book

Essential CVS, 2nd Edition

Name: Essential CVS, 2nd Edition
Author: Jennifer Vesperman
ISBN: 9780596527037

by Jennifer Vesperman

November 2006

Intermediate to advanced

427 pages

11h 12m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Dedication
Preface
Changes for the Second EditionStructure of the BookConventions Used in This BookLearning More About CVSWeb Site and ManpagesRelated BooksSupportUsing Code ExamplesHow To Contact UsSafari® EnabledAcknowledgments for the First EditionAcknowledgments for the Second Edition
I. Introduction
1. What Is CVS?
1.1. What Is a Versioning System?1.2. Why CVS?1.2.1. Features of Version Control Systems1.2.2. Comparing Version Control Systems1.2.3. CVS Versus Subversion1.2.4. CVS and CVSNT1.2.5. Why I Prefer CVS1.3. CVS in the Field1.3.1. System Administration1.3.2. Software Development1.3.3. Content-Controlled Publishing1.3.4. Other Uses for CVS
2. CVS Quickstart Guide
2.1. Installing CVS2.1.1. Is CVS Installed?2.1.2. Graphic User Interfaces2.1.3. Secure Shell2.1.4. Installing CVS with a Package Manager2.1.5. Installing and Building CVS from Source2.2. Building Your First Repository2.3. Importing Projects2.4. Accessing Remote Repositories2.5. Checking Out Files2.6. Editing Files2.7. Committing Changes2.8. Updating Sandboxes2.9. Adding Files2.10. Removing Files2.11. Exporting and Building Projects2.12. Quick Tips for Success
II. Using CVS
3. Basic Use of CVS
3.1. General Information3.1.1. Lock Files3.1.2. CVS Command Syntax3.1.3. Choosing Your Editor3.2. Sandboxes and Repositories3.2.1. Permissions and Ownership3.2.2. Repository Paths3.2.3. Browsing the Repository3.2.4. Creating a Sandbox3.2.5. Checking Out from Multiple Repositories3.2.6. Changing Repositories3.2.7. Editing Sandbox Files3.3. Committing Changes to the Repository3.3.1. Setting Revision Numbers3.3.2. When to Commit3.3.3. Checking File Status3.4. Updating the Sandbox Files from the Repository3.4.1. Retrieving Past Revisions of a File3.4.1.1. Retrieving a static file3.4.1.2. Reverting changes3.4.1.3. Retrieving by date3.4.2. When to Update3.4.3. Conflicts and Merging3.5. Adding Files to the Repository3.6. Removing Files from the Repository3.6.1. Retrieving Removed Files3.6.1.1. Method 13.6.1.2. Method 23.6.1.3. Method 33.6.2. Removing Directories3.7. Moving Files or Directories3.7.1. Moving Files3.7.2. Moving Directories3.8. Releasing a Sandbox3.9. Keywords3.10. Binary Files and Wrappers3.11. Specifying Default Command Options
4. Tagging and Branching
4.1. Tagging4.1.1. Tag Names4.1.2. Reserved Tag Names4.1.3. Tagging by Sandbox4.1.4. Tagging by Date or Revision4.1.5. Retrieving Tagged Files4.1.6. Removing and Moving Tags4.1.6.1. Removing a tag4.1.6.2. Moving a tag4.1.6.3. Moving or removing tags from Attic files4.1.6.4. Renaming a tag4.1.7. Removed Files4.1.8. Tagging Strategies4.2. Stickiness4.3. Branching4.3.1. Uses for Branches4.3.2. Making a Branch4.3.3. Retroactive Branching4.3.4. Creating a Branch Sandbox4.3.5. Adding and Removing Files4.3.6. Merging Branches4.3.6.1. Merging from branch to trunk4.3.6.2. Merging from trunk to branch4.3.6.3. Merging from branch to branch4.3.6.4. Keyword issues when merging branches4.3.6.5. Merging binary and special files4.3.7. Branch Revision Numbers4.3.8. Magic Branch Numbers4.3.9. Deleting or Moving a Branch4.4. Branching Strategies4.4.1. Branching Philosophies4.4.1.1. Basically stable4.4.1.2. Basically unstable4.4.2. Branch Styles4.4.2.1. Long branch, merging to branch4.4.2.2. Long branch, merging to trunk4.4.2.3. Long branch, merging both trunk and branch4.4.2.4. Short branches4.4.2.5. Nested branches4.4.3. Branch Policies4.5. Merging Strategies4.5.1. When Merging Is Easy4.5.2. When Merging Is Difficult
5. Multiple Users
5.1. Using Simultaneous Development5.2. Watching a File5.2.1. Configuring Watches5.2.2. Marking a File for Watching5.2.3. Setting Your Watch5.2.4. Editing a File5.2.4.1. Aborting an edit5.2.4.2. Committing an edit5.2.5. Listing Watchers and Editors5.3. Reserving Files5.3.1. Installing and Configuring rcslock5.3.2. Reserving a File5.3.3. Committing a File5.3.4. Releasing a File5.3.5. Combining rcslock with watch5.4. Comparing File Revisions5.5. Displaying Recent Changes5.6. Displaying File History
III. CVS Administration

