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File: cvs.info,  Node: Common options,  Next: admin,  Prev: Global options,  Up: CVS commands

Common command options
======================

   This section describes the `command_options' that are available
across several CVS commands.  These options are always given to the
right of `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 CVS command to the other).

   *Warning:* the `history' command is an exception; it supports many
options that conflict even with these standard options.

`-D DATE_SPEC'
     Use the most recent revision no later than DATE_SPEC.  DATE_SPEC
     is a single argument, a date description specifying a date in the
     past.

     The specification is "sticky" when you use it to make a private
     copy of a source file; that is, when you get a working file using
     `-D', 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, *note Sticky tags::.).

     `-D' is available with the `checkout', `diff', `export', `history',
     `rdiff', `rtag', and `update' commands.  (The `history' command
     uses this option in a slightly different way; *note history
     options::.).

     A wide variety of date formats are supported by 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).

     ISO8601 dates have many variants but a few examples are:

          1972-09-24
          1972-09-24 20:05

     For more details about ISO8601 dates, see:

          http://www.ft.uni-erlangen.de/~mskuhn/iso-time.html

     In addition to the dates allowed in Internet e-mail itself, CVS
     also allows some of the fields to be omitted.  For example:

          24 Sep 1972 20:05
          24 Sep

     The date is interpreted as being in the local timezone, unless a
     specific timezone is specified.

     These two date formats are preferred.  However, CVS currently
     accepts a wide variety of other date formats.  They are
     intentionally not documented here in any detail, and future
     versions of CVS might not accept all of them.

     One such format is `MONTH/DAY/YEAR'.  This may confuse people who
     are accustomed to having the month and day in the other order;
     `1/4/96' is January 4, not April 1.

     Remember to quote the argument to the `-D' flag so that your shell
     doesn't interpret spaces as argument separators.  A command using
     the `-D' flag can look like this:

          $ cvs diff -D "1 hour ago" cvs.texinfo

`-f'
     When you specify a particular date or tag to 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 `-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).

     `-f' is available with these commands: `annotate', `checkout',
     `export', `rdiff', `rtag', and `update'.

     *Warning:*  The `commit' command also has a `-f' option, but it
     has a different behavior for that command.  *Note commit options::.

`-k KFLAG'
     Alter the default RCS processing of keywords.  *Note Keyword
     substitution::, for the meaning of KFLAG.  Your KFLAG
     specification is "sticky" when you use it to create a private copy
     of a source file; that is, when you use this option with the
     `checkout' or `update' commands, CVS associates your selected
     KFLAG with the file, and continues to use it with future update
     commands on the same file until you specify otherwise.

     The `-k' option is available with the `add', `checkout', `diff',
     `import' and `update' commands.

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory, rather than
     recursing through subdirectories.

     *Warning:* this is not the same as the overall `cvs -l' option,
     which you can specify to the left of a cvs command!

     Available with the following commands: `annotate', `checkout',
     `commit', `diff', `edit', `editors', `export', `log', `rdiff',
     `remove', `rtag', `status', `tag', `unedit', `update', `watch',
     and `watchers'.

`-m MESSAGE'
     Use MESSAGE as log information, instead of invoking an editor.

     Available with the following commands: `add', `commit' and
     `import'.

`-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 (*note modules::.); this option bypasses it).

     *Warning:* this is not the same as the overall `cvs -n' option,
     which you can specify to the left of a cvs command!

     Available with the `checkout', `commit', `export', and `rtag'
     commands.

`-P'
     Prune empty directories.  See *Note Removing directories::.

`-p'
     Pipe the files retrieved from the repository to standard output,
     rather than writing them in the current directory.  Available with
     the `checkout' and `update' commands.

`-R'
     Process directories recursively.  This is on by default.

     Available with the following commands: `annotate', `checkout',
     `commit', `diff', `edit', `editors', `export', `rdiff', `remove',
     `rtag', `status', `tag', `unedit', `update', `watch', and
     `watchers'.

`-r TAG'
     Use the revision specified by the TAG argument instead of the
     default "head" revision.  As well as arbitrary tags defined with
     the `tag' or `rtag' command, two special tags are always
     available: `HEAD' refers to the most recent version available in
     the repository, and `BASE' refers to the revision you last checked
     out into the current working directory.

