comparison man/files.texi @ 36355:d8c0e3d0f0aa

VC section updated. Added a subsection on remote repositories, reorganized customization part, plus various bits and pieces.

36354:4a730977cad1

  For files managed by a version control system (@pxref{Version
Control}), the variable @code{vc-make-backup-files} determines whether
to make backup files.  By default, it is @code{nil}, since backup files
are redundant when you store all the previous versions in a version
control system.  @xref{VC Workfile Handling}.

@vindex backup-enable-predicate
@vindex temporary-file-directory
@vindex small-temporary-file-directory
  The default value of the @code{backup-enable-predicate} variable

versions of a source file, usually storing the unchanged parts of the
file just once.  Version control systems also record history information
such as the creation time of each version, who created it, and a 
description of what was changed in that version.

  The Emacs version control interface is called VC.  Its commands work
with three version control systems---RCS, CVS and SCCS.  The GNU
project recommends RCS and CVS, which are free software and available
from the Free Software Foundation.  We also have free software to
replace SCCS, known as CSSC; if you are using SCCS and don't want to
make the incompatible change to RCS or CVS, you can switch to CSSC.

* VC Mode Line::     How the mode line shows version control status.
* Basic VC Editing::    How to edit a file under version control.
* Old Versions::        Examining and comparing old versions.
* Secondary VC Commands::    The commands used a little less frequently.
* Branches::            Multiple lines of development.
* Snapshots::           Sets of file versions treated as a unit.
* Miscellaneous VC::    Various other commands and features of VC.
* Customizing VC::      Variables that change VC's behavior.
@end menu

permitted; check-in is still the way to record a new version.

  CVS normally allows each user to modify his own copy of the work file
at any time, but requires merging with changes from other users at
check-in time.  However, CVS can also be set up to require locking.
(@pxref{Backend Options}).

@node VC Mode Line
@subsection Version Control and the Mode Line

  When you visit a file that is under version control, Emacs indicates

RCS normally use locking; CVS normally does not use locking.

@menu
* VC with Locking::     RCS in its default mode, SCCS, and optionally CVS.
* Without Locking::     Without locking: default mode for CVS.
* Log Buffer::          Features available in log entry buffers.
@end menu
               
@node VC with Locking                 
@subsubsection Basic Version Control with Locking

@itemize @bullet
@item
If some other user has checked in changes into the master file,
Emacs asks you whether you want to merge those changes into your own
work file (@pxref{Merging}).  You must do this before you can check in
your own changes.

@item
If there are no new changes in the master file, but you have made
modifications in your work file, @kbd{C-x C-q} checks in your changes.
In order to do this, it first reads the log entry for the new version.

  In addition, locking is possible with RCS even in this mode, although
it is not required; @kbd{C-x C-q} with an unmodified file locks the
file, just as it does with RCS in its normal (locking) mode.

@node Log Buffer
@subsubsection Features of the Log Entry Buffer

  When you check in changes, @kbd{C-x C-q} first reads a log entry.  It
pops up a buffer called @samp{*VC-Log*} for you to enter the log entry.

  You can specify a checked-in version by its number; an empty input
specifies the current contents of the work file (which may be different
from all the checked-in versions).  You can also specify a snapshot name
(@pxref{Snapshots}) instead of one or both version numbers.

  This command works by running the @code{diff} utility, getting the
options from the variable @code{diff-switches}.  It displays the output
in a special buffer in another window.  Unlike the @kbd{M-x diff}
command, @kbd{C-x v =} does not try to locate the changes in the old and
new versions.  This is because normally one or both versions do not
exist as files when you compare them; they exist only in the records of
the master file.  @xref{Comparing Files}, for more information about
@kbd{M-x diff}.

@findex vc-annotate
@kindex C-x v g
  For CVS-controlled files, you can display the result of the CVS
annotate command, using colors to enhance the visual appearance.  Use

@table @kbd
@item C-x v i
Register the visited file for version control.
@end table

@vindex vc-default-back-end
  To register the file, Emacs must choose which version control system
to use for it.  You can specify your choice explicitly by setting
@code{vc-default-back-end} to @code{RCS}, @code{CVS} or @code{SCCS}.
Otherwise, if there is a subdirectory named @file{RCS}, @file{SCCS}, or
@file{CVS}, Emacs uses the corresponding version control system.  In the
absence of any specification, the default choice is RCS if RCS is
installed, otherwise SCCS.

