Re: CVS corrupts binary files ...

[Eric Gorr]

At 4:02 PM -0400 6/17/04, Greg A. Woods wrote:
> People just need to learn to use the right tool for the job and to quit
> being so bloody narrow minded when it comes to learning about new tools.

First, I do not claim to have anything resembling expert (or even 
mediocre) knowledge in the usage of CVS - but I do use it for simple 
tasks.

I have no problem using/learning new tools. I'd personally love to be 
able to use VooDoo for version control, but there are two problems:

1. It's not free
2. There is no standalone client for it
3. There is no windows version

#1 is, of course, a very compelling reason to use any piece of 
software that works. Can you point to an alternative to CVS that is 
also free?

There is one thing that I simply don't understand with respect to CVS 
and Binary Files.

Why would it not work well to use a CVS Wrapper to binhex (uuencode, 
etc.) a binary file and then essentially have CVS to only see your 
file as a text file?

It's pretty obvious to everyone that merge features of CVS will not 
work with binary files and should not be attempted.

However, diff & patch should work on a binhex'd file. Of course, the 
storage would be rather inefficient - probably requiring the storage 
of the entire file on every checkin....but then, disk space is cheap 
these days.