     The tag specification is sticky when you use this with `checkout'
     or `update' to make your own copy of a file: CVS remembers the tag
     and continues to use it on future update commands, until you
     specify otherwise (for more information on sticky tags/dates,
     *note Sticky tags::.).  The tag can be either a symbolic or
     numeric tag.  *Note Tags::.

     Specifying the `-q' global option along with the `-r' command
     option is often useful, to suppress the warning messages when the
     RCS history file does not contain the specified tag.

     *Warning:* this is not the same as the overall `cvs -r' option,
     which you can specify to the left of a CVS command!

     `-r' is available with the `checkout', `commit', `diff',
     `history', `export', `rdiff', `rtag', and `update' commands.

`-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 `.cvswrappers' file.
     Available with the following commands: `import', and `update'.


File: cvs.info,  Node: admin,  Next: checkout,  Prev: Common options,  Up: CVS commands

admin--Administration front end for rcs
=======================================

   * Requires: repository, working directory.

   * Changes: repository.

   * Synonym: rcs

   This is the CVS interface to assorted administrative facilities.
Some of them have questionable usefulness for CVS but exist for
historical purposes.  Some of the questionable options are likely to
disappear in the future.  This command *does* work recursively, so
extreme care should be used.

   On unix, if there is a group named `cvsadmin', only members of that
group can run `cvs admin'.  This group should exist on the server, or
any system running the non-client/server CVS.  To disallow `cvs admin'
for all users, create a group with no users in it.  On NT, the
`cvsadmin' feature does not exist and all users can run `cvs admin'.

* Menu:

* admin options::               admin options
* admin examples::              admin examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: admin options,  Next: admin examples,  Up: admin

admin options
-------------

   Some of these options have questionable usefulness for CVS but exist
for historical purposes.  Some even make it impossible to use CVS until
you undo the effect!

`-AOLDFILE'
     Might not work together with CVS.  Append the access list of
     OLDFILE to the access list of the RCS file.

`-aLOGINS'
     Might not work together with CVS.  Append the login names
     appearing in the comma-separated list LOGINS to the access list of
     the RCS file.

`-b[REV]'
     Set the default branch to REV.  In CVS, you normally do not
     manipulate default branches; sticky tags (*note Sticky tags::.)
     are a better way to decide which branch you want to work on.
     There is one reason to run `cvs admin -b': to revert to the
     vendor's version when using vendor branches (*note Reverting local
     changes::.).  There can be no space between `-b' and its argument.

`-cSTRING'
     Sets the comment leader to STRING.  The comment leader is not used
     by current versions of CVS or RCS 5.7.  Therefore, you can almost
     surely not worry about it.  *Note Keyword substitution::.

`-e[LOGINS]'
     Might not work together with CVS.  Erase the login names appearing
     in the comma-separated list LOGINS from the access list of the RCS
     file.  If LOGINS is omitted, erase the entire access list.

`-I'
     Run interactively, even if the standard input is not a terminal.
     This option does not work with the client/server CVS and is likely
     to disappear in a future release of CVS.

`-i'
     Useless with CVS.  This creates and initializes a new RCS file,
     without depositing a revision.  With CVS, add files with the `cvs
     add' command (*note Adding files::.).

`-kSUBST'
     Set the default keyword substitution to SUBST.  *Note Keyword
     substitution::.  Giving an explicit `-k' option to `cvs update',
     `cvs export', or `cvs checkout' overrides this default.

`-l[REV]'
     Lock the revision with number REV.  If a branch is given, lock the
     latest revision on that branch.  If REV is omitted, lock the
     latest revision on the default branch.  There can be no space
     between `-l' and its argument.

     This can be used in conjunction with the `rcslock.pl' script in
     the `contrib' directory of the 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 `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).

`-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
     CVS, strict locking must be set; see the discussion under the `-l'
     option above.

`-mREV:MSG'
     Replace the log message of revision REV with MSG.

`-NNAME[:[REV]]'
     Act like `-n', except override any previous assignment of NAME.
     For use with magic branches, see *Note Magic branch numbers::.

