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.

-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). See Global options.

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. See admin options for more information on possible states.

-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

Force annotation of binary files. (Without this option, binary files are skipped with a message.)

-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.

-R

Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

-r tag

Checkout revision tag. 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.

-p repository

In repository. 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 TOEFWUPCGMAR. 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.

kserver

Kerberos authenticated server. See Kerberos authenticated.

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.

pserver

Password authenticated server. See Password authentication server.

rannotate [options] [modules…]

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

Force annotation of binary files. (Without this option, binary files are skipped with a message.)

-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.

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.

rlog [options] [files…]

Print out history information for modules. 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.

rtag [options] tag modules…

Add a symbolic tag to a module. See Revisions and Branching and merging.

-a

Clear tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged. See Tagging add/remove.

-b

Create a branch named tag. See Branching and merging.

-B

Used in conjunction with -F or -d, enables movement and deletion of branch tags. Use with extreme caution.

-D date

Tag revisions as of date. See Tagging by date/tag.

-d

Delete tag. See Modifying tags.

-F

Move tag if it already exists. See Modifying tags.

-f

Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See Tagging by date/tag.

-l

Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.

-n

No execution of tag program. See Common options.

-R

Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

-r rev

Tag existing tag rev. See Tagging by date/tag.

server

Rsh server. See Connecting via rsh.

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 Revisions and Branching and merging.

-b

Create a branch named tag. See Branching and merging.

-c

Check that working files are unmodified. See Tagging the working directory.

-D date

Tag revisions as of date. See Tagging by date/tag.

-d

Delete tag. See Modifying tags.

-F

Move tag if it already exists. See Modifying tags.

-f

Force a head revision match if tag/date not found. See Tagging by date/tag.

-l

Local; run only in current working directory. See Recursive behavior.

-R

Operate recursively (default). See Recursive behavior.

-r rev

Tag existing tag rev. See Tagging by date/tag.

unedit [options] [files…]

Undo an edit command. 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.

-C

Overwrite locally modified files with clean copies from the repository (the modified file is saved in .#file.revision, however).

-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.

version

Display the version of CVS being used. If the repository is remote, display both the client and server versions.

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.