkin.prog only get updated on initial @c checkout, and don't get updated if the modules file @c changes. Also, the user can edit them, which means @c they are no good for security-type stuff. @end table You should also see @pxref{Module program options} about how the ``program options'' programs are run. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Module program options @appendixsubsec How the modules file ``program options'' programs are run @cindex Modules file program options @cindex -u, in modules file @cindex -t, in modules file @cindex -o, in modules file @cindex -i, in modules file @cindex -e, in modules file @noindent For checkout, rtag, and export, the program is server-based, and as such the following applies:- If using remote access methods (pserver, ext, etc.), @sc{cvs} will execute this program on the server from a temporary directory. The path is searched for this program. If using ``local access'' (on a local or remote NFS filesystem, i.e. repository set just to a path), the program will be executed from the newly checked-out tree, if found there, or alternatively searched for in the path if not. @noindent The commit and update programs are locally-based, and are run as follows:- The program is always run locally. One must re-checkout the tree one is using if these options are updated in the modules administrative file. The file CVS/Checkin.prog contains the value of the option `-i' set in the modules file, and similarly for the file CVS/Update.prog and `-u'. The program is always executed from the top level of the checked-out copy on the client. Again, the program is first searched for in the checked-out copy and then using the path. The programs are all run after the operation has effectively completed. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node Wrappers @appendixsec The cvswrappers file @cindex cvswrappers (admin file) @cindex CVSWRAPPERS, environment variable @cindex Wrappers @c FIXME: need some better way of separating this out @c by functionality. -t/-f is one feature, -m is @c another, and -k is a third. And this discussion @c should be better motivated (e.g. start with the @c problems, then explain how the feature solves it). Wrappers refers to a @sc{cvs} feature which lets you control certain settings based on the name of the file which is being operated on. The settings are @samp{-k} for binary files, and @samp{-m} for nonmergeable text files. @ignore Wrappers allow you to set a hook which transforms files on their way in and out of @sc{cvs}. The file @file{cvswrappers} defines the script that will be run on a file when its name matches a regular expression. There are two scripts that can be run on a file or directory. One script is executed on the file/directory before being checked into the repository (this is denoted with the @code{-t} flag) and the other when the file is checked out of the repository (this is denoted with the @code{-f} flag). The @samp{-t}/@samp{-f} feature does not work with client/server @sc{cvs}. @c I think maybe -t/-f works client/server if a single @c file converts to/from a single file, as opposed to @c the file<->directory case. Could use more @c investigation... @end ignore The @samp{-m} option specifies the merge methodology that should be used when a non-binary file is updated. @code{MERGE} means the usual @sc{cvs} behavior: try to merge the files. @code{COPY} means that @code{cvs update} will refuse to merge files, as it also does for files specified as binary with @samp{-kb} (but if the file is specified as binary, there is no need to specify @samp{-m 'COPY'}). @sc{cvs} will provide the user with the two versions of the files, and require the user using mechanisms outside @sc{cvs}, to insert any necessary changes. @strong{WARNING}: do not use @code{COPY} with @sc{cvs} 1.9 or earlier--such versions of @sc{cvs} will copy one version of your file over the other, wiping out the previous contents. @c Ordinarily we don't document the behavior of old @c versions. But this one is so dangerous, I think we @c must. I almost renamed it to -m 'NOMERGE' so we @c could say "never use -m 'COPY'". The @samp{-m} wrapper option only affects behavior when merging is done on update; it does not affect how files are stored. See @ref{Binary files}, for more on binary files. The basic format of the file @file{cvswrappers} is: @c FIXME: @example is all wrong for this. Use @deffn or @c something more sensible. @example wildcard [option value][option value]... where option is one of @ignore -f from cvs filter value: path to filter -t to cvs filter value: path to filter @end ignore -m update methodology value: MERGE or COPY -k keyword expansion value: expansion mode and value is a single-quote delimited value. @end example @ignore @example *.nib -f 'unwrap %s' -t 'wrap %s %s' -m 'COPY' *.c -t 'indent %s %s' @end example @c When does the filter need to be an absolute pathname @c and when will something like the above work? I @c suspect it relates to the PATH of the server (which @c in turn depends on all kinds of stuff, e.g. inetd @c for pserver). I'm not sure whether/where to discuss @c this. @c FIXME: What do the %s's stand for? @noindent The above example of a @file{cvswrappers} file states that all files/directories that end with a @code{.nib} should be filtered with the @file{wrap} program before checking the file into the repository. The file should be filtered though the @file{unwrap} program when the file is checked out of the repository. The @file{cvswrappers} file also states that a @code{COPY} methodology should be used when updating the files in the repository (that is, no merging should be performed). @c What pitfalls arise when using indent this way? Is @c it a winning thing to do? Would be nice to at least @c hint at those issues; we want our examples to tell @c how to solve problems, not just to say that cvs can @c do certain things. The last example line says that all files that end with @code{.c} should be filtered with @file{indent} before being checked into the repository. Unlike the previous example, no filtering of the @code{.c} file is done when it is checked out of the repository. @noindent The @code{-t} filter is called with two arguments, the first is the name of the file/directory to filter and the second is the pathname to where the resulting filtered file should be placed. @noindent The @code{-f} filter is called with one argument, which is the name of the file to filter from. The end result of this filter will be a file in the users directory that they can work on as they normally would. Note that the @samp{-t}/@samp{-f} features do not conveniently handle one portion of @sc{cvs}'s operation: determining when files are modified. @sc{cvs} will still want a file (or directory) to exist, and it will use its modification time to determine whether a file is modified. If @sc{cvs} erroneously thinks a file is unmodified (for example, a directory is unchanged but one of the files within it is changed), you can force it to check in the file anyway by specifying the @samp{-f} option to @code{cvs commit} (@pxref{commit options}). @c This is, of course, a serious design flaw in -t/-f. @c Probably the whole functionality needs to be @c redesigned (starting from requirements) to fix this. @end ignore @c FIXME: We don't document -W or point to where it is @c documented. Or .cvswrappers. For example, the following command imports a directory, treating files whose name ends in @samp{.exe} as binary: @example cvs import -I ! -W "*.exe -k 'b'" first-dir vendortag reltag @end example @c Another good example, would be storing files @c (e.g. binary files) compressed in the repository. @c :::::::::::::::::: @c cvswrappers @c :::::::::::::::::: @c *.t12 -m 'COPY' @c *.t[0-9][0-9] -f 'gunzipcp %s' -t 'gzipcp %s %s' -m 'COPY' @c @c :::::::::::::::::: @c gunzipcp @c :::::::::::::::::: @c : @c [ -f $1 ] || exit 1 @c zcat $1 > /tmp/.#$1.$$ @c mv /tmp/.#$1.$$ $1 @c @c :::::::::::::::::: @c gzipcp @c :::::::::::::::::: @c : @c DIRNAME=`echo $1 | sed -e "s|/.*/||g"` @c if [ ! -d $DIRNAME ] ; then @c DIRNAME=`echo $1 | sed -e "s|.*/||g"` @c fi @c gzip -c $DIRNAME > $2 @c One catch--"cvs diff" will not invoke the wrappers @c (probably a CVS bug, although I haven't thought it out). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node commit files @appendixsec The commit support files @cindex Commit files The @samp{-i} flag in the @file{modules} file can be used to run a certain program whenever files are committed (@pxref{modules}). The files described in this section provide other, more flexible, ways to run programs whenever something is committed. There are three kind of programs that can be run on commit. They are specified in files in the repository, as described below. The following table summarizes the file names and the purpose of the corresponding programs. @table @file @item commitinfo The program is responsible for checking that the commit is allowed. If it exits with a non-zero exit status the commit will be aborted. @item verifymsg The specified program is used to evaluate the log message, and possibly verify that it contains all required fields. This is most useful in combination with the @file{rcsinfo} file, which can hold a log message template (@pxref{rcsinfo}). @item editinfo The specified program is used to edit the log message, and possibly verify that it contains all required fields. This is most useful in combination with the @file{rcsinfo} file, which can hold a log message template (@pxref{rcsinfo}). (obsolete) @item loginfo The specified program is called when the commit is complete. It receives the log message and some additional information and can store the log message in a file, or mail it to appropriate persons, or maybe post it to a local newsgroup, or@dots{} Your imagination is the limit! @end table @menu * syntax:: The common syntax @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node syntax @appendixsubsec The common syntax @cindex Info files (syntax) @cindex Syntax of info files @cindex Common syntax of info files @c FIXME: having this so totally