Re: Arggg, I thought I had cvs worked out but I didn't

[Arno Schuring]

>I didn't know installing cvs would be this complicated...
>I was actually looking all over the internet for tutorials on how to
>install cvs.  I found tutorials that show people as root installing and
>using cvs, but I guess those tutorials are wrong.  (See
>http://www.linux.ie/articles/tutorials/cvs.php)

The link above concerns only pserver authentication; it is the only 
authentication method that requires cvs to be run as root. And, if you 
search the archives of this list you will find numerous objections to using 
pserver for read-write access.

Btw, installing cvs is not complicated. You have already installed cvs. 
Configuring might require some more work, depending on your requirements.


>> 3)  did "cvs init" as root (worked) -- So I guess for here, I should
>create an account called "cvs" _without_ administrative privileges.

Administrative privileges aren't the problem. By default, cvs just assumes 
user "root" will never be checking in files (you can have other users with 
administrative privileges and have them happily use cvs). You don't have to 
create a user account for cvs.

You should do "cvs init" as the user that is going to use the repository. 
However, you should make sure that every user that is going to use the 
repository can access it both read-write.

btw, if user 'root' is the user you always log in as, then change that 
behaviour. There is no need for it.


>>       % id
>>       ...gid=nn0(name0) groups=nn1(name1),nn2(name2),n­n3(name3)...
>I am definitely unfamiliar with that syntax.  I mean, is nn0() a
>function that takes a "c/c++" style char *?

Have you tried typing "id" at your console?
address@hidden:~ > id
uid=500(aschuring) gid=101(LooS) 
groups=101(LooS),100(users),104(cvs),105(cvs-mca),106(cvs-java),107(cvs-docs),108(cvs-cc),109(cvs-erts)


>>choose one of the groups of which you (and your other users) are a
>>part as the group for your /cvs repository.

As seen by my "id" command above, I am a member of group 104 (group name 
cvs). Being a member of this group gives me access to the $CVSROOT at my 
machine. Also, I make sure that other users on the same machine are a member 
of this group as well.

>>       % chgrp -R nameN /cvs
>>       % find /cvs -type d -print |xargs chmod g+rwxs
>I am actually very new to linux as I have been using windows for about
>10 years.

Cut'n'paste is fairly common in windows too ;)


>>You need to be able to create lock directories in the /cvs repository
>>and if it is owned by root and you are not a member of the group for
>>the directory, this will be a problem.
>I have no idea what a lock directory is... and I definitely don't know
>how to make groups own a certain directory.  If there's a book for
>total linux noobies on how to install cvs, I will definitely buy that
>book.

Lock directory:
https://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs-1.11.20/cvs_10.html#SEC87
https://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs-1.11.20/cvs_18.html#SEC158

Groups:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~rc/help/faq/permissions.html
http://search.yahoo.com
http://www.google.com


HTH,
Arno


-- 
  np: Dido - White Flag