CVSNT command reference

Command	Synonyms	Summary
add	ad,new	Add a new file/directory to the repository.
admin	adm,rcs	Administration front end for rcs.
annotate	ann	Show last revision where each line was modified.
authserver		Authentication server mode.
chacl	setacl,setperm	Change the Access Control List for a directory.
checkout	co,get	Checkout sources for editing.
chown	setowner	Change the owner of a directory.
commit	ci,com	Check files into the repository.
diff	di,dif	Show differences between revisions.
edit		Get ready to edit a watched file.
editors		See who is editing a watched file.
export	exp,ex	Export sources from CVS, similar to checkout.
history	hi,his	Show repository access history.
import	im,imp	Import sources into CVS, using vendor branches.
init		Create a CVS repository if it doesn't exist.
log	lo	Print out history information for files.
login	logon,lgn	Prompt for password for authenticating server.
logout		Removes entry in password cache for remote repository .
ls	dir,list	List directories on the server.
lsacl	lsattr,listperm	List the directories' Access Control List.
passwd	password,setpass	Set password and administer users.
rannotate	rann,ra	Show last revision where each line of module was modified .
rdiff	patch,pa	Create 'patch' format diffs between releases.
release	re,rel	Indicate that a Module is no longer in use.
remove	rm,delete	Remove an entry from the repository.
rlog	rl	Print out history information for a module.
rtag	rt,rfreeze	Add a symbolic tag to a module.
server		Server mode.
status	st,stat	Display status information on checked out files.
tag	ta,freeze	Add a symbolic tag to checked out version of files .
unedit		Undo an edit command.
update	up,upd	Bring work tree in sync with repository.
version	ve,ver	Show current CVS version(s).
watch		Set watches.
watchers		See who is watching a file.

add

cvs add [-k rcs-kflag] [-m message] files...

	-k		Use "rcs-kflag" to add the file with the specified kflag
	-m		Use "message" for the creation log.

admin

cvs admin [options] files...

-a users		Append (comma-separated) user names to access list.
-A file		Append another file's access list.
-b [rev]		Set default branch (highest branch on trunk if omitted).
-c string		Set comment leader.
-e [users]		Remove (comma-separated) user names from access list (all names if omitted).
-I		Run interactively.
-k		Set keyword substitution mode:
	kv	(Default) Substitue keyword and value.
	kvl	Substitue keyword, value, and locker (if any).
	k	Substitue keyword only.
	o	Preserve original string.
	b	Like o, but mark file as binary.
	u	Mark file as unicode
	v	Substitue value only.
-l [rev]		Lock revision (latest revision on branch, latest revision on trunk if omitted).
-L		Set strict locking.
-m rev:msg		Replace revision's log message.
-n tag[:[rev]]		Tag branch or revision. If :rev is omitted, delete the tag; if rev is omitted, tag the latest revision on the default branch.
-N tag[:[rev]]		Same as -n except override existing tag.
-o range		Delete (outdate) specified range of revisions:
	rev1:rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, including rev1 and rev2.
	rev1::rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, excluding rev1 and rev2.
	rev:	rev and following revisions on the same branch.
	rev::	After rev on the same branch.
	:rev	rev and previous revisions on the same branch.
	::rev	Before rev on the same branch.
	rev	Just rev.
-q		Run quietly.
-s state[:rev]		Set revision state (latest revision on branch, latest revision on trunk if omitted).
-t [file]		Get descriptive text from file (stdin if omitted).
-t-string		Set descriptive text.
-u [rev]		Unlock the revision (latest revision on branch, latest revision on trunk if omitted).
-U		Unset strict locking.

annotate

cvs annotate [-lRf] [-r rev] [-D date] [files...]

	-l		Local directory only, no recursion.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-f		Use head revision if tag/date not found.
	-r rev		Annotate file as of specified revision/tag.
	-D date		Annotate file as of specified date.

chacl

cvs chacl -R [-r tag] {user|default}:[{[r][w][c]|[n]}] [directory...]

	-R		Recursively set permissions
	-r tag		Set permissions on specific branch

checkout

cvs checkout [-ANPRcflnps] [-r rev] [-D date] [-d dir] [-j rev1] [-j rev2] [-k kopt] modules...

	-A		Reset any sticky tags/date/kopts.
	-N		Don't shorten module paths if -d specified.
	-P		Prune empty directories.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-c		Show the contents of the CVSROOT/modules file.
	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-n		Do not run module program (if any).
	-p		Check out files to standard output (avoids stickiness).
	-s		Like -c, but include module status.
	-r rev		Check out revision or tag. (implies -P) (is sticky)
	-D date		Check out revisions as of date. (implies -P) (is sticky)
	-d dir		Check out into dir instead of module name.
	-k kopt		Use RCS kopt -k option on checkout. (is sticky)
	-j rev		Merge in changes made between current revision and rev.

chown

cvs chown user directory...

commit

cvs commit [-nRlf] [-m msg | -F logfile] [-r rev] files...