6. Repository Management
6.1. Creating a Repository6.2. Deleting a Repository6.3. Securing Your Projects6.3.1. Sandboxes6.3.2. Repository Root Directory6.3.3. CVSROOT Directory6.3.4. Project Directories6.3.5. General Information on Security6.4. Repository Structure6.4.1. Attic Subdirectory6.4.2. CVS Subdirectory6.4.3. Locks6.5. CVSROOT Files6.5.1. Configuration Files6.5.1.1. config6.5.1.2. cvswrappers6.5.1.3. modules6.5.1.4. notify6.5.2. Scripting Files6.5.2.1. commitinfo6.5.2.2. editinfo6.5.2.3. loginfo6.5.2.4. postadmin6.5.2.5. postproxy6.5.2.6. posttag6.5.2.7. postwatch6.5.2.8. preproxy6.5.2.9. rcsinfo6.5.2.10. taginfo6.5.2.11. verifymsg6.5.3. Informational Files6.5.3.1. checkoutlist6.5.3.2. cvsignore6.5.3.3. history6.5.3.4. passwd6.5.3.5. readers6.5.3.6. users6.5.3.7. val-tags6.5.3.8. writers6.5.4. Variable Expansion6.6. Server Environment Variables6.7. Backing Up a Repository6.7.1. Freezing a Repository6.7.2. Restoring a Backup6.8. Distributed Repositories6.8.1. Mirroring a Repository6.8.2. Write Proxies6.8.3. Web-Viewable Repositories6.9. Editing a Repository6.9.1. Moving Files and Directories6.9.1.1. Prerequisites to moving a file6.9.1.2. Moving a file: Method 16.9.1.3. Moving a file: Method 26.9.1.4. Moving a directory: Method 16.9.1.5. Moving a directory: Method 26.9.2. Deleting Files and Directories6.9.2.1. Deleting a file6.9.2.2. Deleting a directory6.9.3. Deleting a Project6.9.4. Editing a Project’s RCS Files6.9.5. Clearing Locks6.10. Sandbox Structure6.10.1. CVS Subdirectories6.10.2. Dot Files in Sandbox Directories6.10.3. Dot Files in User Home Directories6.11. Client Environment Variables6.12. Exit Status
7. Project Management
7.1. Creating a Project7.1.1. Preparing a Project7.1.2. Importing a Project7.1.3. Vendor Branches7.1.4. Alternatives to Importing7.1.4.1. Creating a project with cvs add7.1.4.2. Creating a project by editing the repository7.1.5. Importing from Other Version Control Systems7.2. Distributing Files7.2.1. checkout and update7.2.2. Exporting Files7.3. Running Scripts7.3.1. Working with Scripting Files7.3.2. Common Syntax7.3.3. The modules File7.3.3.1. Alias modules7.3.3.2. Regular modules7.3.3.3. Module options and scripts7.3.4. The commitinfo File7.3.5. The loginfo File7.3.6. The postadmin File7.3.7. The postproxy File7.3.8. The posttag File7.3.9. The postwatch File7.3.10. The preproxy File7.3.11. The rcsinfo File7.3.12. The taginfo File7.3.13. The verifymsg File7.4. Interfacing with External Programs7.4.1. Interfacing with Bug Trackers7.4.2. Interfacing with Build Scripts7.4.3. Enforcing Standards7.4.4. Making Patchfiles7.5. Tools7.5.1. The cvs admin Command7.5.2. The cvs history Command7.5.2.1. The history file7.5.2.2. cvs history output7.5.2.3. Using the cvs history command7.6. Strategies and Practices7.6.1. Tag and Branch Strategies7.6.2. Automation Strategies7.6.3. Project Structure and Sandboxes7.6.4. Client and Server Version Mismatch7.6.5. Practices for Development
8. Remote Repositories
8.1. Specifying Repository Paths8.2. Method Options8.3. The local Access Method8.4. The ext and server Access Methods8.4.1. rsh8.4.2. The server Access Method8.4.3. SSH8.4.4. Other Connection Programs8.5. The fork Access Method8.6. The gserver Access Method8.7. The kserver Access Method8.8. The pserver Access Method8.8.1. The passwd File8.8.2. The readers and writers Files8.8.3. login and logout8.8.4. Security8.9. Using inetd with gserver, kserver, and pserver8.9.1. Client Ports8.10. PAM
9. Troubleshooting
9.1. General Troubleshooting Techniques9.1.1. Finding Help9.1.1.1. Mail and newsgroups9.1.1.2. The Web9.1.2. Reporting Bugs9.1.3. Making Your Own Changes to CVS9.2. Connectivity Problems9.2.1. Root and Repository File Problems9.2.2. Misconfigured Access Methods9.2.3. Isolating Connectivity Problems9.2.4. rsh-Replacement Problems9.3. Filename Problems9.4. Line-Ending Problems9.5. Permission Problems9.5.1. pserver Problems9.6. Lock Files9.7. Time Issues
IV. Reference
10. Command Reference
