`cvs`

Concurrent version-control system

Syntax:

cvs [ global_options ] cmd [ cmd_options ] [ args ]

Options:

The global_options are:

--allow-root=rootdir

Specify the legal CVSROOT directory (server only).

-a

Authenticate all communication (client only).

-b

Specify RCS location (CVS 1.9 and older).

-d root

Specify the CVSROOT.

On Windows, cvs checks for environment variables in this order:

HOME
HOMEDRIVE
HOMEPATH

If these are not set, you won't be able to access :pserver: repositories.

-eeditor

Edit messages with editor.

-f

Don't read the `~/.cvsrc' file.

-H --help

Print a help message.

-l

Don't log in CVSROOT/history file.

-n

Don't change any files.

-Q

Be really quiet.

-q

Be somewhat quiet.

-r

Make new working files read-only.

-s variable=value

Set a user variable.

-T tempdir

Put temporary files in tempdir.

-t

Trace CVS execution.

-v --version

Display version and copyright information for CVS.

-w

Make new working files read-write.

-x

Encrypt all communication (client only).

-z gzip-level

Set the compression level (client only).

CVS is a concurrent version-control system that you can use to keep track of source files. The cvs commands, command options, and command arguments are summarized below; for more information, see Version Management with CVS by Per Cederqvist et al.

This utility is subject to the GNU Public License (GPL). We've included it for use on development systems.

`add`

add [options] [files...]

Add a new file or directory. The options include:

-k kflag: Set keyword expansion. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-m msg: Set the file description.

`admin`

admin [options] [files...]

Administration of history files in the repository. The options include:

-b[rev]: Set the default branch.
-cstring: Set the comment leader.
-ksubst: Set keyword substitution. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-l[rev]: Lock revision rev, or the latest revision.
-mrev:msg: Replace the log message of revision rev with msg.
-orange: Delete revisions from the repository.
-q: Run quietly; don't print diagnostics.
-sstate[:rev]: Set the state.
-t: Set the file description from standard input.
-tfile: Set the file description from file.
-t-string: Set the file description to string.
-u[rev]: Unlock revision rev, or the latest revision.

`annotate`

annotate [options] [files...]

Show the last revision where each line was modified. The options include:

-D date: Annotate the most recent revision no later than date.
-f: Use the head revision if the specified tag or date isn't found.
-l: Local; run only in the current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Annotate revision tag.

`checkout`

checkout [options] modules...

Get a copy of the sources. The options include:

-A: Reset any sticky tags/date/options.
-c: Output the module database.
-D date: Check out revisions as of date (is sticky).
-d dir: Check out into dir.
-f: Use the head revision if the specified tag or date isn't found.
-j rev: Merge in changes.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-l: Local; run only in the current working directory.
-N: Don't shorten module paths if -d is specified.
-n: Don't run the module program (if any).
-P: Prune empty directories.
-p: Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness).
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Checkout revision tag (is sticky).
-s: Like -c, but include module status.

`commit`

commit [options] [files...]

Check changes into the repository. The options include:

-F file: Read the log message from file.
-f: Force the file to be committed; disables recursion.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-m msg: Use msg as the log message.
-n: Don't run the module program (if any).
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Commit to rev.

`diff`

diff [options] [files...]

Show differences between revisions. In addition to the options shown below, diff accepts a wide variety of options to control output style, for example `-c' for context diffs.

The options include:

-D date1: Diff revision for date against working file.
-D date2: Diff rev1/date1 against date2.
-l: Local; run only in the current working directory.
-N: Include diffs for added and removed files.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev1: Diff revision for rev1 against the working file.
-r rev2: Diff rev1/date1 against rev2.

`edit`

edit [options] [files...]

Get ready to edit a watched file. The options include:

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where the actions argument is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

`editors`

editors [options] [files...]

See who's editing a watched file. The options include:

-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

`export`

export [options] modules...

Export files from CVS. The options include:

-D date: Check out revisions as of date.
-d dir: Check out into dir.
-f: Use head revision if the tag or date isn't found.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-N: Don't shorten module paths if -d is specified.
-n: Don't run the module program (if any).]
-P: Prune empty directories.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Checkout revision tag (is sticky).

`history`

history [options] [files...]

