VCS::CVS
This is a pure Perl module I wrote which provides a Perl interface to the CVS client.
CVS under MS Windows
This document is a simple introduction to running both a CVS client and a CVS server under Windows.
This is for when you wish to administer CVS yourself, and for using VCS::CVS.
I discuss installing the most recent stable version of CVS for NT because I refuse to install beta software.
I assume you want to start with a minimal system, which means not worrying about web, email and newsgroup servers, nor GUI-based cvs clients.
Downloading CVS for NT
At http://www.cvsnt.org/ there is a file cvsnt_1.11.1.3.exe (3,342,042 bytes) which is a cvs server. I'm running this.
Installing and configuring CVS for NT
I log on to WinNT as Administrator, and will be running all Perl scripts under the same account. This means the cvs client will always be run by Administrator.
I do not want CVS to accept connections from anyone on the internet, so the TCP/IP option in the server is disabled. See below.
- Decide where your repositories will repose
I use e:\Repository. A simple name means it is simple to back up.
This directory will contain a number of sub-directories. One will be called CVSROOT, and there will be one for each module you import into CVS.
- Create e:\Repository
- In your environment, set HOME = d:\
Or wherever. I have not worked out why CVS for NT needs this, since $HOME/.passwd is not used.
- In your environment, set CVSROOT = :pserver:localhost:e:/Repository
- The environment variable CVSEDITOR
I could not get this to work after trying quite a few variations, so forget it.
- Run cvsnt_1.11.1.3.exe
Install it into, say, d:\Program Files\CVS for NT.
- Exit from RegEdt32
- Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel/CVS for NT, and double-click on the green fish
I guess it's better than a purple turkey...
The window says CVS NT Service 1.11.1.3 rc1 (Build 53).
- Click on Repositories/Add
- Enter e:/Repository and click OK
- Click on Advanced
- Check that the checkboxes are like this:
- Click on Apply
- Click on Server Status/Install
- Click on Server Status/Start
A moment later the Stop button will become clickable.
- At a DOS prompt type 'cvs -v'
The client should connect to the server, and output
Concurrent Versions System (CVSNT) 1.11.1.3 rc1 (Build 53) (client/server)
followed by 7 lines of other stuff.
We're up and running!
Importing a module, manually
Firstly decide where you are going to work.
I use e:\Sandbox.
We need to test CVS by doing this:
So here we go.
We'll do all this manually at first, just to ensure it works.
Later we'll replicate it with a Perl program.
Warning: Binary files ahead
But wait!
By default, CVS corrupts binary files. This really pisses me off.
So, restrict yourself to text files until you've studied this problem.
Testing importing
- Create a small directory structure, containing just text
shell>e: shell>cd \ shell>cd sandbox shell>md apache shell>cd apache shell>md cgi-bin shell>md htdocs shell>copy d:\apache\cgi-bin\env.cgi apache\cgi-bin shell>copy d:\apache\htdocs\index.html apache\htdocs
- Add the apache module to CVS
shell>e: shell>cd \sandbox\apache shell>cvs import -m "Initial version" apache start-tag vendor-tag
Your output should look like: cvs import: Importing e:/Repository/apache/cgi-bin N apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi cvs import: Importing e:/Repository/apache/htdocs N apache/htdocs/index.html
No conflicts created by this import
Notice how we had to be in sandbox\apache to do this.
- Run diff to validate the import
We do this by checking out the apache module into a slightly different directory and running diff.
shell>cd \sandbox shell>md test shell>cd test shell>cvs checkout apache
Your output should look like: cvs checkout: Updating apache cvs checkout: Updating apache/cgi-bin U apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi cvs checkout: Updating apache/htdocs U apache/htdocs/index.html
shell>diff -rs \sandbox\apache \sandbox\test\apache
Notice we are not using the 'cvs diff' command yet, but rather are running the GNU for DOS diff. See: http://savage.net.au/Ron/GNU-Utils.html for downloading help.
The -r option means recursive. The -s option means report identical files.
Your output should look like: Only in \sandbox\test\apache: CVS Only in \sandbox\test\apache/cgi-bin: CVS Files \sandbox\apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi and \sandbox\test\apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi are identical Only in \sandbox\test\apache/htdocs: CVS Files \sandbox\apache/htdocs/index.html and \sandbox\test\apache/htdocs/index.html are identical
By this time, you're laughing (hysterically).
Trap # 1 - Editing the wrong files
It's easy to import a module and then start editing it. But the copy you've just imported is not the copy you want to be editing.
You must run cvs to checkout a new copy, and edit that copy.
So that's what we turn to next.
Editing a real file
Time to edit a file, check it in, and run 'cvs diff'.
- Clean up previous tests and check out the apache module again
shell>e: shell>cd \sandbox shell>rd /q /s apache
Notice how we can wipe out the previously imported apache module now that we have faith in CVS.
shell>rd /q /s test shell>cvs checkout apache
- Edit \sandbox\apache\cgi-bin\env.cgi
Do something distinctive. If we assume lines 1 .. 4 contain comments, then add these lines after line 5:
# # Author: #<tab>Ron Savage.
- Check this edit back in
shell>cd \sandbox\apache\cgi-bin shell>cvs commit -m "Added author" env.cgi
Your output should look like: Checking in env.cgi; e:/Repository/apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi,v <-- env.cgi new revision: 1.2; previous revision: 1.1 done
Notice how we were in apache\cgi-bin to do this. Actually, this would work too:
shell>cd \sandbox\apache shell>cvs commit -m "Added author" cgi-bin\env.cgi
- Run cvs diff
shell>cvs diff -r1.1 -r1.2 env.cgi
Your output should look like: Index: env.cgi =================================================================== RCS file: e:/Repository/apache/cgi-bin/env.cgi,v retrieving revision 1.1 retrieving revision 1.2 diff -r1.1 -r1.2 4a5,7 > # > # Author: > # Ron Savage.
It works!
Resources
This document is at http://savage.net.au/Perl/html/configure-cvsnt.html
You'll find a self-expanding version of CVS for NT at http://www.cvsnt.org/
Corresponding docs are at http://www.devguy.com/fp/cfgmgmt/cvs/cvs_admin_nt.htm
I do not use WinCVS. There are various versions of WinCVS at http://www.cvsgui.org/download.html
There are various items at http://www.cvshome.org
Good information on CVS-related mailing lists, etc is at http://www.cvshome.org/communication.html
Alternatives to VCS::CVS
Another Perl module, VCS (unrelated to VCS::CVS), which interfaces to cvs is at http://www.astray.com
Author
Ron Savage.
Home page: http://savage.net.au/index.html
This POD was converted to HTML by /Perl.html#fancy-pom2.pl
- Version: 1.01 01-Jun-2006
This version disguises my email address.
- Version: 1.00 01-Mar-2002
Original version.
Licence
Australian Copyright © 2002 Ron Savage. All rights reserved. 
All Programs of mine are 'OSI Certified Open Source Software'; you can redistribute them and/or modify them under the terms of The Artistic License, a copy of which is available at: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/index.html