10.1. CVS Command-Line Options10.2. CVS Commands10.2.1. add10.2.1.1. Command options10.2.1.2. Description10.2.1.3. Example 110.2.1.4. Example 210.2.1.5. Example 310.2.2. admin10.2.2.1. Command options10.2.2.2. Description10.2.2.3. Example 110.2.2.4. Example 210.2.3. annotate10.2.3.1. Command options10.2.3.2. Example 110.2.3.3. Example 210.2.4. checkout10.2.4.1. Command options10.2.4.2. Description10.2.4.3. Example 110.2.4.4. Example 210.2.5. commit10.2.5.1. Command options10.2.5.2. Description10.2.5.3. Example 110.2.5.4. Example 210.2.6. diff10.2.6.1. Standard options10.2.6.2. Format options10.2.6.3. Line and group format options10.2.6.4. Example 110.2.6.5. Example 210.2.7. edit10.2.7.1. Command options10.2.7.2. Description10.2.7.3. Example10.2.8. editors10.2.8.1. Command options10.2.8.2. Example10.2.9. export10.2.9.1. Command options10.2.9.2. Description10.2.9.3. Example10.2.10. history10.2.10.1. Command options10.2.10.2. Example 110.2.10.3. Example 210.2.11. import10.2.11.1. Command options10.2.11.2. Description10.2.11.3. Example 110.2.11.4. Example 210.2.12. init10.2.12.1. Example10.2.13. kserver10.2.13.1. Example10.2.14. log10.2.14.1. Command options10.2.14.2. Example10.2.15. login10.2.15.1. Example10.2.16. logout10.2.16.1. Example10.2.17. ls10.2.17.1. Command options10.2.17.2. Example 110.2.17.3. Example 210.2.18. pserver10.2.18.1. Example10.2.19. rannotate10.2.19.1. Command options10.2.19.2. Example10.2.20. rdiff10.2.20.1. Command options10.2.20.2. Example10.2.21. release10.2.21.1. Command option10.2.21.2. Example10.2.22. remove10.2.22.1. Command options10.2.22.2. Example 110.2.22.3. Example 210.2.23. rlog10.2.23.1. Command options10.2.23.2. Example10.2.24. rls10.2.24.1. Example10.2.25. rtag10.2.25.1. Command options10.2.25.2. Description10.2.25.3. Example 110.2.25.4. Example 210.2.26. server10.2.27. status10.2.27.1. Command options10.2.27.2. Example10.2.28. tag10.2.28.1. Command options10.2.28.2. Description10.2.28.3. Example 110.2.28.4. Example 210.2.29. unedit10.2.29.1. Command options10.2.29.2. Description10.2.29.3. Example10.2.30. update10.2.30.1. Command options10.2.30.2. Description10.2.30.3. Example 110.2.30.4. Example 210.2.31. version10.2.31.1. Example10.2.32. watch10.2.32.1. Command options10.2.32.2. Example10.2.33. watchers10.2.33.1. Command options10.2.33.2. Example
11. Miscellaneous Topics Reference
11.1. Administrative Files11.1.1. Dot Files11.1.2. CVS Subdirectory Files11.2. CVSROOT Files11.2.1. Scripting File Syntax11.2.2. The checkoutlist File11.2.3. The commitinfo File11.2.4. The config File11.2.5. The cvsignore File11.2.6. The cvswrappers File11.2.7. The editinfo File11.2.8. The history File11.2.9. The loginfo File11.2.10. The modules File11.2.11. The notify File11.2.12. The passwd File11.2.13. The postadmin File11.2.14. The postproxy File11.2.15. The posttag File11.2.16. The postwatch File11.2.17. The preproxy File11.2.18. The rcsinfo File11.2.19. The readers File11.2.20. The taginfo File11.2.21. The users File11.2.22. The val-tags File11.2.23. The verifymsg File11.2.24. The writers File11.3. CVSROOT Variables11.3.1. Environment Variables in CVSROOT Files11.3.2. Internal Variables in CVSROOT Files11.3.3. Shell Variables in CVSROOT Files11.4. Dates11.4.1. Legal Date Formats11.4.1.1. ISO 860111.4.1.2. RFC 822 and RFC 112311.4.2. Legal Date Keywords11.4.3. Time Zones11.5. Environment Variables11.5.1. Client Environment Variables11.5.2. Server Environment Variables11.6. Keywords and Keyword Modes11.7. Pattern Matching11.7.1. Wildcards11.7.2. Regular Expressions11.8. Repository Access Methods11.8.1. Client Side11.8.2. Server Side11.8.3. PAM Support
V. Appendixes
A. Clients and Operating Systems
A.1. Multi-Operating-System ClientsA.1.1. gCVS, WinCVS, and MacCVSA.1.1.1. Installing gCVSA.1.1.2. Installing WinCVSA.1.1.3. Installing MacCVSA.1.2. CVLA.1.3. CrossVCA.1.4. jCVSA.1.5. SmartCVSA.2. Macintosh ClientsA.2.1. MacCVSClientA.2.2. MacCVS ProA.3. Unix and Linux ClientsA.3.1. CervisiaA.3.2. PharmacyA.3.3. tkCVSA.4. Windows ClientsA.4.1. CS-CVSA.4.2. TortoiseCVSA.5. Integration ToolsA.5.1. abCVSA.5.2. AnjutaA.5.3. BBEditA.5.4. CVSInA.5.5. CWCVSA.5.6. EclipseA.5.7. Jalindi IglooA.5.8. NetBeansA.5.9. VCA.5.10. VimA.5.11. Zeus SCC-CVS
B. Administrators’ Tools