separate from the @c Variables node is rather bogus. The administrative files such as @file{commitinfo}, @file{loginfo}, @file{rcsinfo}, @file{verifymsg}, etc., all have a common format. The purpose of the files are described later on. The common syntax is described here. @cindex Regular expression syntax Each line contains the following: @itemize @bullet @item @c Say anything about DEFAULT and ALL? Right now we @c leave that to the description of each file (and in fact @c the practice is inconsistent which is really annoying). A regular expression. This is a basic regular expression in the syntax used by GNU emacs. @c FIXME: What we probably should be saying is "POSIX Basic @c Regular Expression with the following extensions (`\(' @c `\|' '+' etc)" @c rather than define it with reference to emacs. @c The reference to emacs is not strictly speaking @c true, as we don't support \=, \s, or \S. Also it isn't @c clear we should document and/or promise to continue to @c support all the obscure emacs extensions like \<. @c Also need to better cite (or include) full @c documentation for the syntax. @c Also see comment in configure.in about what happens to the @c syntax if we pick up a system-supplied regexp matcher. @item A whitespace separator---one or more spaces and/or tabs. @item A file name or command-line template. @end itemize @noindent Blank lines are ignored. Lines that start with the character @samp{#} are treated as comments. Long lines unfortunately can @emph{not} be broken in two parts in any way. The first regular expression that matches the current directory name in the repository is used. The rest of the line is used as a file name or command-line as appropriate. @c FIXME: need an example. In particular, show what @c the regular expression is matched against (one @c ordinarily clueful person got confused about whether it @c includes the filename--"directory name" above should be @c unambiguous but there is nothing like an example to @c confirm people's understanding of this sort of thing). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node commitinfo @appendixsec Commitinfo @cindex Commitinfo @cindex Checking commits @cindex Precommit checking The @file{commitinfo} file defines programs to execute whenever @samp{cvs commit} is about to execute. These programs are used for pre-commit checking to verify that the modified, added and removed files are really ready to be committed. This could be used, for instance, to verify that the changed files conform to to your site's standards for coding practice. As mentioned earlier, each line in the @file{commitinfo} file consists of a regular expression and a command-line template. The template can include a program name and any number of arguments you wish to supply to it. The full path to the current source repository is appended to the template, followed by the file names of any files involved in the commit (added, removed, and modified files). @cindex Exit status, of commitinfo The first line with a regular expression matching the directory within the repository will be used. If the command returns a non-zero exit status the commit will be aborted. @c FIXME: need example(s) of what "directory within the @c repository" means. @cindex DEFAULT in commitinfo If the repository name does not match any of the regular expressions in this file, the @samp{DEFAULT} line is used, if it is specified. @cindex ALL in commitinfo All occurrences of the name @samp{ALL} appearing as a regular expression are used in addition to the first matching regular expression or the name @samp{DEFAULT}. Note: when @sc{cvs} is accessing a remote repository, @file{commitinfo} will be run on the @emph{remote} (i.e., server) side, not the client side (@pxref{Remote repositories}). @c FIXME: should discuss using commitinfo to control @c who has checkin access to what (e.g. Joe can check into @c directories a, b, and c, and Mary can check into @c directories b, c, and d--note this case cannot be @c conveniently handled with unix groups). Of course, @c adding a new set of features to CVS might be a more @c natural way to fix this problem than telling people to @c use commitinfo. @c FIXME: Should make some reference, especially in @c the context of controlling who has access, to the fact @c that commitinfo can be circumvented. Perhaps @c mention SETXID (but has it been carefully examined @c for holes?). This fits in with the discussion of @c general CVS security in "Password authentication @c security" (the bit which is not pserver-specific). @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node verifymsg @appendixsec Verifying log messages @cindex verifymsg (admin file) @cindex Log message, verifying Once you have entered a log message, you can evaluate that message to check for specific content, such as a bug ID. Use the @file{verifymsg} file to specify a program that is used to verify the log message. This program could be a simple script that checks that the entered message contains the required fields. The @file{verifymsg} file is often most useful together with the @file{rcsinfo} file, which can be used to specify a log message template. Each line in the @file{verifymsg} file consists of a regular expression and a command-line template. The template must include a program name, and can include any number of arguments. The full path to the current log message template file is appended to the template. One thing that should be noted is that the @samp{ALL} keyword is not supported. If more than one matching line is found, the first one is used. This can be useful for specifying a default verification script in a directory, and then overriding it in a subdirectory. @cindex DEFAULT in verifymsg If the repository name does not match any of the regular expressions in this file, the @samp{DEFAULT} line is used, if it is specified. @cindex Exit status, of verifymsg If the verification script exits with a non-zero exit status, the commit is aborted. Note that the verification script cannot change the log message; it can merely accept it or reject it. @c FIXME? Is this an annoying limitation? It would be @c relatively easy to fix (although it would *not* be a @c good idea for a verifymsg script to interact with the user @c at least in the client/server case because of locks @c and all that jazz). The following is a little silly example of a @file{verifymsg} file, together with the corresponding @file{rcsinfo} file, the log message template and an verification script. We begin with the log message template. We want to always record a bug-id number on the first line of the log message. The rest of log message is free text. The following template is found in the file @file{/usr/cvssupport/tc.template}. @example BugId: @end example The script @file{/usr/cvssupport/bugid.verify} is used to evaluate the log message. @example #!/bin/sh # # bugid.verify filename # # Verify that the log message contains a valid bugid # on the first line. # if head -1 < $1 | grep '^BugId:[ ]*[0-9][0-9]*$' > /dev/null; then exit 0 else echo "No BugId found." exit 1 fi @end example The @file{verifymsg} file contains this line: @example ^tc /usr/cvssupport/bugid.verify @end example The @file{rcsinfo} file contains this line: @example ^tc /usr/cvssupport/tc.template @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node editinfo @appendixsec Editinfo @cindex editinfo (admin file) @cindex Editor, specifying per module @cindex Per-module editor @cindex Log messages, editing @emph{NOTE:} The @file{editinfo} feature has been rendered obsolete. To set a default editor for log messages use the @code{EDITOR} environment variable (@pxref{Environment variables}) or the @samp{-e} global option (@pxref{Global options}). See @ref{verifymsg}, for information on the use of the @file{verifymsg} feature for evaluating log messages. If you want to make sure that all log messages look the same way, you can use the @file{editinfo} file to specify a program that is used to edit the log message. This program could be a custom-made editor that always enforces a certain style of the log message, or maybe a simple shell script that calls an editor, and checks that the entered message contains the required fields. If no matching line is found in the @file{editinfo} file, the editor specified in the environment variable @code{$CVSEDITOR} is used instead. If that variable is not set, then the environment variable @code{$EDITOR} is used instead. If that variable is not set a default will be used. See @ref{Committing your changes}. The @file{editinfo} file is often most useful together with the @file{rcsinfo} file, which can be used to specify a log message template. Each line in the @file{editinfo} file consists of a regular expression and a command-line template. The template must include a program name, and can include any number of arguments. The full path to the current log message template file is appended to the template. One thing that should be noted is that the @samp{ALL} keyword is not supported. If more than one matching line is found, the first one is used. This can be useful for specifying a default edit script in a module, and then overriding it in a subdirectory. @cindex DEFAULT in editinfo If the repository name does not match any of the regular expressions in this file, the @samp{DEFAULT} line is used, if it is specified. If the edit script exits with a non-zero exit status, the commit is aborted. Note: when @sc{cvs} is accessing a remote repository, or when the @samp{-m} or @samp{-F} options to @code{cvs commit} are used, @file{editinfo} will not be consulted. There is no good workaround for this; use @file{verifymsg} instead. @menu * editinfo example:: Editinfo example @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node editinfo example @appendixsubsec Editinfo example The following is a little silly example of a @file{editinfo} file, together with the corresponding @file{rcsinfo} file, the log message template and an editor script. We begin with the log message template. We want to always record a bug-id number on the first line of the log message. The rest of log message is free text. The following template is found in the file @file{/usr/cvssupport/tc.template}. @example BugId: @end example The script @file{/usr/cvssupport/bugid.edit} is used to edit the log message. @example #!