  If locking is in use, @kbd{C-x v i} leaves the file unlocked and
read-only.  Type @kbd{C-x C-q} if you wish to start editing it.  After
registering a file with CVS, you must subsequently commit the initial
version by typing @kbd{C-x C-q}.

it.  Switching branches in this way is allowed only when the file is not
locked.

  You can omit the minor version number, thus giving only the branch
number; this takes you to the head version on the chosen branch.  If you
only type @key{RET}, Emacs goes to the highest version on the trunk.

  After you have switched to any branch (including the main branch), you
stay on it for subsequent VC commands, until you explicitly select some
other branch.

@end table

@kindex C-x v m
@findex vc-merge
  @kbd{C-x v m} (@code{vc-merge}) takes a set of changes and merges it
into the current version of the work file.  It first asks you for a
branch number or a pair of version numbers in the minibuffer.  Then it
finds the changes from that branch, or between the two versions you
specified, and merges them into the current version of the current file.

  As an example, suppose that you have finished a certain feature on
branch 1.3.1.  In the meantime, development on the trunk has proceeded
to version 1.5.  To merge the changes from the branch to the trunk,
first go to the head version of the trunk, by typing @kbd{C-u C-x C-q

explicitly in each session which branch you are working on.  To do this,
first find the file, then type @kbd{C-u C-x C-q} and specify the correct
branch number.  This ensures that Emacs knows which branch it is using
during this particular editing session.

@node Snapshots
@subsection Snapshots
@cindex snapshots and version control

  A @dfn{snapshot} is a named set of file versions (one for each

headers.

@node Customizing VC
@subsection Customizing VC

  There are many ways of customizing VC.  The options you can set fall
into four categories, described in the following sections.

@menu
* Backend Options::       Customizing the back-end to your needs.
* VC Workfile Handling::  Various options concerning working files.
* VC Status Retrieval::   How VC finds the version control status of a file,
                            and how to customize this.
* VC Command Execution::  Which commands VC should run, and how.
@end menu

@node Backend Options
@subsubsection Options for VC Backends

@vindex vc-handled-backends
  By default, VC detects automatically which files are managed by RCS,
which by CVS, and which by SCCS, and it tries to do the right thing in
all three cases.  If you want VC to ignore one or more of these
backends, set @code{vc-handled-backends} to the list of backends that
@emph{should} be handled.

@cindex backend options (VC)
@cindex locking under version control
  You can tell RCS and CVS whether to use locking for a file or not
(@pxref{VC Concepts}, for a description of locking).  VC automatically
recognizes what you have chosen, and behaves accordingly.

@cindex non-strict locking (RCS)
@cindex locking, non-strict (RCS)
  For RCS, the default is to use locking, but there is a mode called
@dfn{non-strict locking} in which you can check-in changes without
locking the file first.  Use @samp{rcs -U} to switch to non-strict
locking for a particular file, see the @samp{rcs} manpage for details.

@cindex locking (CVS)
  Under CVS, the default is not to use locking; anyone can change a work
file at any time.  However, there are ways to restrict this, resulting
in behavior that resembles locking.

@cindex CVSREAD environment variable (CVS)
  For one thing, you can set the @env{CVSREAD} environment variable to
an arbitrary value.  If this variable is defined, CVS makes your work
files read-only by default.  In Emacs, you must type @kbd{C-x C-q} to

make it writable.  VC calls @code{cvs edit} to make the file writeable,
and CVS takes care to notify other developers of the fact that you
intend to change the file.  See the CVS documentation for details on
using the watch feature.

@node VC Workfile Handling
@subsubsection VC Workfile Handling

@vindex vc-make-backup-files
  Emacs normally does not save backup files for source files that are
maintained with version control.  If you want to make backup files even
for files that use version control, set the variable
@code{vc-make-backup-files} to a non-@code{nil} value.

@vindex vc-keep-workfiles
  Normally the work file exists all the time, whether it is locked or
not.  If you set @code{vc-keep-workfiles} to @code{nil}, then checking
in a new version with @kbd{C-x C-q} deletes the work file; but any
attempt to visit the file with Emacs creates it again.  (With CVS, work
files are always kept.)

