RCSPUT(1) General Commands Manual RCSPUT(1) NAME rcsput - RCS check-in utility USAGE rcsput [options] [file-specifications] SYNOPSIS Rcsput is a simple, easy to use interface to rcs (revision control sys- tem). For each file specified as input, it checks differences against the previously archived version and prompts you for change history com- ments. DESCRIPTION Rcsput uses the rcs utility ci to maintain versions of a given source file in a dependent directory named "RCS": o It checks to ensure that each file is indeed a text file (so that you do not accidentally archive ".o" files, for example). o If you give rcsput a directory name, it will recur, checking-in files in the directory. o For each file which has a corresponding ",v" file, rcs put compares the two (using diff) and pipes the result through the pager. o An option is provided so that you may direct rcsput to perform the differencing without checking the file into rcs. o The ",v" file is post-processed by rcsput so that the check-in date matches the file's modification date. The last point is the fundamental advantage offered by rcsput. The or- dinary rcs methodology uses the current date as the check-in date. This works well only for large projects in which a central project ad- ministrator is responsible for controlling the versions of source files. It does not work well for small projects, for which rcs's pri- mary advantage is its compact storage of multiple versions of a file. By using the file's modification date as a reference, you can more eas- ily back up to a meaningful version - by date, rather than version num- ber. Rcsput integrates all of the functions used in the rcs check-in process into one utility program. OPTIONS Some of the options which you may specify to rcsput are passed through to the underlying ci utility. Others represent extensions: -b is passed to diff, and directs it to ignore trailing blanks on a line, and to treat repeated blanks as a single blank. -c directs rcsput to use cat rather than the PAGER (usually more) to display differences. This is most useful in an Apollo pad, since the more program would otherwise switch to VT100 emulator mode. -d instructs rcsput to test for differences, but not to check the files into rcs. -h is passed to diff, and permits it to handle huge differences. -Lfile causes rcsput to generate a log-file of the files which are pro- cessed, and all differences which are encountered. The log-file is inherited in recursion to lower directory levels (i.e., it is written to the same place). If no argument is specified, rcsput assumes "logfile". -Tpath specifies an alternate tool to invoke, overrides the default "checkin". OPERATIONS The rcsput utility is designed for use in small development projects. The methodology for this tool follows: o Develop source files "normally". Each file should contain rcs key- words (see ci (1)) so that you will be able to distinguish checked- out files. The rcs keywords should appear at the top of your source file, for consistency. In C language programs, the conven- tion is to make a string which will permit the ident utility to show the versions of the modules which make up a program: #ifndef lint static char ident[] = "$Id: rcsput.man,v 10.1 92/02/06 10:01:45 dickey Exp $"; #endif o Periodically archive (with rcsput) those versions of files which you wish to keep (you should never have programs which have new features which you wish to keep, while there are defects in other parts of the program. That would be an unsound approach to devel- opment!). o When you reach the point of releasing the program, ensure that all source files have been checked-in. The directory editor (ded) is useful for reviewing the check-in dates. o Copy the directory containing your program to the release direc- tory. Purge all files, except those which are stored in the rcs subdirectories. Use rcsget to extract the files. The unadorned co utility will work, of course, but it retains the file modification dates. You may also use checkout to retain file dates. o Ensure that all files have been checked-in and released. You may use diff to compare the directories - the only differences should be the substituted rcs keywords. o Build the released version of your program. All files should be present. No embedded path names should refer to your development copy. To ensure good isolation, you may change the permissions on your development directory temporarily. When checking files into rcs, it is a good idea to make a test run (us- ing the "-d" option) so that you can inspect the differences. For ex- ample, you may have forgotten to remove (or bypass) debugging stubs. Or, you may have been editing a checked-out file (with the rcs keywords substituted). Rcsput would archive this anyway. ENVIRONMENT Rcsput is written in C, and runs on POSIX systems. Environment variables imported by rcsput include: PAGER identifies the program to use in displaying differences between the file which is being checked in, and the previously archived version. There may be a lot of differences - more than can be shown on one screen. FILES Rcsput uses the following files checkin A utility which invokes ci, and modifies the rcs ",v" file after check-in so that the check-in date matches the file's modifica- tion date. ANTICIPATED CHANGES None. SEE ALSO checkin, rcsget, checkout, ded, ci (1), co (1), diff (1), ident (1) AUTHOR: Thomas E. Dickey RCSPUT(1)