B.1. CVS VariantsB.1.1. CVS/MVSB.1.2. cvs-nserverB.1.3. CVSNTB.1.4. DCVSB.1.5. Meta-CVSB.1.6. OpenCVSB.1.7. RISC OS CVS portsB.2. Distribution ToolsB.2.1. ChoraB.2.2. CVSupB.2.3. CVSviaFTPB.2.4. CVSwebB.2.5. jCVS Web (Formerly jCVS Servlet)B.2.6. SandWebB.2.7. ViewVCB.2.8. WandiscoB.3. Logging ToolsB.3.1. CHalogenB.3.2. clmergeB.3.3. commit_prep and log_accumB.3.4. cvs2cl.plB.3.5. cvs-expB.3.6. logB.3.7. mfpipeB.3.8. rcs2logB.4. Metadata ToolsB.4.1. CVS MonitorB.4.2. CVSPlotB.4.3. CVSSearchB.4.4. CVSTracB.5. ConvertersB.5.1. rcs-to-cvsB.5.2. rcs2sccs and sccs2rcsB.5.3. VSSExtractorB.5.4. pvcs2rcsB.6. MiscellaneousB.6.1. activitymailB.6.2. cln_histB.6.3. CPAN VCS::CVSB.6.4. cvs_aclsB.6.5. CVSCheckB.6.6. CVSFSB.6.7. CVSlibB.6.8. CVS UtilitiesB.6.9. CVS2vendorB.6.10. descendB.6.11. newcvsrootB.6.12. rcslockB.6.13. sandbox_statusB.6.14. validate_repo
C. Frequently Asked Questions
C.1. Usage QuestionsC.1.1. Creating Projects and SandboxesC.1.1.1. How do I start a new project?C.1.1.2. How do I avoid using a vendor tag and a release tag when I import?C.1.1.3. How do I list all the projects in a repository?C.1.1.4. How do I check out all the projects in a repository?C.1.1.5. How do I get a checkout that doesn’t have all that CVS administrative stuff?C.1.1.6. How do I check out only one file?C.1.2. Using SandboxesC.1.2.1. How do I tell whether there are files in the repository that I haven’t checked out? How do I tell which files in my sandbox I haven’t committed?C.1.2.2. How do I clear stickiness?C.1.2.3. What does “move away (file), it is in the way” mean?C.1.2.4. How do I rollback or uncommit?C.1.2.5. How do I recover deleted files?C.1.2.6. What is the Attic?C.1.2.7. How do I view changes since a particular date? What about between two dates?C.1.2.8. How do I view a list of all the files with a given tag?C.1.2.9. How do I find out which tag was set on a given date, or on what date a given tag was created?C.1.2.10. How do I retrieve a particular revision when I only know which date the revision was on?C.1.2.11. What is locking all about?C.1.2.12. How do I lock files so that only I can commit them?C.1.3. Using BranchesC.1.3.1. How do I lock a particular branch so no one can commit to it?C.1.3.2. How do I get the history of all files in a particular branch?C.1.3.3. How do I check out multiple branches of a project?C.1.3.4. How do I merge from branch to trunk, or trunk to branch?C.1.3.5. How do I avoid fixing the same conflicts over and over when I merge branches?C.1.3.6. How do I remove a branch?C.1.3.7. How do I branch a branch? Why would I want to?C.1.3.8. How do I recreate a deleted branch tag?C.1.4. Managing ProjectsC.1.4.1. How do I make a patch?C.1.4.2. How do I make CVS support symbolic links?C.1.4.3. How do I import vendor upgrades directly to a branch?C.1.4.4. How can I share common files between projects?C.1.4.5. How do I send emails automatically?C.2. Administration QuestionsC.2.1. General AdministrationC.2.1.1. How do I install and configure CVS?C.2.1.2. Will upgrading cause me any problems?C.2.1.3. How can I automatically create a changelog from CVS?C.2.1.4. How do I export a current copy automatically when files are committed?C.2.2. Permissions and SecurityC.2.2.1. How can I manage CVS file permissions?C.2.2.2. How do I get access control for CVS?C.2.2.3. How do I prevent my users from deleting my repository?C.2.2.4. How do I let multiple users use the same files?C.2.2.5. How do I fix permission denied problems?C.2.2.6. How do I clear file locks?C.2.2.7. How do I set up pserver?C.2.2.8. How do I change pserver passwords?C.2.3. RepositoriesC.2.3.1. How do I rename a repository?C.2.3.2. How do I maintain a repository on Samba/NTFS/etc.?C.2.3.3. How do I run multiple repositories from one pserver/kserver/gserver invocation?C.2.3.4. How do I make an anonymous, read-only repository?C.2.3.5. How do I make several anonymous, read-only repositories?C.2.3.6. How do I run multiple projects from one repository?C.2.3.7. How do I make multiple repositories with the same project information? How do I synchronize multiple CVS repositories?C.2.3.8. How do I move a repository from one server to another?C.2.4. Final QuestionsC.2.4.1. How do I get off the mailing list?C.2.4.2. How do I make money fast?
About the Author
Colophon
Copyright