	-n		Do not run the module program (if any).
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-l		Local directory only (not recursive).
	-f		Force the file to be committed; disables recursion.
	-F logfile		Read the log message from file.
	-r rev		Commit to this branch or trunk revision.
	-c		Check for valid edits before committing.

diff

cvs diff [-lNR] [rcsdiff-options] [[-r rev1 | -D date1] [-r rev2 | -D date2]] [files...]

	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-D d1		Diff revision for date against working file.
	-D d2		Diff rev1/date1 against date2.
	-N		Include diffs for added and removed files.
	-r rev1		Diff revision for rev1 against working file.
	-r rev2		Diff rev1/date1 against rev2.
	--ifdef=arg		Output diffs in ifdef format.
	-c		Context diff
	-u		Unified diff

edit

cvs edit [-cflR] [files...]

	-c		Check that working files are unedited.
	-f		Force edit if working files are edited (default).
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-R		Process directories recursively (default).
	-a		Specify what actions for temporary watch, one of edit,unedit,commit,all,none

editors

cvs editors [-lR] [files...]

	-l		-l Process this directory only (not recursive).
	-R		-R Process directories recursively.

export

cvs export [-NRfln] [-r rev] [-D date] [-d dir] [-k kopt] module...

	-N		Don't shorten module paths if -d specified.
	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-R		Process directories recursively (default).
	-n		Do not run module program (if any).
	-r rev		Export revision or tag.
	-D date		Export revisions as of date.
	-d dir		Export into dir instead of module name.
	-k kopt		Use RCS kopt -k option on checkout.

history

cvs history [-report] [-flags] [-options args] [files...]

Reports:
	-T	Produce report on all TAGs.
	-c	Committed (Modified) files.
	-o	Checked out modules.
	-m module	Look for specified module (repeatable)
	-x [type]	[TOEFWUCGMAR] Extract by record type .
	-e	Everything (same as -x, but all record types).
Flags:
	-a	All users (Default is self).
	-l	Last modified (committed or modified report).
	-w	Working directory must match.
Options:
	-D date	Since date (Many formats).
	-b str	Back to record with str in module/file/repos field.
	-f file	Specified file (same as command line) (repeatable).
	-n module	In module (repeatable).
	-p repo	In repository (repeatable).
	-r rev	Since rev or tag (looks inside RCS files!).
	-t tag	Since tag record placed in history file (by anyone).
	-u user	For user name (repeatable).
	-z timezone	Output for time zone <> (e.g. -z -0700).

import

cvs import [-d] [-k subst] [-I ign] [-m msg] [-b branch] [-W spec] repository vendor-tag release-tags...

	-d		Use the file's modification time as the time of import.
	-k sub		Set default RCS keyword substitution mode.
	-I ign		More files to ignore (! to reset).
	-b bra		Vendor branch id.
	-m msg		Log message.
	-W spec		Wrappers specification line.

init

cvs init

log

cvs log [-lRhtNb] [-r[revisions]] [-d dates] [-s states] [-w[logins]] [files...]

-l		Local directory only, no recursion.
-R		Only print name of RCS file.
-h		Only print header.
-t		Only print header and descriptive text.
-N		Do not list tags.
-b		Only list revisions on the default branch.
-r [revisions]		Specify revision(s)s to list:
	rev1:rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, including rev1 and rev2.
	rev1:rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, excluding rev1 and rev2.
	rev:	rev and following revisions on the same branch.
	rev::	After rev on the same branch.
	:rev	rev and previous revisions on the same branch.
	::rev	Before rev on the same branch.
	rev	Just rev.
	branch	All revisions on the branch.
	branch.	The last revision on the branch.
-d dates		Specify dates (D1< for="" rang="" d="" latest="" before).
-s states		Only list revisions with specified states.
-w [logins]		Only list revisions checked in by specified logins.

login

cvs login

logout

cvs logout

ls

cvs ls [-q] [-e] [-l] [-R] [-r rev] [-D date] [modules...]

	-q		Quieter Output.
	-e		Display in CVS/Entries format.
	-l		Display all details.
	-R		List recursively.
	-r rev		Show files with revision or tag.
	-D date		Show files from date.

lsacl

cvs lsacl [directory...]

passwd

cvs passwd [-a] [-x] [-X] [-r real_user] [-R] [-D domain] [username]

	-a		Add user.
	-x		Disable user.
	-X		Delete user.
	-r		Alias username to real system user.
	-R		Remove alias to real system user.
	-D		Use domain password (Win32 only).

authserver

cvs authserver

Normally invoked by a cvs client on a remote machine.

rannotate

cvs rannotate [-lRf] [-r rev] [-D date] [files...]

