Re: Smart CVS

[Todd Denniston]

Liquidchild wrote:
> 
> The reason i am using locks is because the files are XML, and as far as
> i know when CVS trys to merge XML it can result in invalid XML.  I do
> however remember on previous uses of CVS the option to check stuff out
> as read only. However I cannot find that option now, this option was on
> the WinCvs client I am sure.
> 

I have not searched the net for problems with XML and CVS, but I thought XML
was text, and as such should be reasonably merge-able by CVS ... that is
unless your XML contains binary blobs like what MS Word kicks out. I assume
then that you have either seen some problems yourself or read about it on
line?

> Do i require to do some sort of configuration on the Cvs Server to
> allow the locking of files?  I have read the above manual, well
> actually the manual for 1.11.17, as this is what I am using, it just
> seems to describe the difference between reserved and normal edits.
> 

In most situations, with reasonable developers, reserved edits and watch
notification, can take the place of locking.

i.e., you can do `cvs watch on *XML` [1] setup the notify administrative
file and have the developers do 
`cvs watch add -a all file_they_work_on` then have them do `cvs edit
filename` anytime they need to edit a file.  Then here is the hard part, if
they get a notification that another user has begun editing a file, they
should contact that user and negotiate with them the time needed to finish
their own edits.

You might also want to look at the 1.12.x series, IIRC it has the "advisory
lock" patch in it, and can stop the edit from working, if there is someone
else editing the file, unless the developer knowingly bypasses the edit with
an option. i.e., it is a stronger (extended) form of the 'cvs watch on` +
`cvs edit` commands.




> I have been able to check out the repository but then had to manually
> tell it to unedit all the files, so they appeared as locked.  

Had you already done `cvs watch on` on the files? if you had then they
should have come as read-only (locked).

> Then when
> i commit a change to a file it just leaves it as editable, were in
> previous use of cvs it would go back to being uneditable, i.e read
> only.

Then I would expect you had not yet done a `cvs watch on` on those files, 
the manual indicates [2] :
"the cvs commit command, which checks in your changes and returns the
watched files to their usual read-only state"

> 
> Does anyone know if i need to do something else that I may have not
> done.

See above and below. :)

> 
> Thanks all for the extended help
> 
> S.

[1] https://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs-1.11.20/cvs_10.html#SEC88


[2] https://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs-1.11.20/cvs_10.html#SEC91
-- 
Todd Denniston
Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane) 
Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter