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

Keyword expansion modes (see section 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 section 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 section Adding files to a directory.

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

admin [options] [files...]

Administration of history files in the repository. See section admin--Administration.

-b[rev]: Set default branch. See section Reverting to the latest vendor release.
-cstring: Set comment leader.
-ksubst: Set keyword substitution. See section 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 section 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 section Annotate command.

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

checkout [options] modules...

Get a copy of the sources. See section checkout--Check out sources for editing.

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

commit [options] [files...]

Check changes into the repository. See section commit--Check files into the repository.

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

diff [options] [files...]

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

edit [options] [files...]

Get ready to edit a watched file. See section How to edit a file which is being watched.

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where actions is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none. See section How to edit a file which is being watched.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory. See section Recursive behavior.
-R: Operate recursively (default). See section Recursive behavior.

editors [options] [files...]

See who is editing a watched file. See section Information about who is watching and editing.

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

export [options] modules...

Export files from CVS. See section export--Export sources from CVS, similar to checkout.

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

history [options] [files...]

Show repository access history. See section history--Show status of files and users.

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

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

Import files into CVS, using vendor branches. See section import--Import sources into CVS, using vendor branches.

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

init

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

log [options] [files...]

Print out history information for files. See section log--Print out log information for files.

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

login

Prompt for password for authenticating server. See section Using the client with password authentication.

logout

Remove stored password for authenticating server. See section Using the client with password authentication.

rdiff [options] modules...

Show differences between releases. See section rdiff---'patch' format diffs between releases.

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

release [options] directory

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

-d: Delete the given directory. See section release options.

remove [options] [files...]

Remove an entry from the repository. See section Removing files.

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

rtag [options] tag modules...

Add a symbolic tag to a module. See section rtag--Add a symbolic tag to a module.

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

status [options] files...

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

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

tag [options] tag [files...]

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

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

unedit [options] [files...]

Undo an edit command. See section How to edit a file which is being watched.

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where actions is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none. See section How to edit a file which is being watched.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory. See section Recursive behavior.
-R: Operate recursively (default). See section Recursive behavior.

update [options] [files...]

Bring work tree in sync with repository. See section update--Bring work tree in sync with repository.

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

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

on/off: turn on/off read-only checkouts of files. See section Telling CVS to watch certain files. add/remove: add or remove notification on actions. See section Telling CVS to notify you.

-a actions: Specify actions for temporary watch, where actions is edit, unedit, commit, all, or none. See section How to edit a file which is being watched.
-l: Local; run only in current working directory. See section Recursive behavior.
-R: Operate recursively (default). See section Recursive behavior.

watchers [options] [files...]

See who is watching a file. See section Information about who is watching and editing.

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

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