CVS---Concurrent Versions System. Node: Invoking CVS

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Appendix B: Quick reference to CVS commands

This appendix describes how to invoke CVS, with references to where each command or feature is described in detail. For other references run the cvs --help command, or see Index.

A CVS command looks like:

cvs [ global_options ] command [ command_options ] [ command_args ]

Global options:

`--allow-root=rootdir`	Specify legal CVSROOT directory (server only) (not in CVS 1.9 and older). See Password authentication server.
`-a`	Authenticate all communication (client only) (not in CVS 1.9 and older). See Global options.
`-b`	Specify RCS location (CVS 1.9 and older). See Global options.
`-d root`	Specify the CVSROOT. See Repository.
`-e editor`	Edit messages with `editor`. See Committing your changes.
`-f`	Do not read the ``~/.cvsrc`' file. See Global options.
`-H` `--help`	Print a help message. See Global options.
`-l`	Do not log in CVSROOT/history file. See Global options.
`-n`	Do not change any files. See Global options.
`-Q`	Be really quiet. See Global options.
`-q`	Be somewhat quiet. See Global options.
`-r`	Make new working files read-only. See Global options.
`-s variable=value`	Set a user variable. See Variables.
`-T tempdir`	Put temporary files in `tempdir`. See Global options.
`-t`	Trace CVS execution. See Global options.
`-v`
`--version`	Display version and copyright information for CVS.
`-w`	Make new working files read-write. See Global options.
`-x`	Encrypt all communication (client only). See Global options.
`-z gzip-level`	Set the compression level (client only).

Keyword expansion modes (see Substitution modes):

-kkv  $Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp $
-kkvl $Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
-kk   $Id$
-kv   file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp
-ko   no expansion
-kb   no expansion, file is binary

Keywords (see Keyword list):

$Author: joe $
$Date: 1993/12/09 03:21:13 $
$Header: /home/files/file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
$Id: file1,v 1.1 1993/12/09 03:21:13 joe Exp harry $
$Locker: harry $
$Name: snapshot_1_14 $
$RCSfile: file1,v $
$Revision: 1.1 $
$Source: /home/files/file1,v $
$State: Exp $
$Log: file1,v $
Revision 1.1  1993/12/09 03:30:17  joe
Initial revision

Commands, command options, and command arguments:

add [options] [files...]

Add a new file/directory. See Adding files.

`-k kflag`	Set keyword expansion.
`-m msg`	Set file description.

admin [options] [files...]

Administration of history files in the repository. See admin.

`-b[rev]`	Set default branch. See Reverting local changes.
`-cstring`	Set comment leader.
`-ksubst`	Set keyword substitution. See Keyword substitution.
`-l[rev]`	Lock revision `rev`, or latest revision.
`-mrev:msg`	Replace the log message of revision `rev` with `msg`.
`-orange`	Delete revisions from the repository. See admin options.
`-q`	Run quietly; do not print diagnostics.
`-sstate[:rev]`	Set the state.
`-t`	Set file description from standard input.
`-tfile`	Set file description from `file`.
`-t-string`	Set file description to `string`.
`-u[rev]`	Unlock revision `rev`, or latest revision.

annotate [options] [files...]

Show last revision where each line was modified. See annotate.

`-D date`	Annotate the most recent revision no later than `date`. See Common options.
`-f`	Use head revision if tag/date not found. See Common options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Annotate revision `tag`. See Common options.

checkout [options] modules...

Get a copy of the sources. See checkout.

`-A`	Reset any sticky tags/date/options. See Sticky tags and Keyword substitution.
`-c`	Output the module database. See checkout options.
`-D date`	Check out revisions as of `date` (is sticky). See Common options.
`-d dir`	Check out into `dir`. See checkout options.
`-f`	Use head revision if tag/date not found. See Common options.
`-j rev`	Merge in changes. See checkout options.
`-k kflag`	Use `kflag` keyword expansion. See Substitution modes.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-N`	Don't ``shorten'' module paths if -d specified. See checkout options.
`-n`	Do not run module program (if any). See checkout options.
`-P`	Prune empty directories. See Moving directories.
`-p`	Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness). See checkout options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Checkout revision `tag` (is sticky). See Common options.
`-s`	Like -c, but include module status. See checkout options.

commit [options] [files...]

Check changes into the repository. See commit.

`-F file`	Read log message from `file`. See commit options.
`-f`	Force the file to be committed; disables recursion. See commit options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-m msg`	Use `msg` as log message. See commit options.
`-n`	Do not run module program (if any). See commit options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r rev`	Commit to `rev`. See commit options.

diff [options] [files...]

Show differences between revisions. See diff. In addition to the options shown below, accepts a wide variety of options to control output style, for example `-c' for context diffs.

`-D date1`	Diff revision for date against working file. See diff options.
`-D date2`	Diff `rev1`/`date1` against `date2`. See diff options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-N`	Include diffs for added and removed files. See diff options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r rev1`	Diff revision for `rev1` against working file. See diff options.
`-r rev2`	Diff `rev1`/`date1` against `rev2`. See diff options.

edit [options] [files...]

Get ready to edit a watched file. See Editing files.

`-a actions`	Specify actions for temporary watch, where `actions` is `edit`, `unedit`, `commit`, `all`, or `none`. See Editing files.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

editors [options] [files...]

See who is editing a watched file. See Watch information.

`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

export [options] modules...

Export files from CVS. See export.