/bin/sh # # bugid.edit filename # # Call $EDITOR on FILENAME, and verify that the # resulting file contains a valid bugid on the first # line. if [ "x$EDITOR" = "x" ]; then EDITOR=vi; fi if [ "x$CVSEDITOR" = "x" ]; then CVSEDITOR=$EDITOR; fi $CVSEDITOR $1 until head -1|grep '^BugId:[ ]*[0-9][0-9]*$' < $1 do echo -n "No BugId found. Edit again? ([y]/n)" read ans case $@{ans@} in n*) exit 1;; esac $CVSEDITOR $1 done @end example The @file{editinfo} file contains this line: @example ^tc /usr/cvssupport/bugid.edit @end example The @file{rcsinfo} file contains this line: @example ^tc /usr/cvssupport/tc.template @end example @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node loginfo @appendixsec Loginfo @cindex loginfo (admin file) @cindex Storing log messages @cindex Mailing log messages @cindex Distributing log messages @cindex Log messages @c "cvs commit" is not quite right. What we @c mean is "when the repository gets changed" which @c also includes "cvs import" and "cvs add" on a directory. The @file{loginfo} file is used to control where @samp{cvs commit} log information is sent. The first entry on a line is a regular expression which is tested against the directory that the change is being made to, relative to the @code{$CVSROOT}. If a match is found, then the remainder of the line is a filter program that should expect log information on its standard input. If the repository name does not match any of the regular expressions in this file, the @samp{DEFAULT} line is used, if it is specified. All occurrences of the name @samp{ALL} appearing as a regular expression are used in addition to the first matching regular expression or @samp{DEFAULT}. The first matching regular expression is used. @xref{commit files}, for a description of the syntax of the @file{loginfo} file. The user may specify a format string as part of the filter. The string is composed of a @samp{%} followed by a space, or followed by a single format character, or followed by a set of format characters surrounded by @samp{@{} and @samp{@}} as separators. The format characters are: @table @t @item s file name @item V old version number (pre-checkin) @item v new version number (post-checkin) @end table All other characters that appear in a format string expand to an empty field (commas separating fields are still provided). For example, some valid format strings are @samp{%}, @samp{%s}, @samp{%@{s@}}, and @samp{%@{sVv@}}. The output will be a string of tokens separated by spaces. For backwards compatibility, the first token will be the repository subdirectory. The rest of the tokens will be comma-delimited lists of the information requested in the format string. For example, if @samp{/u/src/master/yoyodyne/tc} is the repository, @samp{%@{sVv@}} is the format string, and three files (@t{ChangeLog}, @t{Makefile}, @t{foo.c}) were modified, the output might be: @example yoyodyne/tc ChangeLog,1.1,1.2 Makefile,1.3,1.4 foo.c,1.12,1.13 @end example As another example, @samp{%@{@}} means that only the name of the repository will be generated. Note: when @sc{cvs} is accessing a remote repository, @file{loginfo} will be run on the @emph{remote} (i.e., server) side, not the client side (@pxref{Remote repositories}). @menu * loginfo example:: Loginfo example * Keeping a checked out copy:: Updating a tree on every checkin @end menu @c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @node loginfo example @appendixsubsec Loginfo example The following @file{loginfo} file, together with the tiny shell-script below, appends all log messages to the file @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/commitlog}, and any commits to the administrative files (inside the @file{CVSROOT} directory) are also logged in @file{/usr/adm/cvsroot-log}. Commits to the @file{prog1} directory are mailed to @t{ceder}. @c FIXME: is it a CVS feature or bug that only the @c first matching line is used? It is documented @c above, but is it useful? For example, if we wanted @c to run both "cvs-log" and "Mail" for the CVSROOT @c directory, it is kind of awkward if @c only the first matching line is used. @example ALL /usr/local/bin/cvs-log $CVSROOT/CVSROOT/commitlog $USER ^CVSROOT /usr/local/bin/cvs-log /usr/adm/cvsroot-log ^prog1 Mail -s %s ceder @end example The shell-script @file{/usr/local/bin/cvs-log} looks like this: @example #!/bin/sh (echo "------------------------------------------------------"; echo -n $2" "; date; echo; cat) >> $1 @end example @node Keeping a checked out copy @appendixsubsec Keeping a checked out copy @c What other index entries? It seems like @c people might want to use a lot of different @c words for this functionality. @cindex Keeping a checked out copy @cindex Checked out copy, keeping @cindex Web pages, maintaining with CVS It is often useful to maintain a directory tree which contains files which correspond to the latest version in the repository. For example, other developers might want to refer to the latest sources without having to check them out, or you might be maintaining a web site with @sc{cvs} and want every checkin to cause the files used by the web server to be updated. @c Can we offer more details on the web example? Or @c point the user at how to figure it out? This text @c strikes me as sufficient for someone who already has @c some idea of what we mean but not enough for the naive @c user/sysadmin to understand it and set it up. The way to do this is by having loginfo invoke @code{cvs update}. Doing so in the naive way will cause a problem with locks, so the @code{cvs update} must be run in the background. @c Should we try to describe the problem with locks? @c It seems like a digression for someone who just @c wants to know how to make it work. @c Another choice which might work for a single file @c is to use "cvs -n update -p" which doesn't take @c out locks (I think) but I don't see many advantages @c of that and we might as well document something which @c works for multiple files. Here is an example for unix (this should all be on one line): @example ^cyclic-pages (date; cat; (sleep 2; cd /u/www/local-docs; cvs -q update -d) &) >> $CVSROOT/CVSROOT/updatelog 2>&1 @end example This will cause checkins to repository directories starting with @code{cyclic-pages} to update the checked out tree in @file{/u/www/local-docs}. @c More info on some of the details? The "sleep 2" is @c so if we are lucky the lock will be gone by the time @c we start and we can wait 2 seconds instead of 30. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node rcsinfo @appendixsec Rcsinfo @cindex rcsinfo (admin file) @cindex Form for log message @cindex Log message template @cindex Template for log message The @file{rcsinfo} file can be used to specify a form to edit when filling out the commit log. The @file{rcsinfo} file has a syntax similar to the @file{verifymsg}, @file{commitinfo} and @file{loginfo} files. @xref{syntax}. Unlike the other files the second part is @emph{not} a command-line template. Instead, the part after the regular expression should be a full pathname to a file containing the log message template. If the repository name does not match any of the regular expressions in this file, the @samp{DEFAULT} line is used, if it is specified. All occurrences of the name @samp{ALL} appearing as a regular expression are used in addition to the first matching regular expression or @samp{DEFAULT}. @c FIXME: should be offering advice, somewhere around @c here, about where to put the template file. The @c verifymsg example uses /usr/cvssupport but doesn't @c say anything about what that directory is for or @c whether it is hardwired into CVS or who creates @c it or anything. In particular we should say @c how to version control the template file. A @c probably better answer than the /usr/cvssupport @c stuff is to use checkoutlist (with xref to the @c checkoutlist doc). @c Also I am starting to see a connection between @c this and the Keeping a checked out copy node. @c Probably want to say something about that. The log message template will be used as a default log message. If you specify a log message with @samp{cvs commit -m @var{message}} or @samp{cvs commit -f @var{file}} that log message will override the template. @xref{verifymsg}, for an example @file{rcsinfo} file. When @sc{cvs} is accessing a remote repository, the contents of @file{rcsinfo} at the time a directory is first checked out will specify a template which does not then change. If you edit @file{rcsinfo} or its templates, you may need to check out a new working directory. @c Would be nice to fix CVS so this isn't needed. For @c example, a mechanism analogous to CVS/Entries, where @c the client keeps track of what version of the template @c it has. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node cvsignore @appendixsec Ignoring files via cvsignore @cindex cvsignore (admin file), global @cindex Global cvsignore @cindex Ignoring files @c -- This chapter should maybe be moved to the @c tutorial part of the manual? There are certain file names that frequently occur inside your working copy, but that you don't want to put under @sc{cvs} control. Examples are all the object files that you get while you compile your sources. Normally, when you run @samp{cvs update}, it prints a line for each file it encounters that it doesn't know about (@pxref{update output}). @sc{cvs} has a list of files (or sh(1) file name patterns) that it should ignore while running @code{update}, @code{import} and @code{release}. @c -- Are those the only three commands affected? This list is constructed in the following way. @itemize @bullet @item The list is initialized to include certain file name patterns: names associated with @sc{cvs} administration, or with other common source control systems; common names for patch files, object files, archive files, and editor backup files; and other names that are usually artifacts of assorted utilities. Currently, the default list of ignored file name patterns is: @cindex Ignored files @cindex Automatically ignored files @example RCS SCCS CVS CVS.adm RCSLOG cvslog.