@vindex vc-follow-symlinks
  Editing a version-controlled file through a symbolic link can be
dangerous.  It bypasses the version control system---you can edit the
file without locking it, and fail to check your changes in.  Also,
your changes might overwrite those of another user.  To protect against
this, VC checks each symbolic link that you visit, to see if it points
to a file under version control.

  The variable @code{vc-follow-symlinks} controls what to do when a
symbolic link points to a version-controlled file.  If it is @code{nil},
VC only displays a warning message.  If it is @code{t}, VC automatically
follows the link, and visits the real file instead, telling you about
this in the echo area.  If the value is @code{ask} (the default), VC
asks you each time whether to follow the link.

@node VC Status Retrieval
@subsubsection VC Status Retrieval
@c There is no need to tell users about vc-master-templates.

  When deducing the locked/unlocked state of a file, VC first looks for
an RCS version header string in the file (@pxref{Version Headers}).  If
there is no header string, or if you are using SCCS, VC normally looks
at the file permissions of the work file; this is fast.  But there might
be situations when the file permissions cannot be trusted.  In this case
the master file has to be consulted, which is rather expensive.  Also
the master file can only tell you @emph{if} there's any lock on the
file, but not whether your work file really contains that locked
version.

@vindex vc-consult-headers
  You can tell VC not to use version headers to determine lock status by
setting @code{vc-consult-headers} to @code{nil}.  VC then always uses
the file permissions (if it can trust them), or else checks the master
file.

@vindex vc-mistrust-permissions
  You can specify the criterion for whether to trust the file
permissions by setting the variable @code{vc-mistrust-permissions}.  Its
value can be @code{t} (always mistrust the file permissions and check
the master file), @code{nil} (always trust the file permissions), or a
function of one argument which makes the decision.  The argument is the
directory name of the @file{RCS}, @file{CVS} or @file{SCCS}
subdirectory.  A non-@code{nil} value from the function says to mistrust
the file permissions.  If you find that the file permissions of work
files are changed erroneously, set @code{vc-mistrust-permissions} to
@code{t}.  Then VC always checks the master file to determine the file's
status.

@node VC Command Execution
@subsubsection VC Command Execution

@vindex vc-suppress-confirm
  If @code{vc-suppress-confirm} is non-@code{nil}, then @kbd{C-x C-q}
and @kbd{C-x v i} can save the current buffer without asking, and
@kbd{C-x v u} also operates without asking for confirmation.  (This
variable does not affect @kbd{C-x v c}; that operation is so drastic
that it should always ask for confirmation.)

@vindex vc-command-messages
  VC mode does much of its work by running the shell commands for RCS,
CVS and SCCS.  If @code{vc-command-messages} is non-@code{nil}, VC
displays messages to indicate which shell commands it runs, and
additional messages when the commands finish.

@vindex vc-path
  You can specify additional directories to search for version control
programs by setting the variable @code{vc-path}.  These directories are
searched before the usual search path.  But the proper files are usually
found automatically.

@node Directories
@section File Directories

@cindex file directory

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  For files managed by a version control system (@pxref{Version
Control}), the variable @code{vc-make-backup-files} determines whether
to make backup files.  By default, it is @code{nil}, since backup files
are redundant when you store all the previous versions in a version
control system.  @xref{General VC Options}.

@vindex backup-enable-predicate
@vindex temporary-file-directory
@vindex small-temporary-file-directory
  The default value of the @code{backup-enable-predicate} variable

versions of a source file, usually storing the unchanged parts of the
file just once.  Version control systems also record history information
such as the creation time of each version, who created it, and a 
description of what was changed in that version.

  The Emacs version control interface is called VC.  It allows you to
use various version control systems from within
Emacs---currently, it supports RCS, CVS, and SCCS.  The GNU
project recommends RCS and CVS, which are free software and available
from the Free Software Foundation.  We also have free software to
replace SCCS, known as CSSC; if you are using SCCS and don't want to
make the incompatible change to RCS or CVS, you can switch to CSSC.

* VC Mode Line::     How the mode line shows version control status.
* Basic VC Editing::    How to edit a file under version control.
* Old Versions::        Examining and comparing old versions.
* Secondary VC Commands::    The commands used a little less frequently.
* Branches::            Multiple lines of development.
* Remote Repositories:: Efficient access to remote CVS servers.
* Snapshots::           Sets of file versions treated as a unit.
* Miscellaneous VC::    Various other commands and features of VC.
* Customizing VC::      Variables that change VC's behavior.
@end menu

permitted; check-in is still the way to record a new version.