Overview

This easy-to-follow reference shows a variety of professionals how to use the Concurrent Versions System (CVS), the open source tool that lets you manage versions of anything stored in files. Ideal for software developers tracking different versions of the same code, this new edition has been expanded to explain common usages of CVS for system administrators, project managers, software architects, user-interface (UI) specialists, graphic designers and others.

Current for version 1.12, Essential CVS, 2nd Edition offers an overview of CVS, explains the core concepts, and describes the commands that most people use on a day-to-day basis. For those who need to get up to speed rapidly, the book's Quickstart Guide shows you how to build and use a basic CVS repository with the default settings and a minimum of extras. You'll also find:

A full command reference that details all aspects of customizing CVS for automation, logging, branching, merging documents, and creating alerts
Examples and descriptions of the most commonly used options for each command
Why and when to tag or branch your project, tagging before releases, and using branching to create a bugfix version of a project
Details on the systems used in CVS to permit multiple developers to work on the same project without loss of data

An entire section devoted to document version management and project management includes ways to import and export projects, work with remote repositories, and shows how to fix things that can go wrong when using CVS. You'll find more screenshots in this edition as well as examples of using graphical CVS clients to run CVS commands. Essential CVS also includes a FAQ that answers common queries in the CVS mailing list to get you up and running with this system quickly and painlessly.

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