`-nNAME[:[REV]]'
     Associate the symbolic name NAME with the branch or revision REV.
     It is normally better to use `cvs tag' or `cvs rtag' instead.
     Delete the symbolic name if both `:' and REV are omitted;
     otherwise, print an error message if NAME is already associated
     with another number.  If REV is symbolic, it is expanded before
     association.  A REV consisting of a branch number followed by a
     `.' stands for the current latest revision in the branch.  A `:'
     with an empty REV stands for the current latest revision on the
     default branch, normally the trunk.  For example, `cvs admin
     -nNAME:' associates NAME with the current latest revision of all
     the RCS files; this contrasts with `cvs admin -nNAME:$' which
     associates NAME with the revision numbers extracted from keyword
     strings in the corresponding working files.

`-oRANGE'
     Potentially useful, but dangerous, with CVS (see below).  Deletes
     ("outdates") the revisions given by RANGE.  A range consisting of
     a single revision number means that revision.  A range consisting
     of a branch number means the latest revision on that branch.  A
     range of the form `REV1:REV2' means revisions REV1 to REV2 on the
     same branch, `:REV' means from the beginning of the branch
     containing REV up to and including REV, and `REV:' means from
     revision REV to the end of the branch containing REV.  None of the
     outdated revisions may have branches or locks.

     Due to the way CVS handles branches REV cannot be specified
     symbolically if it is a branch.  *Note Magic branch numbers::, for
     an explanation.

     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 (*note Merging two revisions::.).

`-q'
     Run quietly; do not print diagnostics.

`-sSTATE[:REV]'
     Useful with CVS.  Set the state attribute of the revision REV to
     STATE.  If REV is a branch number, assume the latest revision on
     that branch.  If REV is omitted, assume the latest revision on the
     default branch.  Any identifier is acceptable for STATE.  A useful
     set of states is `Exp' (for experimental), `Stab' (for stable),
     and `Rel' (for released).  By default, the state of a new revision
     is set to `Exp' when it is created.  The state is visible in the
     output from CVS LOG (*note log::.), and in the `$Log$' and
     `$State$' keywords (*note Keyword substitution::.).  Note that CVS
     uses the `dead' state for its own purposes; to take a file to or
     from the `dead' state use commands like `cvs remove' and `cvs
     add', not `cvs admin -s'.

`-t[FILE]'
     Useful with CVS.  Write descriptive text from the contents of the
     named FILE into the RCS file, deleting the existing text.  The
     FILE pathname may not begin with `-'.  The descriptive text can be
     seen in the output from `cvs log' (*note log::.).  There can be no
     space between `-t' and its argument.

     If FILE is omitted, obtain the text from standard input,
     terminated by end-of-file or by a line containing `.' by itself.
     Prompt for the text if interaction is possible; see `-I'.  Reading
     from standard input does not work for client/server CVS and may
     change in a future release of CVS.

`-t-STRING'
     Similar to `-tFILE'. Write descriptive text from the STRING into
     the RCS file, deleting the existing text.  There can be no space
     between `-t' and its argument.

`-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 CVS, strict locking must be set; see the discussion under the
     `-l' option above.

`-u[REV]'
     See the option `-l' above, for a discussion of using this option
     with CVS.  Unlock the revision with number REV.  If a branch is
     given, unlock the latest revision on that branch.  If 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 a mail message
     to be sent to the original locker.  The message contains a
     commentary solicited from the breaker.  The commentary is
     terminated by end-of-file or by a line containing `.' by itself.
     There can be no space between `-u' and its argument.

`-VN'
     Emulate RCS version N. Use -VN to make an RCS file acceptable to
     RCS version N by discarding information that would confuse version
     N.

`-xSUFFIXES'
     In previous versions of CVS, this was documented as a way of
     specifying the names of the RCS files.  However, CVS has always
     required that the RCS files used by CVS end in `,v', so this
     option has never done anything useful.


File: cvs.info,  Node: admin examples,  Prev: admin options,  Up: admin

admin examples
--------------

Outdating is dangerous
......................

   First, an example of how *not* to use the `admin' command.  It is
included to stress the fact that this command can be quite dangerous
unless you know *exactly* what you are doing.

   The `-o' option can be used to "outdate" old revisions from the
history file.  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!

   The next line is an example of a command that you would *not* like
to execute.

     $ cvs admin -o:R_1_02 .

   The above command will delete all revisions up to, and including,
the revision that corresponds to 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 *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!


File: cvs.info,  Node: checkout,  Next: commit,  Prev: admin,  Up: CVS commands

checkout--Check out sources for editing
=======================================

   * Synopsis: checkout [options] modules...

   * Requires: repository.

