Re: How to efficiently remove an entire subtree from cvs

[Todd Denniston]

Harry Putnam wrote, On 01/11/2009 11:31 AM:
> I'm cleaning up a yrs old cvs repo.  Its a very small one by most
> standards and is a home lan repository.
>
> I want to remove an entire subtree with a couple hundred files and
> subdirectories. 
>
> Removing items is not something I've done much of but when I have its
> been a one or several file scene.  Where I first remove the file and
> then tell cvs about it.  I'd hate to have to remove the files in this
> tree one by one that way.  Even in some scripted loop.
>
> I'm not sure how to proceed with a tree as apposed to individual file
> removal.
>
> I have full root access of course so maybe a hand edit of something in
> the repo.

First things first...
Because the purpose of a version control system is to allow you to go back 
into the past removing something from the _repository_ is something that, 
unless that thing was never used, most of us will advise you NOT to do.


> I'd like to have the version info to remain in the repo and be able to
> extract past versions of the files being removed.

Good, you understand the above :) ... in a sandbox if you issue
cvs remove -f file_nolonger_needed
cvs commit
this will mark the file in the repository as removed[1] at the current and 
into the future, and it will remove the file from your current sandbox.

You should be aware that directories are not really managed by CVS so you 
can't remove them[2], but if you remove everything in them and use the -P on 
updates they are effectively removed.

BTW it is often a good thing to have a local copy of the manual, which you can 
get from ximbiot[3] or from the source distribution[4].

[1] http://ximbiot.com/cvs/manual/cvs-1.11.23/cvs_7.html#IDX135
[2] http://ximbiot.com/cvs/manual/cvs-1.11.23/cvs_7.html#SEC69
[3] http://ximbiot.com/cvs/manual/
[4] get an appropriate copy of cederqvist-*  from ftp.gnu.org such as 
http://ftp.gnu.org/non-gnu/cvs/source/stable/1.11.23/

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