Re: List of directories under a "top-level" module

[Todd Denniston]

chaitu wrote, On 09/09/2008 07:53 AM:
> If my CVS repository is /src, and there is a top-level module called
> abcd under /src, normally I issue checkout of abcd in this way:
>
> cvs co abcd
>
> If abcd contains 40 subdirectories or submodules in addition to some
> files, and if some of them are bulky, it takes a hell lotta time to
> check abcd out fully, across a trans-continental slow network. So I am
> looking for some feature like querying the CVS server for getting
> myself a list of submodules under a module so that I can eliminate the
> bulkier, not-so-frequently-used submodules from the list and check out
> under abcd only the lighter frequently-used modules.

How would having the list of sub modules help, when you would still need to 
know which ones were bulkier?? i.e, you would still need to do ONE full 
checkout to figure out which ones were bigger and then you also have the list.

BTW IIRC CVSNT includes an `ls` subcommand, it might even be in CVS 1.12.x.

> And let me say in advance that update is ruled out in the scenario
> here. I am expected to check out source code daily before the build
> begins.
>
> Any help will be much appreciated.... :)
>
> - Chaitanya

suggestion, read the following link with special attention to the last half.
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-cvs/2006-10/msg00090.html

It sounds like you really need to talk to your bosses and find out what their 
theory was that a checkout each time was needed verses an update. The only 
reasons I can think of for requiring a full checkout are:
1) ignorance of how the tool (CVS) works, i.e., you need to know WHY they 
chose to make this policy so you can intelligently oppose it by teaching.
2) easier to make a policy of 'fresh checkout' instead of either 'make 
clean;make world; shall clear all previous build history' or 'update a 
baseline from a clean tar ball'.
3) some dependence during testing on the output of the preprocessor output of 
the macros __DATE__ and __TIME__ .

If you did one checkout and before doing anything in it, tar it up, and then 
each day untar the checkout and issue `cvs update -dP` you would be at the 
same code set as a fresh checkout would get you with a lot less bandwidth use.
Of course each day you would want to make a new tarball of the clean update so 
you don't have to pull the same data tomorrow.



--
Todd Denniston
Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane)
Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter