CVS How-to

helpdesk@stat.rice.edu

This how-to gives introduction on how to set up and use cvs (Concurrent revision system) on stat network.

Briefly, cvs system maintains a center repository and let you check out, check in files conveniently both locally and remotely. It allows you to work on the most current version of your files from any machine. The usual scenario of using cvs system is:

cvs checkout project       # check out a module  
cd project  
... work on the project ...  
cvs commit                 # commit changes, check in  
cd ..  
cvs release -d myproject   # delete local copy. optional

Set up

Server set up

1. Log on to stat007
2. mkdir ~/CVS
3. Add the following two lines to your .cshrc

   setenv CVSROOT ~/CVS 
   setenv CVSEDITOR vi # or your favorite editor

4. Source .cshrc to activate $CVSROOT and $CVSEDITOR
5. cvs init
6. If you are going to use rsh, edit or create ~/.rhosts, add machines/usernames that you will be working on. '-' can be used as any machine or user. For example:

   your-laptop.stat.rice.edu yourusername  
   - yourusername

   Note:
   1. Only machine within Rice network can rsh to stat007.
   2. Your home machine can rsh via a VPN connection but the machine appears to stat007 as something like vpnrice-10-2.rice.edu (dynamically). If you would like to rsh from home, you will have to use the second form which allows rsh from any rice machine to stat007.
   3. The second line is useful but dangerous. Do not use it if possible.
   4. The most current version of cvs is under /home/helpdesk/newbin

Client set up

1. Add the following lines to your .cshrc

   setenv CVSROOT ":ext:username@stat007.stat.rice.edu:/home/username/CVS"  
   setenv CVSEDITOR vi # or your favorite editor  
   setenv CVS_RSH rsh

   Note:
   1. Substitute username with your real user name on stat007.
   2. Use setenv CVS_RSH ssh if the machine is off campus or is not listed in .rhosts. You can also use ssh for in campus connections but you will have to enter password for each cvs command. (See the last part of this howto if you would like to avoid repeated password.) In general, rsh is easy to use but not secure and can only be used within Rice (or via VPN). ssh is secure and universal but need to input password.
2. Source .cshrc to activate these variables.
3. test your rsh connect if your set CVS_RSH to rsh

   rsh stat007.stat.rice.edu 'echo $path'

4. If not successful, check your .rhosts on stat007.
5. You should be able to run all cvs commands.

CVS Usage

Helpdesk has written some shell scripts to speed up the use of cvs system. However, you would better read some tutorials and understand how basic cvs commands work.

Module are just directories in cvs system. It contains files or subdirectories. cvs allows you to define modules within a module but that is out of the range of this introduction.

create a module

by importing a folder

cd stat410  
cvs import stat410 vendor release

Note:

1. You would better clean your folder and leave only text files you would like to import.
2. vendor relase are two parameters cvs import need. You can change them if you understand what they mean.
3. You will be prompted to enter some comment. Use cvs import -m "stat course" stat410 vendor relæase to avoid it.

by helpdesk cvsadd

cvsadd dotfiles .cshrc .muttrc .emacs

will add these three files to module dotfiles. If dotfiles does not exist, you will be prompted to create it.

list files on center repository or some of the modules

Use helpdesk cvsls

cvsls # list module names  
cvsls -a # list all modules  
cvsls module1 module2 # list files of module1 module2

Read cvsls to see how it works.

Add files to existing module

usual cvs sequence

cvs co module  
cd module cp files .  
cvs add files  
cvs commit

use helpdesk cvsadd

cvsadd module files

It is basically an automation of the above procedure.

Add directories to a existing module

It is easier to import a directory as a new module. If you would like to add a directory to an existing module:

usual cvs sequence

cvs co module  
cd module  
cp -r directory . # or mkdir and add files  
cvs add directory  
cd directory  
cvs add * # and keep going on.

helpdesk cvsadd

cvsadd module directory

cvsadd does the adding procedure recursively.

Check in and check out

Usually, you work in this way

cvs co project  
cd project 
...work on it ... 
cvs commit

After a while, if you have modified some of the files from other places

cvs update # read the newest version from center repository.

If you would like to remove local copy,

cd .. cvs release -d project

Note: You can

cd ..  
rm -rf project

directly. cvs release will check if you have un-committed changes before removal.

Remove file or directory from an existing module

usual cvs sequence

cvs co module  
cd module  
cvs remove -f file # tell cvs to remove  
cvs commit # really remove

helpdesk cvsremove

cvsremove module files-or-directories

automation of above procedure.

Retrieve files or directories from repository

usually cvs

co module cp module/file somewhere com -rf module

By helpdesk cvsget

cvsget module files

Dealing with binary files

add -kb option to cvs add or cvsadd command.

Dealing with keywords

Keywords are words such as Log, Date, that are delimited by $ $ and will be managed by cvs system. I can not write it here since it will be replaced by cvs and will not be recognized. See the last part of this file how Date, Log are replaced by cvs. See /home/helpdesk/bin/cvs* for examples.

Tired with repeated SSH password?

It is not easy, but you can use "public-key" authorization instead of "password" authorization so you do not have to enter password each time. However, you are under the risk that:

ANYONE WOULD BE ABLE TO LOG ON TO STAT007 IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO YOU LOCAL ACCOUNT!

Anway, if you will work off-campus a lot and would like to take the risk, here is how:

1. On your LOCAL machine, run ssh-keygen2. Enter return for the two questions. If 'command not found', you are running ssh1 and can not use this method. The following instruction will assume that you get two files: ~/.ssh2/id_dsa_2048_a and ~/.ssh2/id_dsa_2048_a.pub.Change file names accordingly if you get different keys.
2. On you LOCAL machine, run

   cd ~/.ssh2  
   echo "IdKey id_dsa_2048_a" > identification

3. Transfer id_dsa_2048_a.pub to stat007:~/.ssh2. You can use sftp to do this.

   sftp stat007.stat.rice.edu  
   ...  
   > cd .ssh2  
   > put id_dsa_2048_a.pub  
   > quit

   scp can be used too.

   scp id_dsa_2048_a.pub stat007.stat.rice.edu:~/.ssh2

4. Log on to stat007. Run

   cd .ssh2 echo "Key id_dsa_2048_a.pub" > authorization

5. Log off and try

   ssh stat007.stat.rice.edu

You should not be prompted for a password. All cvs operations will also be executed without asking a password.

If you are using Openssh through Linux or Windows/Cygwin and would like to connect to stat007 without password, here is a undocumented trick from internet:

1. Make sure you are using openssh > 2.2.x+
2. Run

   ssh-keygen -d -f $HOME/.ssh/id_dsa  
   cd $HOME/.ssh  
   ssh-keygen -x -f $HOME/.ssh/id_dsa > ssh2.pub  
   echo "IdKey id_dsa" > identification

3. Copy ssh2.pub to stat007:~/.ssh2
4. Use ssh2.pub in authorization file

   echo "Key ssh2.pub" > authorization

Warning

cvs scripts are under development. Helpdesk is not responsible for data lose or any consequences of using them. I will appreciate your help if you can report any bug to me.

The public-key method is dangerous. Helpdesk is not responsible for any data lose or invasion to your account due to its use.

helpdesk@stat.rice.edu

$Date: 2003/07/17 02:49:21 $

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CVS How-to

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