   * Changes: working directory.

   * Synonyms: co, get

   Make a working directory containing copies of the source files
specified by MODULES.  You must execute `checkout' before using most of
the other CVS commands, since most of them operate on your working
directory.

   The MODULES part of the command 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
`modules' file.  *Note modules::.

   Depending on the modules you specify, `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 `checkout' is used to create directories.  The top-level
directory created is always added to the directory where `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
`checkout' will show the relative path leading to each file as it is
extracted into your private work area (unless you specify the `-Q'
global option).

   The files created by `checkout' are created read-write, unless the
`-r' option to CVS (*note Global options::.) is specified, the
`CVSREAD' environment variable is specified (*note Environment
variables::.), or a watch is in effect for that file (*note Watches::.).

   Running `checkout' on a directory that was already built by a prior
`checkout' is also permitted, and has the same effect as specifying the
`-d' option to the `update' command, that is, any new directories that
have been created in the repository will appear in your work area.
*Note update::.

   For the output produced by the `checkout' command see *Note update
output::.

* Menu:

* checkout options::            checkout options
* checkout examples::           checkout examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: checkout options,  Next: checkout examples,  Up: checkout

checkout options
----------------

   These standard options are supported by `checkout' (*note Common
options::., for a complete description of them):

`-D DATE'
     Use the most recent revision no later than DATE.  This option is
     sticky, and implies `-P'.  See *Note Sticky tags::, for more
     information on sticky tags/dates.

`-f'
     Only useful with the `-D DATE' or `-r TAG' flags.  If no matching
     revision is found, retrieve the most recent revision (instead of
     ignoring the file).

`-k KFLAG'
     Process RCS keywords according to KFLAG.  See co(1).  This option
     is sticky; future updates of this file in this working directory
     will use the same KFLAG.  The `status' command can be viewed to
     see the sticky options.  See *Note Invoking CVS::, for more
     information on the `status' command.

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory.

`-n'
     Do not run any checkout program (as specified with the `-o' option
     in the modules file; *note modules::.).

`-P'
     Prune empty directories.  See *Note Moving directories::.

`-p'
     Pipe files to the standard output.

`-R'
     Checkout directories recursively.  This option is on by default.

`-r TAG'
     Use revision TAG.  This option is sticky, and implies `-P'.  See
     *Note Sticky tags::, for more information on sticky tags/dates.

   In addition to those, you can use these special command options with
`checkout':

`-A'
     Reset any sticky tags, dates, or `-k' options.  See *Note Sticky
     tags::, for more information on sticky tags/dates.

`-c'
     Copy the module file, sorted, to the standard output, instead of
     creating or modifying any files or directories in your working
     directory.

`-d DIR'
     Create a directory called DIR for the working files, instead of
     using the module name.  Unless you also use `-N', the paths
     created under DIR will be as short as possible.

`-j TAG'
     With two `-j' options, merge changes from the revision specified
     with the first `-j' option to the revision specified with the
     second `j' option, into the working directory.

     With one `-j' option, merge changes from the ancestor revision to
     the revision specified with the `-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 `-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:
     `-jSYMBOLIC_TAG:DATE_SPECIFIER'.

     *Note Merging::.

`-N'
     Only useful together with `-d DIR'.  With this option, CVS will
     not shorten module paths in your working directory.  (Normally,
     CVS shortens paths as much as possible when you specify an
     explicit target directory).

`-s'
     Like `-c', but include the status of all modules, and sort it by
     the status string.  *Note modules::, for info about the `-s'
     option that is used inside the modules file to set the module
     status.


File: cvs.info,  Node: checkout examples,  Prev: checkout options,  Up: checkout

checkout examples
-----------------

   Get a copy of the module `tc':

     $ cvs checkout tc

   Get a copy of the module `tc' as it looked one day ago:

     $ cvs checkout -D yesterday tc


File: cvs.info,  Node: commit,  Next: diff,  Prev: checkout,  Up: CVS commands

commit--Check files into the repository
=======================================

   * Synopsis: commit [-lnRf] [-m 'log_message' | -F file] [-r
     revision] [files...]

   * Requires: working directory, repository.

   * Changes: repository.

   * Synonym: ci

   Use `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.  `commit' is careful to
change in the repository only those files that you have really changed.
By default (or if you explicitly specify the `-R' option), files in
subdirectories are also examined and committed if they have changed;
you can use the `-l' option to limit `commit' to the current directory
only.