	-l		Local directory only, no recursion.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-f		Use head revision if tag/date not found.
	-r rev		Annotate file as of specified revision/tag.
	-D date		Annotate file as of specified date.

rdiff

cvs rdiff [-flR] [-c|-u] [-s|-t] [-V %d] -r rev|-D date [-r rev2 | -D date2] modules...

	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-c		Context diffs (default).
	-u		Unidiff format.
	-s		Short patch - one liner per file.
	-t		Top two diffs - last change made to the file.
	-D date		Date.
	-r rev		Revision - symbolic or numeric.
	-V vers		Use RCS Version "vers" for keyword expansion.

release

cvs release [-d] directories...

-d

Delete the given directory.

remove

cvs remove [-flR] [files...]

	-f		Delete the file before removing it.
	-l		Process this directory only (not recursive).
	-R		Process directories recursively.

rlog

cvs rlog [-lRhtNb] [-r[revisions]] [-d dates] [-s states] [-w[logins]] [files...]

-l		Local directory only, no recursion.
-R		Only print name of RCS file.
-h		Only print header.
-t		Only print header and descriptive text.
-N		Do not list tags.
-b		Only list revisions on the default branch.
-r [revisions]		Specify revision(s)s to list:
	rev1:rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, including rev1 and rev2.
	rev1::rev2	Between rev1 and rev2, excluding rev1 and rev2.
	rev:	rev and following revisions on the same branch.
	rev::	After rev on the same branch.
	:rev	rev and previous revisions on the same branch.
	::rev	Before rev on the same branch.
	rev	Just rev.
	branch	All revisions on the branch.
	branch.	The last revision on the branch.
-d dates		Specify dates (D1< for="" rang="" d="" latest="" before).
-s states		Only list revisions with specified states.
-w [logins]		Only list revisions checked in by specified logins.

rtag

cvs rtag [-abdFflnR] [-r rev|-D date] tag modules...

	-a		Clear tag from removed files that would not otherwise be tagged.
	-b		Make the tag a "branch" tag, allowing concurrent development.
	-d		Delete the given tag.
	-F		Move tag if it already exists.
	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-n		No execution of 'tag program'.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-r rev		Existing revision/tag.
	-D date		Existing date.

server

cvs server

status

cvs status [-vlR] [files...]

	-v		Verbose format; includes tag information for the file.
	-l		Process this directory only (not recursive).
	-R		rocess directories recursively.
	-q		Display a quick summary of each file (send more for increased terseness).

tag

cvs tag [-bcdFflR] [-r rev|-D date] tag [files...]

	-b		Make the tag a "branch" tag, allowing concurrent development.
	-c		Check that working files are unmodified.
	-d		Delete the given tag.
	-F		Move tag if it already exists.
	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, not recursive.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-r rev		Existing revision/tag.
	-D date		Existing date.

unedit

cvs unedit [-lR] [files...]

	-l		Local directory only, not recursive .
	-R		Process directories recursively.

update

cvs update [-APCdflRp] [-k kopt] [-r rev] [-D date] [-j rev] [-I ign] [-W spec] [files...]

	-A		Reset any sticky tags/date/kopts.
	-P		Prune empty directories.
	-C		Overwrite locally modified files with clean repository copies.
	-d		Build directories, like checkout does.
	-f		Force a head revision match if tag/date not found.
	-l		Local directory only, no recursion.
	-R		Process directories recursively.
	-p		Send updates to standard output (avoids stickiness).
	-k kopt		Use RCS kopt -k option on checkout. (is sticky)
	-r rev		Update using specified revision/tag (is sticky).
	-D date		Set date to update from (is sticky).
	-j rev		Merge in changes made between current revision and rev.
	-I ign		More files to ignore (! to reset).
	-W spec		Wrappers specification line.

version

cvs version

watch

cvs watch [on|off|add|remove] [-lR] [-a action] [files...]

	on/off		turn on/off read-only checkouts of files.
	add/remove		add or remove notification on actions.
	-l		(on/off/add/remove): Local directory only, not recursive .
	-R		(on/off/add/remove): Process directories recursively .
	-a		(add/remove): Specify what actions, one ofedit,unedit,commit,all,none

watchers

cvs watchers [-lR] [files...]

	-l		Process this directory only (not recursive).
	-R		Process directories recursively.