* .git tags TAGS .make.state .nse_depinfo .*.swp *~ #* .#* ,* _$* *$ *.old *.bak *.BAK *.orig *.rej .del-* *.a *.olb *.o *.obj *.so *.exe *.Z *.elc *.ln *.depend *.core @end example @item The per-repository list in @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/cvsignore} is appended to the list, if that file exists. @item The per-user list in @file{.cvsignore} in your home directory is appended to the list, if it exists. @item Any entries in the environment variable @code{$CVSIGNORE} is appended to the list. @item Any @samp{-I} options given to @sc{cvs} is appended. @item As @sc{cvs} traverses through your directories, the contents of any @file{.cvsignore} will be appended to the list. The patterns found in @file{.cvsignore} are only valid for the directory that contains them, not for any sub-directories. @end itemize In any of the 5 places listed above, a single exclamation mark (@samp{!}) clears the ignore list. This can be used if you want to store any file which normally is ignored by @sc{cvs}. Specifying @samp{-I !} to @code{cvs import} will import everything, which is generally what you want to do if you are importing files from a pristine distribution or any other source which is known to not contain any extraneous files. However, looking at the rules above you will see there is a fly in the ointment; if the distribution contains any @file{.cvsignore} files, then the patterns from those files will be processed even if @samp{-I !} is specified. The only workaround is to remove the @file{.cvsignore} files in order to do the import. Because this is awkward, in the future @samp{-I !} might be modified to override @file{.cvsignore} files in each directory. Note that the syntax of the ignore files consists of a series of lines, each of which contains a space separated list of filenames. This offers no clean way to specify filenames which contain spaces, but you can use a workaround like @file{foo?bar} to match a file named @file{foo bar} (it also matches @file{fooxbar} and the like). Also note that there is currently no way to specify comments. @c FIXCVS? I don't _like_ this syntax at all, but @c changing it raises all the usual compatibility @c issues and I'm also not sure what to change it to. @node checkoutlist @appendixsec The checkoutlist file @cindex checkoutlist It may be helpful to use @sc{cvs} to maintain your own files in the @file{CVSROOT} directory. For example, suppose that you have a script @file{logcommit.pl} which you run by including the following line in the @file{commitinfo} administrative file: @example ALL $CVSROOT/CVSROOT/logcommit.pl @end example To maintain @file{logcommit.pl} with @sc{cvs} you would add the following line to the @file{checkoutlist} administrative file: @example logcommit.pl @end example The format of @file{checkoutlist} is one line for each file that you want to maintain using @sc{cvs}, giving the name of the file. After setting up @file{checkoutlist} in this fashion, the files listed there will function just like @sc{cvs}'s built-in administrative files. For example, when checking in one of the files you should get a message such as: @example cvs commit: Rebuilding administrative file database @end example and the checked out copy in the @file{CVSROOT} directory should be updated. Note that listing @file{passwd} (@pxref{Password authentication server}) in @file{checkoutlist} is not recommended for security reasons. For information about keeping a checkout out copy in a more general context than the one provided by @file{checkoutlist}, see @ref{Keeping a checked out copy}. @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @node history file @appendixsec The history file @cindex History file @cindex Log information, saving The file @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history} is used to log information for the @code{history} command (@pxref{history}). This file must be created to turn on logging. This is done automatically if the @code{cvs init} command is used to set up the repository (@pxref{Creating a repository}). The file format of the @file{history} file is documented only in comments in the @sc{cvs} source code, but generally programs should use the @code{cvs history} command to access it anyway, in case the format changes with future releases of @sc{cvs}. @node Variables @appendixsec Expansions in administrative files @cindex Internal variables @cindex Variables Sometimes in writing an administrative file, you might want the file to be able to know various things based on environment @sc{cvs} is running in. There are several mechanisms to do that. To find the home directory of the user running @sc{cvs} (from the @code{HOME} environment variable), use @samp{~} followed by @samp{/} or the end of the line. Likewise for the home directory of @var{user}, use @samp{~@var{user}}. These variables are expanded on the server machine, and don't get any reasonable expansion if pserver (@pxref{Password authenticated}) is in use; therefore user variables (see below) may be a better choice to customize behavior based on the user running @sc{cvs}. @c Based on these limitations, should we deprecate ~? @c What is it good for? Are people using it? One may want to know about various pieces of information internal to @sc{cvs}. A @sc{cvs} internal variable has the syntax @code{$@{@var{variable}@}}, where @var{variable} starts with a letter and consists of alphanumeric characters and @samp{_}. If the character following @var{variable} is a non-alphanumeric character other than @samp{_}, the @samp{@{} and @samp{@}} can be omitted. The @sc{cvs} internal variables are: @table @code @item CVSROOT @cindex CVSROOT, internal variable This is the value of the @sc{cvs} root in use. @xref{Repository}, for a description of the various ways to specify this. @item RCSBIN @cindex RCSBIN, internal variable In @sc{cvs} 1.9.18 and older, this specified the directory where @sc{cvs} was looking for @sc{rcs} programs. Because @sc{cvs} no longer runs @sc{rcs} programs, specifying this internal variable is now an error. @item CVSEDITOR @cindex CVSEDITOR, internal variable @itemx VISUAL @cindex VISUAL, internal variable @itemx EDITOR @cindex EDITOR, internal variable These all expand to the same value, which is the editor that @sc{cvs} is using. @xref{Global options}, for how to specify this. @item USER @cindex USER, internal variable Username of the user running @sc{cvs} (on the @sc{cvs} server machine). When using pserver, this is the user specified in the repository specification which need not be the same as the username the server is running as (@pxref{Password authentication server}). @end table If you want to pass a value to the administrative files which the user who is running @sc{cvs} can specify, use a user variable. @cindex User variables To expand a user variable, the administrative file contains @code{$@{=@var{variable}@}}. To set a user variable, specify the global option @samp{-s} to @sc{cvs}, with argument @code{@var{variable}=@var{value}}. It may be particularly useful to specify this option via @file{.cvsrc} (@pxref{~/.cvsrc}). For example, if you want the administrative file to refer to a test directory you might create a user variable @code{TESTDIR}. Then if @sc{cvs} is invoked as @example cvs -s TESTDIR=/work/local/tests @end example @noindent and the administrative file contains @code{sh $@{=TESTDIR@}/runtests}, then that string is expanded to @code{sh /work/local/tests/runtests}. All other strings containing @samp{$} are reserved; there is no way to quote a @samp{$} character so that @samp{$} represents itself. Environment variables passed to administrative files are: @table @code @cindex environment variables, passed to administrative files @c FIXME: should document USER, LOGNAME, and whatever else is @c available both in internal variables and environment variables. @item CVS_USER The @sc{cvs}-specific username provided by the user, if it can be provided (currently just for the pserver access method), and to the empty string otherwise. (CVS_USER and USER may differ when @file{$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/passwd} is used to map cvs usernames to system usernames.) @end table @node config @appendixsec The CVSROOT/config configuration file @cindex config, in CVSROOT @cindex CVSROOT/config The administrative file @file{config} contains various miscellaneous settings which affect the behavior of @sc{cvs}. The syntax is slightly different from the other administrative files. Variables are not expanded. Lines which start with @samp{#} are considered comments. @c FIXME: where do we define comments for the other @c administrative files. Other lines consist of a keyword, @samp{=}, and a value. Note that this syntax is very strict. Extraneous spaces or tabs are not permitted. @c See comments in parseinfo.c:parse_config for more @c discussion of this strictness. Currently defined keywords are: @table @code @cindex RCSBIN, in CVSROOT/config @item RCSBIN=@var{bindir} For @sc{cvs} 1.9.12 through 1.9.18, this setting told @sc{cvs} to look for @sc{rcs} programs in the @var{bindir} directory. Current versions of @sc{cvs} do not run @sc{rcs} programs; for compatibility this setting is accepted, but it does nothing. @cindex SystemAuth, in CVSROOT/config @item SystemAuth=@var{value} If @var{value} is @samp{yes}, then pserver should check for users in the system's user database if not found in @file{CVSROOT/passwd}. If it is @samp{no}, then all pserver users must exist in @file{CVSROOT/passwd}. The default is @samp{yes}. For more on pserver, see @ref{Password authenticated}. @ignore @cindex PreservePermissions, in CVSROOT/config @item PreservePermissions=@var{value} Enable support for saving special device files, symbolic links, file permissions and ownerships in the repository. The default value is @samp{no}. @xref{Special Files}, for the full implications of