rcs(1)rcs(1)NAMErcs - change RCS file attributes
SYNOPSIS
[options] file...
DESCRIPTION
creates new RCS files or changes attributes of existing ones. An RCS
file contains multiple revisions of text, an access list, a change log,
descriptive text, and some control attributes. For to work, the user's
login name must be on the access list, except if the access list is
empty, if the user is the owner of the file or the superuser, or if the
option is present.
The user of the command must have read/write permission for the direc‐
tory containing the RCS file and read permission for the RCS file
itself. creates a semaphore file in the same directory as the RCS file
to prevent simultaneous update. For changes, always creates a new
file. On successful completion, deletes the old one and renames the
new one. This strategy makes links to RCS files useless.
Files ending in are RCS files; all others are working files. If a
working file is given, tries to find the corresponding RCS file first
in directory then in the current directory, as explained in rcsin‐
tro(5).
Options
recognizes the following options:
Appends the login names appearing in the comma-separated list
logins to the access list of the RCS file.
Appends the access list of
oldfile to the access list of the RCS file.
Sets the comment leader to
string. The comment leader is printed before
every log message line generated by the keyword
during check out (see co(1)). This is useful for
programming languages without multi-line com‐
ments. During or initial the comment leader is
guessed from the suffix of the working file.
Note, a comment leader is inserted at the begin‐
ning of each line of log information. The com‐
ment leader is determined by the suffix used with
the file name, as in foo.c, or foo.sh, or foo.p.
Note you can specify a different comment leader
through the "rcs" command. The following table
shows the comment leader associated with each
file name suffix:
SUFFIX FILES Comment Character
────────────────────────────────────────────
c c '*'
C C Header '*'
sh shell '#'
s Assembly '#'
p pascal '*'
r ratfor '#'
e efl '#'
l lex '*'
y yacc '*'
yr yacc-rarfor '*'
ye yacc-efl '*'
ml mocklisp ';'
mac macro ';'
f fortran 'c'
ms ms-macros '\'
me me-macros '\'
"" empty suffix '#'
nil unknown suffix '""'
Erases the login names
appearing in the comma-separated list logins from
the access list of the RCS file. If logins is
omitted, the entire access list is erased.
Creates and initializes a new
RCS file, but does not deposit any revision. If
the RCS file has no path prefix, tries to place
it first into the subdirectory then into the cur‐
rent directory. If the RCS file already exists,
an error message is printed.
Locks the revision with number
rev. If a branch is given, the latest revision
on that branch is locked. If rev is omitted, the
latest revision on the trunk is locked. Locking
prevents overlapping changes. A lock is removed
with or (see below).
Sets locking to
Strict locking means that the owner of an RCS
file is not exempt from locking for check in.
This option should be used for files that are
shared.
Associates the symbolic name
name with the branch or revision rev. prints an
error message if name is already associated with
another number. If rev is omitted, the symbolic
name is associated with the latest revision on
the trunk. If is omitted, the symbolic name is
deleted.
Same as except that it overrides a previous assignment of
name.
Deletes ("obsoletes") the revisions given by
range. A range consisting of a single revision
number means that revision. A range consisting
of a branch number means the latest revision on
that branch. A range of the form rev1−rev2 means
revisions rev1 to rev2 on the same branch, means
from the beginning of the branch containing rev
up to and including rev, and means from revision
rev to the head of the branch containing rev.
None of the outdated revisions can have branches
or locks.
Quiet mode; diagnostics are not printed.
Sets the state attribute of the revision
rev to state. If rev is omitted, the latest
revision on the trunk is assumed. If rev is a
branch number, the latest revision on that branch
is assumed. Any identifier is acceptable for
state. A useful set of states is (for experimen‐
tal), (for stable), and (for released). By
default, sets the state of a revision to
Writes descriptive text into the
RCS file (deletes the existing text). If txtfile
is omitted, prompts the user for text supplied
from the standard input, terminated with a line
containing a single or Ctrl-D. Otherwise, the
descriptive text is copied from the file txtfile.
If the option is present, descriptive text is
requested even if is not given. The prompt is
suppressed if the standard input is not a termi‐
nal.
Unlocks the revision with number
rev. If a branch is given, the latest revision
on that branch is unlocked. If rev is omitted,
the latest lock held by the user is removed.
Normally, only the locker of a revision may
unlock it. Somebody else unlocking a revision
breaks the lock. This causes a mail message to
be sent to the original locker. The message con‐
tains a commentary solicited from the breaker.
The commentary is terminated with a line contain‐
ing a single or Control-D.
Sets locking to non-strict.
Non-strict locking means that the owner of a file
need not lock a revision for check in. This
option should be used for files that are shared.
The default or is determined by the system admin‐
istrator.
Access Control Lists (ACLs)
Do not add optional ACL entries to an RCS file, because they are
deleted when the file is updated. The resulting access modes for the
new file might not be as desired.
DIAGNOSTICS
The RCS filename and the revisions outdated are written to the diagnos‐
tic output. The exit status always refers to the last RCS file oper‐
ated upon, and is 0 if the operation was successful; 1 if unsuccessful.
EXAMPLES
Add the names and to the access list of RCS file
Set the comment leader to for file
Associate the symbolic name with revision of file
Lock revision of file so that only the locker is permitted to check in
(see ci(1)) the next revision of the file. This command prevents two
or more people from simultaneously revising the same file and inadver‐
tently overwriting each other's work.
WARNINGS
All command options are available to anyone whose name appears in the
file access list, including those to add and delete names in the access
list, change strict locking, etc. If these options must be restricted,
other security methods should be employed. Also see previous note
regarding Access Control Lists.
AUTHOR
was developed by Walter F. Tichy.
SEE ALSOco(1), ci(1), rcsdiff(1), rcsmerge(1), rlog(1), rcsfile(4), acl(5),
rcsintro(5).
rcs(1)