   `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 `update' (*note update::.).  `commit' does not call
the `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 (*note
modules::., and *note loginfo::.) and placed in the RCS history file
inside the repository.  This log message can be retrieved with the
`log' command; see *Note log::.  You can specify the log message on the
command line with the `-m MESSAGE' option, and thus avoid the editor
invocation, or use the `-F FILE' option to specify that the argument
file contains the log message.

* Menu:

* commit options::              commit options
* commit examples::             commit examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: commit options,  Next: commit examples,  Up: commit

commit options
--------------

   These standard options are supported by `commit' (*note Common
options::., for a complete description of them):

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory.

`-n'
     Do not run any module program.

`-R'
     Commit directories recursively.  This is on by default.

`-r REVISION'
     Commit to REVISION.  REVISION must be either a branch, or a
     revision on the main trunk that is higher than any existing
     revision number (*note Assigning revisions::.).  You cannot commit
     to a specific revision on a branch.

   `commit' also supports these options:

`-F FILE'
     Read the log message from FILE, instead of invoking an editor.

`-f'
     Note that this is not the standard behavior of the `-f' option as
     defined in *Note Common options::.

     Force CVS to commit a new revision even if you haven't made any
     changes to the file.  If the current revision of FILE is 1.7, then
     the following two commands are equivalent:

          $ cvs commit -f FILE
          $ cvs commit -r 1.8 FILE

     The `-f' option disables recursion (i.e., it implies `-l').  To
     force CVS to commit a new revision for all files in all
     subdirectories, you must use `-f -R'.

`-m MESSAGE'
     Use MESSAGE as the log message, instead of invoking an editor.


File: cvs.info,  Node: commit examples,  Prev: commit options,  Up: commit

commit examples
---------------

Committing to a branch
......................

   You can commit to a branch revision (one that has an even number of
dots) with the `-r' option.  To create a branch revision, use the `-b'
option of the `rtag' or `tag' commands (*note tag::.  or *note
rtag::.).  Then, either `checkout' or `update' can be used to base your
sources on the newly created branch.  From that point on, all `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:

     $ 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

This works automatically since the `-r' option is sticky.

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 CVS conflict resolution.  The scenario might
look like:

     [[ hacked sources are present ]]
     $ cvs tag -b EXPR1
     $ cvs update -r EXPR1
     $ cvs commit

   The `update' command will make the `-r EXPR1' option sticky on all
files.  Note that your changes to the files will never be removed by the
`update' command.  The `commit' will automatically commit to the
correct branch, because the `-r' is sticky.  You could also do like
this:

     [[ hacked sources are present ]]
     $ cvs tag -b EXPR1
     $ cvs commit -r EXPR1

but then, only those files that were changed by you will have the `-r
EXPR1' sticky flag.  If you hack away, and commit without specifying
the `-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

     $ cvs checkout -r EXPR1 whatever_module


File: cvs.info,  Node: diff,  Next: export,  Prev: commit,  Up: CVS commands

diff--Show differences between revisions
========================================

   * Synopsis: diff [-lR] [rcsdiff_options] [[-r rev1 | -D date1] [-r
     rev2 |  -D date2]] [files...]

   * Requires: working directory, repository.

   * Changes: nothing.

   The `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 CVS commands;
for details *Note Exit status::.

* Menu:

* diff options::                diff options
* diff examples::               diff examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: diff options,  Next: diff examples,  Up: diff

diff options
------------

   These standard options are supported by `diff' (*note Common
options::., for a complete description of them):

`-D DATE'
     Use the most recent revision no later than DATE.  See `-r' for how
     this affects the comparison.

`-k KFLAG'
     Process RCS keywords according to KFLAG.  See co(1).

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory.

`-R'
     Examine directories recursively.  This option is on by default.

`-r TAG'
     Compare with revision TAG.  Zero, one or two `-r' options can be
     present.  With no `-r' option, the working file will be compared
     with the revision it was based on.  With one `-r', that revision
     will be compared to your current working file.  With two `-r'
     options those two revisions will be compared (and your working
     file will not affect the outcome in any way).

     One or both `-r' options can be replaced by a `-D DATE' option,
     described above.