using this keyword. @end ignore @cindex TopLevelAdmin, in CVSROOT/config @item TopLevelAdmin=@var{value} Modify the @samp{checkout} command to create a @samp{CVS} directory at the top level of the new working directory, in addition to @samp{CVS} directories created within checked-out directories. The default value is @samp{no}. This option is useful if you find yourself performing many commands at the top level of your working directory, rather than in one of the checked out subdirectories. The @file{CVS} directory created there will mean you don't have to specify @code{CVSROOT} for each command. It also provides a place for the @file{CVS/Template} file (@pxref{Working directory storage}). @cindex LockDir, in CVSROOT/config @item LockDir=@var{directory} Put @sc{cvs} lock files in @var{directory} rather than directly in the repository. This is useful if you want to let users read from the repository while giving them write access only to @var{directory}, not to the repository. You need to create @var{directory}, but @sc{cvs} will create subdirectories of @var{directory} as it needs them. For information on @sc{cvs} locks, see @ref{Concurrency}. @c Mention this in Compatibility section? Before enabling the LockDir option, make sure that you have tracked down and removed any copies of @sc{cvs} 1.9 or older. Such versions neither support LockDir, nor will give an error indicating that they don't support it. The result, if this is allowed to happen, is that some @sc{cvs} users will put the locks one place, and others will put them another place, and therefore the repository could become corrupted. @sc{cvs} 1.10 does not support LockDir but it will print a warning if run on a repository with LockDir enabled. @cindex LogHistory, in CVSROOT/config @item LogHistory=@var{value} Control what is logged to the @file{CVSROOT/history} file. Default of @samp{TOFEWGCMAR} (or simply @samp{all}) will log all transactions. Any subset of the default is legal. (For example, to only log transactions that modify the @file{*,v} files, use @samp{LogHistory=TMAR}.) @end table @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Environment variables @appendix All environment variables which affect CVS @cindex Environment variables @cindex Reference manual for variables This is a complete list of all environment variables that affect @sc{cvs}. @table @code @cindex CVSIGNORE, environment variable @item $CVSIGNORE A whitespace-separated list of file name patterns that @sc{cvs} should ignore. @xref{cvsignore}. @cindex CVSWRAPPERS, environment variable @item $CVSWRAPPERS A whitespace-separated list of file name patterns that @sc{cvs} should treat as wrappers. @xref{Wrappers}. @cindex CVSREAD, environment variable @cindex Read-only files, and CVSREAD @item $CVSREAD If this is set, @code{checkout} and @code{update} will try hard to make the files in your working directory read-only. When this is not set, the default behavior is to permit modification of your working files. @item $CVSUMASK Controls permissions of files in the repository. See @ref{File permissions}. @item $CVSROOT Should contain the full pathname to the root of the @sc{cvs} source repository (where the @sc{rcs} files are kept). This information must be available to @sc{cvs} for most commands to execute; if @code{$CVSROOT} is not set, or if you wish to override it for one invocation, you can supply it on the command line: @samp{cvs -d cvsroot cvs_command@dots{}} Once you have checked out a working directory, @sc{cvs} stores the appropriate root (in the file @file{CVS/Root}), so normally you only need to worry about this when initially checking out a working directory. @item $EDITOR @itemx $CVSEDITOR @itemx $VISUAL Specifies the program to use for recording log messages during commit. @code{$CVSEDITOR} overrides @code{$EDITOR}. See @ref{Committing your changes}. @cindex PATH, environment variable @item $PATH If @code{$RCSBIN} is not set, and no path is compiled into @sc{cvs}, it will use @code{$PATH} to try to find all programs it uses. @cindex HOME, environment variable @item $HOME @cindex HOMEPATH, environment variable @item $HOMEPATH @cindex HOMEDRIVE, environment variable @item $HOMEDRIVE Used to locate the directory where the @file{.cvsrc} file, and other such files, are searched. On Unix, @sc{cvs} just checks for @code{HOME}. On Windows NT, the system will set @code{HOMEDRIVE}, for example to @samp{d:} and @code{HOMEPATH}, for example to @file{\joe}. On Windows 95, you'll probably need to set @code{HOMEDRIVE} and @code{HOMEPATH} yourself. @c We are being vague about whether HOME works on @c Windows; see long comment in windows-NT/filesubr.c. @cindex CVS_RSH, environment variable @item $CVS_RSH Specifies the external program which @sc{cvs} connects with, when @code{:ext:} access method is specified. @pxref{Connecting via rsh}. @item $CVS_SERVER Used in client-server mode when accessing a remote repository using @sc{rsh}. It specifies the name of the program to start on the server side when accessing a remote repository using @sc{rsh}. The default value is @code{cvs}. @pxref{Connecting via rsh} @item $CVS_PASSFILE Used in client-server mode when accessing the @code{cvs login server}. Default value is @file{$HOME/.cvspass}. @pxref{Password authentication client} @item $CVS_CLIENT_PORT Used in client-server mode when accessing the server via Kerberos, GSSAPI, or @sc{cvs}'s password authentication if the port is not specified in $CVSROOT. @pxref{Remote repositories} @cindex CVS_RCMD_PORT, environment variable @item $CVS_RCMD_PORT Used in client-server mode. If set, specifies the port number to be used when accessing the @sc{rcmd} demon on the server side. (Currently not used for Unix clients). @cindex CVS_CLIENT_LOG, environment variable @item $CVS_CLIENT_LOG Used for debugging only in client-server mode. If set, everything sent to the server is logged into @file{@code{$CVS_CLIENT_LOG}.in} and everything sent from the server is logged into @file{@code{$CVS_CLIENT_LOG}.out}. @cindex CVS_SERVER_SLEEP, environment variable @item $CVS_SERVER_SLEEP Used only for debugging the server side in client-server mode. If set, delays the start of the server child process the specified amount of seconds so that you can attach to it with a debugger. @cindex CVS_IGNORE_REMOTE_ROOT, environment variable @item $CVS_IGNORE_REMOTE_ROOT For @sc{cvs} 1.10 and older, setting this variable prevents @sc{cvs} from overwriting the @file{CVS/Root} file when the @samp{-d} global option is specified. Later versions of @sc{cvs} do not rewrite @file{CVS/Root}, so @code{CVS_IGNORE_REMOTE_ROOT} has no effect. @cindex COMSPEC, environment variable @item $COMSPEC Used under OS/2 only. It specifies the name of the command interpreter and defaults to @sc{cmd.exe}. @cindex TMPDIR, environment variable @item $TMPDIR @cindex TMP, environment variable @itemx $TMP @cindex TEMP, environment variable @itemx $TEMP @cindex Temporary files, location of @c This is quite nuts. We don't talk about tempnam @c or mkstemp which we sometimes use. The discussion @c of "Global options" is semi-incoherent. @c I'm not even sure those are the only inaccuracies. @c Furthermore, the conventions are @c pretty crazy and they should be simplified. Directory in which temporary files are located. The @sc{cvs} server uses @code{TMPDIR}. @xref{Global options}, for a description of how to specify this. Some parts of @sc{cvs} will always use @file{/tmp} (via the @code{tmpnam} function provided by the system). On Windows NT, @code{TMP} is used (via the @code{_tempnam} function provided by the system). The @code{patch} program which is used by the @sc{cvs} client uses @code{TMPDIR}, and if it is not set, uses @file{/tmp} (at least with GNU patch 2.1). Note that if your server and client are both running @sc{cvs} 1.9.10 or later, @sc{cvs} will not invoke an external @code{patch} program. @end table @node Compatibility @appendix Compatibility between CVS Versions @cindex CVS, versions of @cindex Versions, of CVS @cindex Compatibility, between CVS versions @c We don't mention versions older than CVS 1.3 @c on the theory that it would clutter it up for the vast @c majority of people, who don't have anything that old. @c The repository format is compatible going back to @sc{cvs} 1.3. But see @ref{Watches Compatibility}, if you have copies of @sc{cvs} 1.6 or older and you want to use the optional developer communication features. @c If you "cvs rm" and commit using 1.3, then you'll @c want to run "rcs -sdead " on each of the @c files in the Attic if you then want 1.5 and @c later to recognize those files as dead (I think the @c symptom if this is not done is that files reappear @c in joins). (Wait: the above will work but really to @c be strictly correct we should suggest checking @c in a new revision rather than just changing the @c state of the head revision, shouldn't we?). @c The old convert.sh script was for this, but it never @c did get updated to reflect use of the RCS "dead" @c state. @c Note: this is tricky to document without confusing @c people--need to carefully say what CVS version we @c are talking about and keep in mind the distinction @c between a @c repository created with 1.3 and on which one now @c uses 1.5+, and a repository on which one wants to @c use both versions side by side (e.g. during a @c transition period). @c Wait, can't CVS just detect the case in which a file @c is in the Attic but the head revision is not dead? @c Not sure whether this should produce a warning or @c something, and probably needs further thought, but @c it would appear that the situation can be detected. @c @c We might want to separate out the 1.3 compatibility @c section (for repository & working directory) from the @c rest--that might help avoid confusing people who @c are upgrading (for example) from 1.6 to 1.8. @c @c A minor incompatibility is if a current version of CVS @c puts "Nfoo" into CVS/Tag, then CVS 1.9 or older will @c see this as if there is no tag. Seems to me this is @c too obscure to mention. The working directory format is compatible going back to @sc{cvs} 1.5. It did change between @sc{cvs} 1.3 and @sc{cvs} 1.5. If you run @sc{cvs} 1.5 or newer on a working directory checked out with @sc{cvs} 1.3, @sc{cvs} will convert it, but to go back to @sc{cvs} 1.3 you need to check out a new working directory with @sc{cvs} 1.3. The remote protocol is interoperable going back to @sc{cvs} 1.5, but no further (1.5 was the first official release with the remote protocol, but some older versions might still be floating around). In many cases you need to upgrade both the client and the server to take advantage of new features and bugfixes, however. @c Perhaps should be saying something here about the @c "D" lines in Entries (written by CVS 1.9; 1.8 and @c older don't use them). These are supposed to be @c compatible in both directions, but I'm not sure @c they quite are 100%. One common gripe is if you @c "rm -r" a directory and 1.9 gets confused, as it @c still sees it in Entries. That one is fixed in @c (say) 1.9.6. Someone else reported problems with @c starting with a directory which was checked out with @c an old version, and then using a new version, and @c some "D" lines appeared, but not for every @c directory, causing some directories to be skipped. @c They weren't sure how to reproduce this, though. