1996-10-14 01:56:51 +04:00
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.\" $NetBSD: rcs_func.ms,v 1.1.1.2 1996/10/13 21:57:14 veego Exp $
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.\"
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1993-07-09 05:56:50 +04:00
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.SH
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Functions of RCS (Revision Control System)
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.PP
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RCS manages software libraries. It greatly increases programmer productivity
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by providing the following functions.
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.IP 1.
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RCS stores and retrieves multiple revisions of program and other text.
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Thus, one can maintain one or more releases while developing the next
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release, with a minimum of space overhead. Changes no longer destroy the
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original -- previous revisions remain accessible.
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.RS
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.IP a.
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Maintains each module as a tree of revisions.
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.IP b.
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Project libraries can
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be organized centrally, decentralized, or any way you like.
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.IP c.
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RCS works for any type of text: programs, documentation, memos, papers,
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graphics, VLSI layouts, form letters, etc.
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.RE
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.IP 2.
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RCS maintains a complete history of changes.
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Thus, one can find out what happened to a module easily
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and quickly, without having to compare source listings or
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having to track down colleagues.
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.RS
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.IP a.
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RCS performs automatic record keeping.
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.IP b.
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RCS logs all changes automatically.
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.IP c.
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RCS guarantees project continuity.
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.RE
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.IP 3.
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RCS manages multiple lines of development.
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.IP 4.
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RCS can merge multiple lines of development.
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Thus, when several parallel lines of development must be consolidated
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into one line, the merging of changes is automatic.
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.IP 5.
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RCS flags coding conflicts.
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If two or more lines of development modify the same section of code,
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RCS can alert programmers about overlapping changes.
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.IP 6.
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RCS resolves access conflicts.
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When two or more programmers wish to modify the same revision,
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RCS alerts the programmers and makes sure that one modification won't wipe
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out the other one.
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.IP 7.
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RCS provides high-level retrieval functions.
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Revisions can be retrieved according to ranges of revision numbers,
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symbolic names, dates, authors, and states.
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.IP 8.
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RCS provides release and configuration control.
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Revisions can be marked as released, stable, experimental, etc.
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Configurations of modules can be described simply and directly.
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.IP 9.
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RCS performs automatic identification of modules with name, revision
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number, creation time, author, etc.
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Thus, it is always possible to determine which revisions of which
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modules make up a given configuration.
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.IP 10.
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Provides high-level management visibility.
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Thus, it is easy to track the status of a software project.
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.RS
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.IP a.
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RCS provides a complete change history.
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.IP b.
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RCS records who did what when to which revision of which module.
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.RE
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.IP 11.
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RCS is fully compatible with existing software development tools.
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RCS is unobtrusive -- its interface to the file system is such that
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all your existing software tools can be used as before.
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.IP 12.
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RCS' basic user interface is extremely simple. The novice need to learn
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only two commands. Its more sophisticated features have been
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tuned towards advanced software development environments and the
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experienced software professional.
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.IP 13.
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RCS simplifies software distribution if customers
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maintain sources with RCS also. This technique assures proper
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identification of versions and configurations, and tracking of customer
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modifications. Customer modifications can be merged into distributed
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versions locally or by the development group.
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.IP 14.
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RCS needs little extra space for the revisions (only the differences).
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If intermediate revisions are deleted, the corresponding
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differences are compressed into the shortest possible form.
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.IP 15.
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RCS is implemented with reverse deltas. This means that
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the latest revision, which is the one that is accessed most often,
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is stored intact. All others are regenerated from the latest one
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by applying reverse deltas (backward differences). This
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results in fast access time for the revision needed most often.
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