`--ifdef=ARG'
     Output in ifdef format.  Consult the documentation of your
     underlying diff program concerning the `-D' option to diff, for
     more information on this format.

   The following options are passed through to `rcsdiff', which in turn
passes them to `diff'.  The exact meaning of the options depends on
which `diff' you are using.  See the documentation for your `diff' for
details.

   `-a' `-b' `-B' `-c' `-C' NLINES `-d' `-e' `-f' `-h' `-H' `-i' `-n'
`-N' `-p' `-s' `-t' `-u' `-U' NLINES `-F' REGEXP `-I' REGEXP `-L' LABEL
`-T' `-V' ARG `-W' COLUMNS `-w' `-y' `-0' `-1' `-2' `-3' `-4' `-5' `-6'
`-7' `-8' `-9' `--binary' `--brief' `--changed-group-format=ARG'
`--context[=LINES]' `--ed' `--expand-tabs' `--forward-ed'
`--horizon-lines=ARG' `--ignore-all-space' `--ignore-blank-lines'
`--ignore-case' `--ignore-matching-lines=REGEXP'
`--ignore-space-change' `--initial-tab' `--label=LABEL' `--left-column'
`--minimal' `--new-file' `--new-line-format=ARG'
`--old-line-format=ARG' `--paginate' `--rcs' `--report-identical-files'
`--code-c-function' `--side-by-side' `--show-function-line=REGEXP'
`--speed-large-files' `--suppress-common-lines' `--text'
`--unchanged-group-format=ARG' `--unified[=LINES]' `--width=COLUMNS'


File: cvs.info,  Node: diff examples,  Prev: diff options,  Up: diff

diff examples
-------------

   The following line produces a Unidiff (`-u' flag) between revision
1.14 and 1.19 of `backend.c'.  Due to the `-kk' flag no keywords are
substituted, so differences that only depend on keyword substitution
are ignored.

     $ cvs diff -kk -u -r 1.14 -r 1.19 backend.c

   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:

     $ cvs diff -r RELEASE_1_0 -r EXPR1

   A command like this can be used to produce a context diff between
two releases:

     $ cvs diff -c -r RELEASE_1_0 -r RELEASE_1_1 > diffs

   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.

     $ cvs diff -u | less


File: cvs.info,  Node: export,  Next: history,  Prev: diff,  Up: CVS commands

export--Export sources from CVS, similar to checkout
====================================================

   * Synopsis: export [-flNnR] [-r rev|-D date] [-k subst] [-d dir]
     module...

   * Requires: repository.

   * Changes: current directory.

   This command is a variant of `checkout'; use it when you want a copy
of the source for module without the CVS administrative directories.
For example, you might use `export' to prepare source for shipment
off-site.  This command requires that you specify a date or tag (with
`-D' or `-r'), so that you can count on reproducing the source you ship
to others.

   One often would like to use `-kv' with `cvs export'.  This causes
any RCS 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 `-kv', one can no longer use the `ident'
command (which is part of the RCS suite--see ident(1)) which looks for
RCS keyword strings.  If you want to be able to use `ident' you must not
use `-kv'.

* Menu:

* export options::              export options


File: cvs.info,  Node: export options,  Up: export

export options
--------------

   These standard options are supported by `export' (*note Common
options::., for a complete description of them):

`-D DATE'
     Use the most recent revision no later than DATE.

`-f'
     If no matching revision is found, retrieve the most recent
     revision (instead of ignoring the file).

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory.

`-n'
     Do not run any checkout program.

`-R'
     Export directories recursively.  This is on by default.

`-r TAG'
     Use revision TAG.

   In addition, these options (that are common to `checkout' and
`export') are also supported:

`-d DIR'
     Create a directory called DIR for the working files, instead of
     using the module name.  Unless you also use `-N', the paths
     created under DIR will be as short as possible.

`-k SUBST'
     Set keyword expansion mode (*note Substitution modes::.).

`-N'
     Only useful together with `-d DIR'.  With this option, CVS will
     not shorten module paths in your working directory.  (Normally,
     CVS shortens paths as much as possible when you specify an
     explicit target directory.)


File: cvs.info,  Node: history,  Next: import,  Prev: export,  Up: CVS commands

history--Show status of files and users
=======================================

   * Synopsis:     history [-report] [-flags] [-options args] [files...]

   * Requires: the file `$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history'

   * Changes: nothing.