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Troubleshooting @appendix Troubleshooting If you are having trouble with @sc{cvs}, this appendix may help. If there is a particular error message which you are seeing, then you can look up the message alphabetically. If not, you can look through the section on other problems to see if your problem is mentioned there. @menu * Error messages:: Partial list of CVS errors * Connection:: Trouble making a connection to a CVS server * Other problems:: Problems not readily listed by error message @end menu @ignore @c - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - @c @node Bad administrative files @appendixsec Bad administrative files @c -- Give hints on how to fix them @end ignore @node Error messages @appendixsec Partial list of error messages Here is a partial list of error messages that you may see from @sc{cvs}. It is not a complete list---@sc{cvs} is capable of printing many, many error messages, often with parts of them supplied by the operating system, but the intention is to list the common and/or potentially confusing error messages. The messages are alphabetical, but introductory text such as @samp{cvs update: } is not considered in ordering them. In some cases the list includes messages printed by old versions of @sc{cvs} (partly because users may not be sure which version of @sc{cvs} they are using at any particular moment). @c If we want to start retiring messages, perhaps we @c should pick a cutoff version (for example, no more @c messages which are specific to versions before 1.9) @c and then move the old messages to an "old messages" @c node rather than deleting them completely. @table @code @c FIXME: What is the correct way to format a multiline @c error message here? Maybe @table is the wrong @c choice? Texinfo gurus? @item cvs @var{command}: authorization failed: server @var{host} rejected access This is a generic response when trying to connect to a pserver server which chooses not to provide a specific reason for denying authorization. Check that the username and password specified are correct and that the @code{CVSROOT} specified is allowed by @samp{--allow-root} in @file{inetd.conf}. See @ref{Password authenticated}. @item @var{file}:@var{line}: Assertion '@var{text}' failed The exact format of this message may vary depending on your system. It indicates a bug in @sc{cvs}, which can be handled as described in @ref{BUGS}. @item cvs @var{command}: conflict: removed @var{file} was modified by second party This message indicates that you removed a file, and someone else modified it. To resolve the conflict, first run @samp{cvs add @var{file}}. If desired, look at the other party's modification to decide whether you still want to remove it. If you don't want to remove it, stop here. If you do want to remove it, proceed with @samp{cvs remove @var{file}} and commit your removal. @c Tests conflicts2-142b* in sanity.sh test for this. @item cannot change permissions on temporary directory @example Operation not permitted @end example This message has been happening in a non-reproducible, occasional way when we run the client/server testsuite, both on Red Hat Linux 3.0.3 and 4.1. We haven't been able to figure out what causes it, nor is it known whether it is specific to linux (or even to this particular machine!). If the problem does occur on other unices, @samp{Operation not permitted} would be likely to read @samp{Not owner} or whatever the system in question uses for the unix @code{EPERM} error. If you have any information to add, please let us know as described in @ref{BUGS}. If you experience this error while using @sc{cvs}, retrying the operation which produced it should work fine. @c This has been seen in a variety of tests, including @c multibranch-2, multibranch-5, and basic1-24-rm-rm, @c so it doesn't seem particularly specific to any one @c test. @item cvs [server aborted]: Cannot check out files into the repository itself The obvious cause for this message (especially for non-client/server @sc{cvs}) is that the @sc{cvs} root is, for example, @file{/usr/local/cvsroot} and you try to check out files when you are in a subdirectory, such as @file{/usr/local/cvsroot/test}. However, there is a more subtle cause, which is that the temporary directory on the server is set to a subdirectory of the root (which is also not allowed). If this is the problem, set the temporary directory to somewhere else, for example @file{/var/tmp}; see @code{TMPDIR} in @ref{Environment variables}, for how to set the temporary directory. @c For one example see basica-1a10 in the testsuite @c For another example, "cvs co ." on NT; see comment @c at windows-NT/filesubr.c (expand_wild). @c For another example, "cvs co foo/bar" where foo exists. @item cannot open CVS/Entries for reading: No such file or directory This generally indicates a @sc{cvs} internal error, and can be handled as with other @sc{cvs} bugs (@pxref{BUGS}). Usually there is a workaround---the exact nature of which would depend on the situation but which hopefully could be figured out. @c This is more obscure than it might sound; it only @c happens if you run "cvs init" from a directory which @c contains a CVS/Root file at the start. @item cvs [init aborted]: cannot open CVS/Root: No such file or directory This message is harmless. Provided it is not accompanied by other errors, the operation has completed successfully. This message should not occur with current versions of @sc{cvs}, but it is documented here for the benefit of @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older. @item cvs [checkout aborted]: cannot rename file @var{file} to CVS/,,@var{file}: Invalid argument This message has been reported as intermittently happening with @sc{cvs} 1.9 on Solaris 2.5. The cause is unknown; if you know more about what causes it, let us know as described in @ref{BUGS}. @item cvs [@var{command} aborted]: cannot start server via rcmd This, unfortunately, is a rather nonspecific error message which @sc{cvs} 1.9 will print if you are running the @sc{cvs} client and it is having trouble connecting to the server. Current versions of @sc{cvs} should print a much more specific error message. If you get this message when you didn't mean to run the client at all, you probably forgot to specify @code{:local:}, as described in @ref{Repository}. @item ci: @var{file},v: bad diff output line: Binary files - and /tmp/T2a22651 differ @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older will print this message when trying to check in a binary file if @sc{rcs} is not correctly installed. Re-read the instructions that came with your @sc{rcs} distribution and the @sc{install} file in the @sc{cvs} distribution. Alternately, upgrade to a current version of @sc{cvs}, which checks in files itself rather than via @sc{rcs}. @item cvs checkout: could not check out @var{file} With @sc{cvs} 1.9, this can mean that the @code{co} program (part of @sc{rcs}) returned a failure. It should be preceded by another error message, however it has been observed without another error message and the cause is not well-understood. With the current version of @sc{cvs}, which does not run @code{co}, if this message occurs without another error message, it is definitely a @sc{cvs} bug (@pxref{BUGS}). @c My current suspicion is that the RCS in the rcs (not @c cvs/winnt/rcs57nt.zip) directory on the _Practical_ @c CD is bad (remains to be confirmed). @c There is also a report of something which looks @c very similar on SGI, Irix 5.2, so I dunno. @item cvs [login aborted]: could not find out home directory This means that you need to set the environment variables that @sc{cvs} uses to locate your home directory. See the discussion of @code{HOME}, @code{HOMEDRIVE}, and @code{HOMEPATH} in @ref{Environment variables}. @item cvs update: could not merge revision @var{rev} of @var{file}: No such file or directory @sc{cvs} 1.9 and older will print this message if there was a problem finding the @code{rcsmerge} program. Make sure that it is in your @code{PATH}, or upgrade to a current version of @sc{cvs}, which does not require an external @code{rcsmerge} program. @item cvs [update aborted]: could not patch @var{file}: No such file or directory This means that there was a problem finding the @code{patch} program. Make sure that it is in your @code{PATH}. Note that despite appearances the message is @emph{not} referring to whether it can find @var{file}. If both the client and the server are running a current version of @sc{cvs}, then there is no need for an external patch program and you should not see this message. But if either client or server is running @sc{cvs} 1.9, then you need @code{patch}. @item cvs update: could not patch @var{file}; will refetch This means that for whatever reason the client was unable to apply a patch that the server