`-D date`	Check out revisions as of `date`. See Common options.
`-d dir`	Check out into `dir`. See export options.
`-f`	Use head revision if tag/date not found. See Common options.
`-k kflag`	Use `kflag` keyword expansion. See Substitution modes.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-N`	Don't ``shorten'' module paths if -d specified. See export options.
`-n`	Do not run module program (if any). See export options.
`-P`	Prune empty directories. See Moving directories.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Checkout revision `tag` (is sticky). See Common options.

history [options] [files...]

Show repository access history. See history.

`-a`	All users (default is self). See history options.
`-b str`	Back to record with `str` in module/file/repos field. See history options.
`-c`	Report on committed (modified) files. See history options.
`-D date`	Since `date`. See history options.
`-e`	Report on all record types. See history options.
`-l`	Last modified (committed or modified report). See history options.
`-m module`	Report on `module` (repeatable). See history options.
`-n module`	In `module`. See history options.
`-o`	Report on checked out modules. See history options.
`-r rev`	Since revision `rev`. See history options.
`-T`	Produce report on all TAGs. See history options.
`-t tag`	Since tag record placed in history file (by anyone). See history options.
`-u user`	For user `user` (repeatable). See history options.
`-w`	Working directory must match. See history options.
`-x types`	Report on `types`, one or more of `TOEFWUCGMAR`. See history options.
`-z zone`	Output for time zone `zone`. See history options.

import [options] repository vendor-tag release-tags...

Import files into CVS, using vendor branches. See import.

`-b bra`	Import to vendor branch `bra`. See Multiple vendor branches.
`-d`	Use the file's modification time as the time of import. See import options.
`-k kflag`	Set default keyword substitution mode. See import options.
`-m msg`	Use `msg` for log message. See import options.
`-I ign`	More files to ignore (! to reset). See import options.
`-W spec`	More wrappers. See import options.

init

Create a CVS repository if it doesn't exist. See Creating a repository.

log [options] [files...]

Print out history information for files. See log.

`-b`	Only list revisions on the default branch. See log options.
`-d dates`	Specify dates (`d1`<`d2` for range, `d` for latest before). See log options.
`-h`	Only print header. See log options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-N`	Do not list tags. See log options.
`-R`	Only print name of RCS file. See log options.
`-rrevs`	Only list revisions `revs`. See log options.
`-s states`	Only list revisions with specified states. See log options.
`-t`	Only print header and descriptive text. See log options.
`-wlogins`	Only list revisions checked in by specified logins. See log options.

login

Prompt for password for authenticating server. See Password authentication client.

logout

Remove stored password for authenticating server. See Password authentication client.

rdiff [options] modules...

Show differences between releases. See rdiff.

`-c`	Context diff output format (default). See rdiff options.
`-D date`	Select revisions based on `date`. See Common options.
`-f`	Use head revision if tag/date not found. See Common options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r rev`	Select revisions based on `rev`. See Common options.
`-s`	Short patch - one liner per file. See rdiff options.
`-t`	Top two diffs - last change made to the file. See diff options.
`-u`	Unidiff output format. See rdiff options.
`-V vers`	Use RCS Version `vers` for keyword expansion (obsolete). See rdiff options.

release [options] directory

Indicate that a directory is no longer in use. See release.

`-d`	Delete the given directory. See release options.

remove [options] [files...]

Remove an entry from the repository. See Removing files.

`-f`	Delete the file before removing it. See Removing files.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

rtag [options] tag modules...

Add a symbolic tag to a module. See rtag.

`-a`	Clear tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged. See rtag options.
`-b`	Create a branch named `tag`. See rtag options.
`-D date`	Tag revisions as of `date`. See rtag options.
`-d`	Delete the given tag. See rtag options.
`-F`	Move tag if it already exists. See rtag options.
`-f`	Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See rtag options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-n`	No execution of tag program. See rtag options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Tag existing tag `tag`. See rtag options.

status [options] files...

Display status information in a working directory. See File status.

`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-v`	Include tag information for file. See Tags.

tag [options] tag [files...]

Add a symbolic tag to checked out version of files. See tag.

`-b`	Create a branch named `tag`. See tag options.
`-D date`	Tag revisions as of `date`. See tag options.
`-d`	Delete the given tag. See tag options.
`-F`	Move tag if it already exists. See tag options.
`-f`	Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See tag options.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-n`	No execution of tag program. See tag options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Tag existing tag `tag`. See tag options.

unedit [options] [files...]

Undo an edit command. See Editing files.

`-a actions`	Specify actions for temporary watch, where `actions` is `edit`, `unedit`, `commit`, `all`, or `none`. See Editing files.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

update [options] [files...]

Bring work tree in sync with repository. See update.

`-A`	Reset any sticky tags/date/options. See Sticky tags and Keyword substitution.
`-D date`	Check out revisions as of `date` (is sticky). See Common options.
`-d`	Create directories. See update options.
`-f`	Use head revision if tag/date not found. See Common options.
`-I ign`	More files to ignore (! to reset). See import options.
`-j rev`	Merge in changes. See update options.
`-k kflag`	Use `kflag` keyword expansion. See Substitution modes.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-P`	Prune empty directories. See Moving directories.
`-p`	Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness). See update options.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.
`-r tag`	Checkout revision `tag` (is sticky). See Common options.
`-W spec`	More wrappers. See import options.

watch [on|off|add|remove] [options] [files...]

on/off: turn on/off read-only checkouts of files. See Setting a watch.

add/remove: add or remove notification on actions. See Getting Notified.

`-a actions`	Specify actions for temporary watch, where `actions` is `edit`, `unedit`, `commit`, `all`, or `none`. See Editing files.
`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

watchers [options] [files...]

See who is watching a file. See Watch information.

`-l`	Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.
`-R`	Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

CVS commands

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