   CVS can keep a history file that tracks each use of the `checkout',
`commit', `rtag', `update', and `release' commands.  You can use
`history' to display this information in various formats.

   Logging must be enabled by creating the file
`$CVSROOT/CVSROOT/history'.

   *Warning:* `history' uses `-f', `-l', `-n', and `-p' in ways that
conflict with the normal use inside CVS (*note Common options::.).

* Menu:

* history options::             history options


File: cvs.info,  Node: history options,  Up: history

history options
---------------

   Several options (shown above as `-report')  control  what kind of
report is generated:

`-c'
     Report on each time commit was used (i.e., each time the
     repository was modified).

`-e'
     Everything (all record types); equivalent to specifying
     `-xMACFROGWUT'.

`-m MODULE'
     Report on a particular module.  (You can meaningfully use `-m'
     more than once on the command line.)

`-o'
     Report on checked-out modules.

`-T'
     Report on all tags.

`-x TYPE'
     Extract a particular set of record types TYPE from the CVS
     history.  The types are indicated by single letters, which you may
     specify in combination.

     Certain commands have a single record type:

    `F'
          release

    `O'
          checkout

    `E'
          export

    `T'
          rtag

     One of four record types may result from an update:

    `C'
          A merge was necessary but collisions were detected (requiring
          manual merging).

    `G'
          A merge was necessary and it succeeded.

    `U'
          A working file was copied from the repository.

    `W'
          The working copy of a file was deleted during update (because
          it was gone from the repository).

     One of three record types results from commit:

    `A'
          A file was added for the first time.

    `M'
          A file was modified.

    `R'
          A file was removed.

   The options shown as `-flags' constrain or expand the report without
requiring option arguments:

`-a'
     Show data for all users (the default is to show data only for the
     user executing `history').

`-l'
     Show last modification only.

`-w'
     Show only the records for modifications done from the same working
     directory where `history' is executing.

   The options shown as `-options ARGS' constrain the report based on
an argument:

`-b STR'
     Show data back to a record containing  the  string STR  in  either
     the module name, the file name, or the repository path.

`-D DATE'
     Show data since DATE.  This is slightly different from the normal
     use of `-D DATE', which selects the newest revision older than
     DATE.

`-p REPOSITORY'
     Show data for a particular source repository  (you can specify
     several `-p' options on the same command line).

`-r REV'
     Show records referring to revisions since the revision or tag
     named REV appears in individual RCS files.  Each RCS file is
     searched for the revision or tag.

`-t TAG'
     Show records since tag TAG was last added to the history file.
     This differs from the `-r' flag above in that it reads only the
     history file, not the RCS files, and is much faster.

`-u NAME'
     Show records for user NAME.


File: cvs.info,  Node: import,  Next: log,  Prev: history,  Up: CVS commands

import--Import sources into CVS, using vendor branches
======================================================

   * Synopsis: import [-options] repository vendortag releasetag...

   * Requires: Repository, source distribution directory.

   * Changes: repository.

   Use `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.  *Note Tracking sources::, for a discussion on this subject.

   The REPOSITORY argument gives a directory name (or a path to a
directory) under the 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
`checkout -j' to reconcile the differences, as import instructs you to
do.

   If CVS decides a file should be ignored (*note cvsignore::.), it
does not import it and prints `I ' followed by the filename (*note
import output::., for a complete description of the output).

   If the 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.  *Note Wrappers::.

   The outside source is saved in a first-level RCS 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.  REPOSITORY is needed to
identify the collection of source.  VENDORTAG is a tag for the entire
branch (e.g., for 1.1.1).  You must also specify at least one
RELEASETAG to identify the files at the leaves created each time you
execute `import'.

   Note that `import' does *not* change the directory in which you
invoke it.  In particular, it does not set up that directory as a CVS
working directory; if you want to work with the sources import them
first and then check them out into a different directory (*note Getting
the source::.).

* Menu:

* import options::              import options
* import output::               import output
* import examples::             import examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: import options,  Next: import output,  Up: import

import options
--------------

   This standard option is supported by `import' (*note Common
options::., for a complete description):

`-m MESSAGE'
     Use MESSAGE as log information, instead of invoking an editor.

   There are the following additional special options.

`-b BRANCH'
     See *Note Multiple vendor branches::.

`-k SUBST'
     Indicate the RCS 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 *Note
     Substitution modes::, for a list of valid `-k' settings.