sent. The message is nothing to be concerned about, because inability to apply the patch only slows things down and has no effect on what @sc{cvs} does. @c xref to update output. Or File status? @c Or some place else that @c explains this whole "patch"/P/Needs Patch thing? @item dying gasps from @var{server} unexpected There is a known bug in the server for @sc{cvs} 1.9.18 and older which can cause this. For me, this was reproducible if I used the @samp{-t} global option. It was fixed by Andy Piper's 14 Nov 1997 change to src/filesubr.c, if anyone is curious. If you see the message, you probably can just retry the operation which failed, or if you have discovered information concerning its cause, please let us know as described in @ref{BUGS}. @item end of file from server (consult above messages if any) The most common cause for this message is if you are using an external @code{rsh} program and it exited with an error. In this case the @code{rsh} program should have printed a message, which will appear before the above message. For more information on setting up a @sc{cvs} client and server, see @ref{Remote repositories}. @item cvs [update aborted]: EOF in key in RCS file @var{file},v @itemx cvs [checkout aborted]: EOF while looking for end of string in RCS file @var{file},v This means that there is a syntax error in the given @sc{rcs} file. Note that this might be true even if @sc{rcs} can read the file OK; @sc{cvs} does more error checking of errors in the RCS file. That is why you may see this message when upgrading from @sc{cvs} 1.9 to @sc{cvs} 1.10. The likely cause for the original corruption is hardware, the operating system, or the like. Of course, if you find a case in which @sc{cvs} seems to corrupting the file, by all means report it, (@pxref{BUGS}). There are quite a few variations of this error message, depending on exactly where in the @sc{rcs} file @sc{cvs} finds the syntax error. @cindex mkmodules @item cvs commit: Executing 'mkmodules' This means that your repository is set up for a version of @sc{cvs} prior to @sc{cvs} 1.8. When using @sc{cvs} 1.8 or later, the above message will be preceded by @example cvs commit: Rebuilding administrative file database @end example If you see both messages, the database is being rebuilt twice, which is unnecessary but harmless. If you wish to avoid the duplication, and you have no versions of @sc{cvs} 1.7 or earlier in use, remove @code{-i mkmodules} every place it appears in your @code{modules} file. For more information on the @code{modules} file, see @ref{modules}. @c This message comes from "co", and I believe is @c possible only with older versions of CVS which call @c co. The problem with being able to create the bogus @c RCS file still exists, though (and I think maybe @c there is a different symptom(s) now). @c FIXME: Would be nice to have a more exact wording @c for this message. @item missing author Typically this can happen if you created an RCS file with your username set to empty. @sc{cvs} will, bogusly, create an illegal RCS file with no value for the author field. The solution is to make sure your username is set to a non-empty value and re-create the RCS file. @c "make sure your username is set" is complicated in @c and of itself, as there are the environment @c variables the system login name, &c, and it depends @c on the version of CVS. @item cvs [checkout aborted]: no such tag @var{tag} This message means that @sc{cvs} isn't familiar with the tag @var{tag}. Usually this means that you have mistyped a tag name; however there are (relatively obscure) cases in which @sc{cvs} will require you to @c Search sanity.sh for "no such tag" to see some of @c the relatively obscure cases. try a few other @sc{cvs} commands involving that tag, before you find one which will cause @sc{cvs} to update the @file{val-tags} file; see discussion of val-tags in @ref{File permissions}. You only need to worry about this once for a given tag; when a tag is listed in @file{val-tags}, it stays there. Note that using @samp{-f} to not require tag matches does not override this check; see @ref{Common options}. @item *PANIC* administration files missing This typically means that there is a directory named @sc{cvs} but it does not contain the administrative files which @sc{cvs} puts in a CVS directory. If the problem is that you created a CVS directory via some mechanism other than @sc{cvs}, then the answer is simple, use a name other than @sc{cvs}. If not, it indicates a @sc{cvs} bug (@pxref{BUGS}). @item rcs error: Unknown option: -x,v/ This message will be followed by a usage message for @sc{rcs}. It means that you have an old version of @sc{rcs} (probably supplied with your operating system), as well as an old version of @sc{cvs}. @sc{cvs} 1.9.18 and earlier only work with @sc{rcs} version 5 and later; current versions of @sc{cvs} do not run @sc{rcs} programs. @c For more information on installing @sc{cvs}, see @c (FIXME: where? it depends on whether you are @c getting binaries or sources or what). @c The message can also say "ci error" or something @c instead of "rcs error", I suspect. @item cvs [server aborted]: received broken pipe signal This message seems to be caused by a hard-to-track-down bug in @sc{cvs} or the systems it runs on (we don't know---we haven't tracked it down yet!). It seems to happen only after a @sc{cvs} command has completed, and you should be able to just ignore the message. However, if you have discovered information concerning its cause, please let us know as described in @ref{BUGS}. @item Too many arguments! This message is typically printed by the @file{log.pl} script which is in the @file{contrib} directory in the @sc{cvs} source distribution. In some versions of @sc{cvs}, @file{log.pl} has been part of the default @sc{cvs} installation. The @file{log.pl} script gets called from the @file{loginfo} administrative file. Check that the arguments passed in @file{loginfo} match what your version of @file{log.pl} expects. In particular, the @file{log.pl} from @sc{cvs} 1.3 and older expects the logfile as an argument whereas the @file{log.pl} from @sc{cvs} 1.5 and newer expects the logfile to be specified with a @samp{-f} option. Of course, if you don't need @file{log.pl} you can just comment it out of @file{loginfo}. @item cvs [update aborted]: unexpected EOF reading @var{file},v See @samp{EOF in key in RCS file}. @item cvs [login aborted]: unrecognized auth response from @var{server} This message typically means that the server is not set up properly. For example, if @file{inetd.conf} points to a nonexistent cvs executable. To debug it further, find the log file which inetd writes (@file{/var/log/messages} or whatever inetd uses on your system). For details, see @ref{Connection}, and @ref{Password authentication server}. @item cvs server: cannot open /root/.cvsignore: Permission denied @itemx cvs [server aborted]: can't chdir(/root): Permission denied See @ref{Connection}. @item cvs commit: Up-to-date check failed for `@var{file}' This means that someone else has committed a change to that file since the last time that you did a @code{cvs update}. So before proceeding with your @code{cvs commit} you need to @code{cvs update}. @sc{cvs} will merge the changes that you made and the changes that the other person made. If it does not detect any conflicts it will report @samp{M @var{file}} and you are ready to @code{cvs commit}. If it detects conflicts it will print a message saying so, will report @samp{C @var{file}}, and you need to manually resolve the conflict. For more details on this process see @ref{Conflicts example}. @item Usage: diff3 [-exEX3 [-i | -m] [-L label1 -L label3]] file1 file2 file3 @example Only one of [exEX3] allowed @end example This indicates a problem with the installation of @code{diff3} and @code{rcsmerge}. Specifically @code{rcsmerge} was compiled to look for GNU diff3, but it is finding unix diff3 instead. The exact text of the message will vary depending on the system. The simplest solution is to upgrade to a current version of @sc{cvs}, which does not rely on external @code{rcsmerge} or @code{diff3} programs. @item warning: unrecognized response `@var{text}' from cvs server If @var{text} contains a valid response (such as @samp{ok}) followed by an extra carriage return character (on many systems this will cause the second part of the message to overwrite the first part), then it probably means that you are using the @samp{:ext:} access method with a version of rsh, such as most non-unix rsh versions, which does not by default provide a transparent data stream. In such cases you probably want to try @samp{:server:} instead of @samp{:ext:}. If @var{text} is something else, this may signify a problem with your @sc{cvs} server. Double-check your installation against the instructions for setting up the @sc{cvs} server. @c FIXCVS: should be printing CR as \r or \015 or some @c such, probably. @item cvs commit: [@var{time}] waiting for @var{user}'s lock in @var{directory} This is a normal message, not an error. See @ref{Concurrency}, for more details. @item cvs commit: warning: editor session failed @cindex Exit status, of editor This means that the editor which @sc{cvs} is using exits with a nonzero exit status. Some versions of vi will do this even when there was not a problem editing the file. If so, point the @code{CVSEDITOR} environment variable to a small script such as: @example #!