Show repository access history. The options include:

-a: All users (default is self).
-b str: Back to record with str in module/file/repos field.
-c: Report on committed (modified) files.
-D date: Since date.
-e: Report on all record types.
-l: Last modified (committed or modified report).
-m module: Report on module (repeatable).
-n module: In module.
-o: Report on checked out modules.
-r rev: Since revision rev.
-T: Produce report on all tags.
-t tag: Since tag record placed in history file (by anyone).
-u user: For user user (repeatable).
-w: Working directory must match.
-x types: Report on types, one or more of TOEFWUCGMAR.
-z zone: Output for time zone zone.

`import`

import [options] repository vendor-tag release-tags...

Import files into CVS, using vendor branches. The options include:

-b bra: Import to vendor branch bra.
-d: Use the file's modification time as the time of import.
-k kflag: Set default keyword substitution mode. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-m msg: Use msg for log message.
-I ign: More files to ignore (! to reset).
-W spec: More wrappers.

`init`

init

Create a CVS repository if it doesn't exist.

`log`

log [options] [files...]

Print out history information for files. The options include:

-b: List only revisions on the default branch.
-d dates: Specify dates (d1<d2 for range, d for latest before).
-h: Print only the header.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-N: Don't list tags.
-R: Print only the name of the RCS file.
-rrevs: List only revisions revs.
-s states: List only revisions with the specified states.
-t: Print only the header and descriptive text.
-wlogins: List only revisions checked in by specified logins.

`login`

login

Prompt for password for authenticating server.

`logout`

logout

Remove stored password for authenticating server.

`rdiff`

rdiff [options] modules...

Show differences between releases. The options include:

-c: Context diff output format (default).
-D date: Select revisions based on date.
-f: Use the head revision if the tag or date wasn't found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Select revisions based on rev.
-s: Short patch — one line per file.
-t: Top two diffs — last change made to the file.
-u: Unidiff output format.
-V vers: Use RCS Version vers for keyword expansion (obsolete).

`release`

release [options] directory

Indicate that a directory is no longer in use. The options include:

-d: Delete the given directory.

`remove`

remove [options] [files...]

Remove an entry from the repository. The options include:

-f: Delete the file before removing it.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

`rtag`

rtag [options] tag modules...

Add a symbolic tag to a module. The options include:

-a: Clear the tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged.
-b: Create a branch named tag.
-D date: Tag revisions as of date.
-d: Delete the given tag.
-F: Move the tag if it already exists.
-f: Force a head revision match if the tag/date wasn't found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-n: No execution of tag program.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Tag the existing tag tag.

`status`

status [options] files...

Display status information in a working directory. The options include:

-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-v: Include tag information for file.

`tag`

tag [options] tag [files...]

Add a symbolic tag to checked out version of files. The options include:

-b: Create a branch named tag.
-D date: Tag revisions as of date.
-d: Delete the given tag.
-F: Move the tag if it already exists.
-f: Force a head revision match if the tag/date wasn't found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-n: No execution of tag program.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Tag the existing tag tag.

`unedit`

unedit [options] [files...]

Undo an edit command. The options include:

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where the actions argument is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

`update`

update [options] [files...]

Bring the work tree into sync with the repository. The options include:

-A: Reset any sticky tags/date/options.
-D date: Check out revisions as of date (is sticky).
-d: Create directories.
-f: Use the head revision if the tag/date wasn't found.
-I ign: More files to ignore (! to reset).
-j rev: Merge in changes.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion. See “Keyword substitution,” below.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-P: Prune empty directories.
-p: Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness).
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Checkout revision tag (is sticky).
-W spec: More wrappers.

`watch`

watch [on|off|add|remove] [options] [files...]

For on/off, turn on/off read-only checkouts of files. For add/remove, add or remove notification on actions. The options include:

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where actions is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

`watchers`

watchers [options] [files...]

See who's watching a file. The options include:

-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).

Keyword substitution

Keyword expansion modes:

-kkv: $Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp $
-kkvl: $Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
-kk: $Id$
-kv: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp
-ko: No expansion.
-kb: No expansion; file is binary.

Keywords:

$Author: joe $
$Date: 1993/12/09 03:21:13 $
$Header: /home/files/file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
$Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
$Locker: harry $
$Name: snapshot_1_14 $
$RCSfile: file1,v $
$Revision: 1.1 $
$Source: /home/files/file1,v $
$State: Exp $
$Log: file1,v $
Revision 1.1  1993/12/09 03:30:17  joe
Initial revision

Contributing author:

Per Cederqvist et al, Version Management with CVS

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.