`-I 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 !'.

     NAME can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can
     specify in the `.cvsignore' file.  *Note cvsignore::.

`-W SPEC'
     Specify file names that should be filtered during import.  You can
     use this option repeatedly.

     SPEC can be a file name pattern of the same type that you can
     specify in the `.cvswrappers' file. *Note Wrappers::.


File: cvs.info,  Node: import output,  Next: import examples,  Prev: import options,  Up: import

import output
-------------

   `import' keeps you informed of its progress by printing a line for
each file, preceded by one character indicating the status of the file:

`U FILE'
     The file already exists in the repository and has not been locally
     modified; a new revision has been created (if necessary).

`N FILE'
     The file is a new file which has been added to the repository.

`C FILE'
     The file already exists in the repository but has been locally
     modified; you will have to merge the changes.

`I FILE'
     The file is being ignored (*note cvsignore::.).

`L FILE'
     The file is a symbolic link; `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 `modules'
     file can be used to recreate symbolic links on checkout, update,
     etc.; *note modules::..)


File: cvs.info,  Node: import examples,  Prev: import output,  Up: import

import examples
---------------

   See *Note Tracking sources::, and *Note From files::.


File: cvs.info,  Node: log,  Next: rdiff,  Prev: import,  Up: CVS commands

log--Print out log information for files
========================================

   * Synopsis: log [options] [files...]

   * Requires: repository, working directory.

   * Changes: nothing.

   Display log information for files.  `log' used to call the RCS
utility `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 CVS commands.

   The output includes the location of the RCS file, the "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 CVS print times in the local timezone).

   *Warning:* `log' uses `-R' in a way that conflicts with the normal
use inside CVS (*note Common options::.).

* Menu:

* log options::                 log options
* log examples::                log examples


File: cvs.info,  Node: log options,  Next: log examples,  Up: log

log options
-----------

   By default, `log' prints all information that is available.  All
other options restrict the output.

`-b'
     Print information about the revisions on the default branch,
     normally the highest branch on the trunk.

`-d 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 `-D' option to many
     other CVS commands (*note Common options::.).  Dates can be
     combined into ranges as follows:

    `D1<D2'
    `D2>D1'
          Select the revisions that were deposited between D1 and D2.

    `<D'
    `D>'
          Select all revisions dated D or earlier.

    `D<'
    `>D'
          Select all revisions dated D or later.

    `D'
          Select the single, latest revision dated D or earlier.

     The `>' or `<' characters may be followed by `=' to indicate an
     inclusive range rather than an exclusive one.

     Note that the separator is a semicolon (;).

`-h'
     Print only the RCS pathname, working pathname, head, default
     branch, access list, locks, symbolic names, and suffix.

`-l'
     Local; run only in current working directory.  (Default is to run
     recursively).

`-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.

`-R'
     Print only the name of the RCS history file.

`-rREVISIONS'
     Print information about revisions given in the comma-separated
     list REVISIONS of revisions and ranges.  The following table
     explains the available range formats:

    `REV1:REV2'
          Revisions REV1 to REV2 (which must be on the same branch).

    `:REV'
          Revisions from the beginning of the branch up to and
          including REV.

    `REV:'
          Revisions starting with REV to the end of the branch
          containing REV.

    `BRANCH'
          An argument that is a branch means all revisions on that
          branch.

    `BRANCH1:BRANCH2'
          A range of branches means all revisions on the branches in
          that range.

    `BRANCH.'
          The latest revision in BRANCH.

     A bare `-r' with no revisions means the latest revision on the
     default branch, normally the trunk.  There can be no space between
     the `-r' option and its argument.

`-s STATES'
     Print information about revisions whose state attributes match one
     of the states given in the comma-separated list STATES.

`-t'
     Print the same as `-h', plus the descriptive text.

`-wLOGINS'
     Print information about revisions checked in by users with login
     names appearing in the comma-separated list LOGINS.  If LOGINS is
     omitted, the user's login is assumed.  There can be no space
     between the `-w' option and its argument.

   `log' prints the intersection of the revisions selected with the
options `-d', `-s', and `-w', intersected with the union of the
revisions selected by `-b' and `-r'.


File: cvs.info,  Node: log examples,  Prev: log options,  Up: log

log examples
------------

   Contributed examples are gratefully accepted.