/bin/sh vi $* exit 0 @end example @c "warning: foo was lost" and "no longer pertinent" (both normal). @c Would be nice to write these up--they are @c potentially confusing for the new user. @end table @node Connection @appendixsec Trouble making a connection to a CVS server This section concerns what to do if you are having trouble making a connection to a @sc{cvs} server. If you are running the @sc{cvs} command line client running on Windows, first upgrade the client to @sc{cvs} 1.9.12 or later. The error reporting in earlier versions provided much less information about what the problem was. If the client is non-Windows, @sc{cvs} 1.9 should be fine. If the error messages are not sufficient to track down the problem, the next steps depend largely on which access method you are using. @table @code @cindex :ext:, troubleshooting @item :ext: Try running the rsh program from the command line. For example: "rsh servername cvs -v" should print @sc{cvs} version information. If this doesn't work, you need to fix it before you can worry about @sc{cvs} problems. @cindex :server:, troubleshooting @item :server: You don't need a command line rsh program to use this access method, but if you have an rsh program around, it may be useful as a debugging tool. Follow the directions given for :ext:. @cindex :pserver:, troubleshooting @item :pserver: Errors along the lines of "connection refused" typically indicate that inetd isn't even listening for connections on port 2401 whereas errors like "connection reset by peer" or "recv() from server: EOF" typically indicate that inetd is listening for connections but is unable to start @sc{cvs} (this is frequently caused by having an incorrect path in @file{inetd.conf}). "unrecognized auth response" errors are caused by a bad command line in @file{inetd.conf}, typically an invalid option or forgetting to put the @samp{pserver} command at the end of the line. Another less common problem is invisible control characters that your editor "helpfully" added without you noticing. One good debugging tool is to "telnet servername 2401". After connecting, send any text (for example "foo" followed by return). If @sc{cvs} is working correctly, it will respond with @example cvs [pserver aborted]: bad auth protocol start: foo @end example If instead you get: @example Usage: cvs [cvs-options] command [command-options-and-arguments] ... @end example then you're missing the @samp{pserver} command at the end of the line in @file{inetd.conf}; check to make sure that the entire command is on one line and that it's complete. Likewise, if you get something like: @example Unknown command: `pserved' CVS commands are: add Add a new file/directory to the repository ... @end example then you've misspelled @samp{pserver} in some way. If it isn't obvious, check for invisible control characters (particularly carriage returns) in @file{inetd.conf}. If it fails to work at all, then make sure inetd is working right. Change the invocation in @file{inetd.conf} to run the echo program instead of cvs. For example: @example 2401 stream tcp nowait root /bin/echo echo hello @end example After making that change and instructing inetd to re-read its configuration file, "telnet servername 2401" should show you the text hello and then the server should close the connection. If this doesn't work, you need to fix it before you can worry about @sc{cvs} problems. On AIX systems, the system will often have its own program trying to use port 2401. This is AIX's problem in the sense that port 2401 is registered for use with @sc{cvs}. I hear that there is an AIX patch available to address this problem. Another good debugging tool is the @samp{-d} (debugging) option to inetd. Consult your system documentation for more information. If you seem to be connecting but get errors like: @example cvs server: cannot open /root/.cvsignore: Permission denied cvs [server aborted]: can't chdir(/root): Permission denied @end example then you probably haven't specified @samp{-f} in @file{inetd.conf}. If you can connect successfully for a while but then can't, you've probably hit inetd's rate limit. (If inetd receives too many requests for the same service in a short period of time, it assumes that something is wrong and temporarily disables the service.) Check your inetd documentation to find out how to adjust the rate limit (some versions of inetd have a single rate limit, others allow you to set the limit for each service separately.) @end table @node Other problems @appendixsec Other common problems Here is a list of problems which do not fit into the above categories. They are in no particular order. @itemize @bullet @item On Windows, if there is a 30 second or so delay when you run a @sc{cvs} command, it may mean that you have your home directory set to @file{C:/}, for example (see @code{HOMEDRIVE} and @code{HOMEPATH} in @ref{Environment variables}). @sc{cvs} expects the home directory to not end in a slash, for example @file{C:} or @file{C:\cvs}. @c FIXCVS: CVS should at least detect this and print an @c error, presumably. @item If you are running @sc{cvs} 1.9.18 or older, and @code{cvs update} finds a conflict and tries to merge, as described in @ref{Conflicts example}, but doesn't tell you there were conflicts, then you may have an old version of @sc{rcs}. The easiest solution probably is to upgrade to a current version of @sc{cvs}, which does not rely on external @sc{rcs} programs. @end itemize @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Credits @appendix Credits @cindex Contributors (manual) @cindex Credits (manual) Roland Pesch, then of Cygnus Support <@t{roland@@wrs.com}> wrote the manual pages which were distributed with @sc{cvs} 1.3. Much of their text was copied into this manual. He also read an early draft of this manual and contributed many ideas and corrections. The mailing-list @code{info-cvs} is sometimes informative. I have included information from postings made by the following persons: David G. Grubbs <@t{dgg@@think.com}>. Some text has been extracted from the man pages for @sc{rcs}. The @sc{cvs} @sc{faq} by David G. Grubbs has provided useful material. The @sc{faq} is no longer maintained, however, and this manual is about the closest thing there is to a successor (with respect to documenting how to use @sc{cvs}, at least). In addition, the following persons have helped by telling me about mistakes I've made: @display Roxanne Brunskill <@t{rbrunski@@datap.ca}>, Kathy Dyer <@t{dyer@@phoenix.ocf.llnl.gov}>, Karl Pingle <@t{pingle@@acuson.com}>, Thomas A Peterson <@t{tap@@src.honeywell.com}>, Inge Wallin <@t{ingwa@@signum.se}>, Dirk Koschuetzki <@t{koschuet@@fmi.uni-passau.de}> and Michael Brown <@t{brown@@wi.extrel.com}>. @end display The list of contributors here is not comprehensive; for a more complete list of who has contributed to this manual see the file @file{doc/ChangeLog} in the @sc{cvs} source distribution. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node BUGS @appendix Dealing with bugs in CVS or this manual @cindex Bugs in this manual or CVS Neither @sc{cvs} nor this manual is perfect, and they probably never will be. If you are having trouble using @sc{cvs}, or think you have found a bug, there are a number of things you can do about it. Note that if the manual is unclear, that can be considered a bug in the manual, so these problems are often worth doing something about as well as problems with @sc{cvs} itself. @cindex Reporting bugs @cindex Bugs, reporting @cindex Errors, reporting @itemize @bullet @item If you want someone to help you and fix bugs that you report, there are companies which will do that for a fee. One such company is: @cindex Signum Support @cindex Support, getting CVS support @example Signum Support AB Box 2044 S-580 02 Linkoping Sweden Email: info@@signum.se Phone: +46 (0)13 - 21 46 00 Fax: +46 (0)13 - 21 47 00 http://www.signum.se/ @end example @item If you got @sc{cvs} through a distributor, such as an operating system vendor or a vendor of freeware @sc{cd-rom}s, you may wish to see whether the distributor provides support. Often, they will provide no support or minimal support, but this may vary from distributor to distributor. @item If you have the skills and time to do so, you may wish to fix the bug yourself. If you wish to submit your fix for inclusion in future releases of @sc{cvs}, see the file @sc{hacking} in the @sc{cvs} source distribution. It contains much more information on the process of submitting fixes. @item There may be resources on the net which can help. Two good places to start are: @example http://www.cvshome.org http://www.loria.fr/~molli/cvs-index.html @end example If you are so inspired, increasing the information available on the net is likely to be appreciated. For example, before the standard @sc{cvs} distribution worked on Windows 95, there was a web page with some explanation and patches for running @sc{cvs} on Windows 95, and various people helped out by mentioning this page on mailing lists or newsgroups when the subject came up. @item It is also possible to report bugs to @code{bug-cvs}. Note that someone may or may not want to do anything with your bug report---if you need a solution consider one of the options mentioned above. People probably do want to hear about bugs which are particularly severe in consequences and/or easy to fix, however. You can also increase your odds by being as clear as possible about the exact nature of the bug and any other relevant information. The way to report bugs is to send email to @code{bug-cvs@@gnu.org}. Note that submissions to @code{bug-cvs} may be distributed under the terms of the @sc{gnu} Public License, so if you don't like this, don't submit them. There is usually no justification for sending mail directly to one of the @sc{cvs} maintainers rather than to @code{bug-cvs}; those maintainers who want to hear about such bug reports read @code{bug-cvs}. Also note that sending a bug report to other mailing lists or newsgroups is @emph{not} a substitute for sending it to @code{bug-cvs}. It is fine to discuss @sc{cvs} bugs on whatever forum you prefer, but there are not necessarily any maintainers reading bug reports sent anywhere except @code{bug-cvs}. @end itemize @cindex Known bugs in this manual or CVS People often ask if there is a list of known bugs or whether a particular bug is a known one. The file @sc{bugs} in the @sc{cvs} source distribution is one list of known bugs, but it doesn't necessarily try to be comprehensive. Perhaps there will never be a comprehensive, detailed list of known bugs. @c --------------------------------------------------------------------- @node Index @unnumbered Index @cindex Index @printindex cp @summarycontents @contents @bye Local Variables: fill-column: 55 End: