CVS - Reference

CVS Quick Reference

A CVS command looks like:


cvs [ global_options ] command [ command_options ] [ command_args ]

Global options:

--allow-root=rootdir: Specify legal CVSROOT directory (server only) (not in CVS 1.9 and older).
-a: Authenticate all communication (client only) (not in CVS 1.9 and older).
-b: Specify RCS location (CVS 1.9 and older).
-d root: Specify the CVSROOT.
-e editor: Edit messages with editor.
-f: Do not read the `~/.cvsrc' file.
-H
--help: Print a help message.
-l: Do not log in CVSROOT/history file.
-n: Do not 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).

Keyword expansion modes


-kkv  $Id: info-ref.html,v 1.1 1999/04/14 19:04:02 kingdon Exp $

-kkvl $Id: info-ref.html,v 1.1 1999/04/14 19:04:02 kingdon Exp $

-kk   $Id: info-ref.html,v 1.1 1999/04/14 19:04:02 kingdon Exp $

-kv   file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp

-ko   no expansion

-kb   no expansion, file is binary

Keywords


$Author: kingdon $

$Date: 1999/04/14 19:04:02 $

$Header: /u1/html/cvsroot/www.cyclic.com/cvs-html/info-ref.html,v 1.1 1999/04/14 19:04:02 kingdon Exp $

$Id: info-ref.html,v 1.1 1999/04/14 19:04:02 kingdon Exp $

$Locker:  $

$Name:  $

$RCSfile: info-ref.html,v $

$Revision: 1.1 $

$Source: /u1/html/cvsroot/www.cyclic.com/cvs-html/info-ref.html,v $

$State: Exp $

$Log: info-ref.html,v $

Revision 1.1  1999/04/14 19:04:02  kingdon

By popular demand, want to put the CVS Reference Card on-line.



Revision 1.1  1993/12/09 03:30:17  joe

Initial revision

Commands, command options, and command arguments:

add [options] [files...]

Add a new file/directory.

-k kflag: Set keyword expansion.
-m msg: Set file description.

admin [options] [files...]

Administration of history files in the repository.

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

annotate [options] [files...]

Show last revision where each line was modified.

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

checkout [options] modules...

Get a copy of the sources.

-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 head revision if tag/date not found.
-j rev: Merge in changes.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-N: Don't "shorten" module paths if -d specified.
-n: Do not run 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 [options] [files...]

Check changes into the repository.

-F file: Read 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 log message.
-n: Do not run module program (if any).
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Commit to rev.

diff [options] [files...]

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

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

edit [options] [files...]

Get ready to edit a watched file.

-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).

editors [options] [files...]

See who is editing a watched file.

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

export [options] modules...

Export files from CVS.

-D date: Check out revisions as of date.
-d dir: Check out into dir.
-f: Use head revision if tag/date not found.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-N: Don't "shorten" module paths if -d specified.
-n: Do not run module program (if any).
-P: Prune empty directories.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r tag: Checkout revision tag.

history [options] [files...]

Show repository access history.

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

Import files into CVS, using vendor branches.

-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.
-m msg: Use msg for log message.
-I ign: More files to ignore (! to reset).
-W spec: More wrappers.

init

Create a CVS repository if it doesn't exist.

log [options] [files...]

Print out history information for files.

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

login

Prompt for password for authenticating server.

logout

Remove stored password for authenticating server.

rdiff [options] modules...

Show differences between releases.

-c: Context diff output format (default).
-D date: Select revisions based on date.
-f: Use head revision if tag/date not found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Select revisions based on rev.
-s: Short patch - one liner 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 [options] directory

Indicate that a directory is no longer in use.

-d: Delete the given directory.

remove [options] [files...]

Remove an entry from the repository.

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

rtag [options] tag modules...

Add a symbolic tag to a module.

-a: Clear 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 tag.
-F: Move tag if it already exists.
-f: Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-n: No execution of tag program.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Tag existing tag rev.

status [options] files...

Display status information in a working directory.

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

tag [options] tag [files...]

Add a symbolic tag to checked out version of files.

-b: Create a branch named tag.
-c: Check that working files are unmodified.
-D date: Tag revisions as of date.
-d: Delete tag.
-F: Move tag if it already exists.
-f: Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory.
-R: Operate recursively (default).
-r rev: Tag existing tag rev.

unedit [options] [files...]

Undo an edit command.

-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).

update [options] [files...]

Bring work tree in sync with repository.

-A: Reset any sticky tags/date/options.
-D date: Check out revisions as of date (is sticky).
-d: Create directories.
-f: Use head revision if tag/date not found.
-I ign: More files to ignore (! to reset).
-j rev: Merge in changes.
-k kflag: Use kflag keyword expansion.
-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 [on|off|add|remove] [options] [files...]

on/off: turn on/off read-only checkouts of files. add/remove: add or remove notification on actions.

-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 [options] [files...]

See who is watching a file.

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