  CVS normally allows each user to modify his own copy of the work file
at any time, but requires merging with changes from other users at
check-in time.  However, CVS can also be set up to require locking.
(@pxref{CVS Options}).

@node VC Mode Line
@subsection Version Control and the Mode Line

  When you visit a file that is under version control, Emacs indicates

RCS normally use locking; CVS normally does not use locking.

@menu
* VC with Locking::     RCS in its default mode, SCCS, and optionally CVS.
* Without Locking::     Without locking: default mode for CVS.
* Extended Actions::    Avanced features available with a prefix argument.
* Log Buffer::          Features available in log entry buffers.
@end menu
               
@node VC with Locking                 
@subsubsection Basic Version Control with Locking

@itemize @bullet
@item
If some other user has checked in changes into the master file,
Emacs asks you whether you want to merge those changes into your own
work file.  You must do this before you can check in
your own changes.  (To pick up any recent changes from the master file
@emph{without} trying to commit your own changes, type @kbd{C-x v m RET}.)
@xref{Merging}.

@item
If there are no new changes in the master file, but you have made
modifications in your work file, @kbd{C-x C-q} checks in your changes.
In order to do this, it first reads the log entry for the new version.

  In addition, locking is possible with RCS even in this mode, although
it is not required; @kbd{C-x C-q} with an unmodified file locks the
file, just as it does with RCS in its normal (locking) mode.

@node Extended Actions
@subsubsection Calling @code{vc-next-action} with a Prefix Argument

When you give a prefix argument to @code{vc-next-action} (@kbd{C-u C-x
C-q}), it still performs the next logical version control operation, but
in an extended sense.

@itemize @bullet
@item If the file is modified (or locked), you can specify the version
number that should be used for check-in.  This is also one way to create
a new branch (@pxref{Branches}).

@item If the file is not modified (and unlocked), you can specify a new
version to go to; this lets you start working from an older version, or
on another branch.  If you do not enter any version, that takes you to
the highest version on the current branch; therefore @kbd{C-u C-x C-q
RET} is a convenient way to get the latest version of a file from the
repository.

@item Regardless of the state of the file, you can also enter the name
of another version control system instead of a version number.  This
lets you use more than one version control system for a file
(@pxref{Local Version Control}).
@end itemize

@node Log Buffer
@subsubsection Features of the Log Entry Buffer

  When you check in changes, @kbd{C-x C-q} first reads a log entry.  It
pops up a buffer called @samp{*VC-Log*} for you to enter the log entry.

  You can specify a checked-in version by its number; an empty input
specifies the current contents of the work file (which may be different
from all the checked-in versions).  You can also specify a snapshot name
(@pxref{Snapshots}) instead of one or both version numbers.

@vindex diff-switches
@vindex vc-diff-switches
  This command works by running a variant of the @code{diff} utility
that is specific to the version control system in use.  Emacs passes the
contents of the variable @code{diff-switches} to that utility; you can
define specific options for version control in @code{vc-diff-switches},
and there are similar variables for each specific system,
e.g. @code{vc-rcs-diff-switches}, and the like.

  The output of the @code{diff} command is displayed in a special buffer
in another window.  Unlike the @kbd{M-x diff} command, @kbd{C-x v =}
does not try to locate the changes in the old and new versions.  This is
because normally one or both versions do not exist as files when you
compare them; they exist only in the records of the master file.
@xref{Comparing Files}, for more information about @kbd{M-x diff}.

@findex vc-annotate
@kindex C-x v g
  For CVS-controlled files, you can display the result of the CVS
annotate command, using colors to enhance the visual appearance.  Use

@table @kbd
@item C-x v i
Register the visited file for version control.
@end table

  To register the file, Emacs must choose which version control system
to use for it.  If the file's directory already contains files
registered in a version control system, Emacs uses that system.  If
there is more than one system in use for a directory, Emacs uses the one
that appears first in @var{vc-handled-backends} (@pxref{Customizing VC}).
On the other hand, if there are no files already registered,
Emacs uses the first system from @var{vc-handled-backends} that could
register the file---for example, you cannot register a file under CVS if
its directory is not already part of a CVS tree.

  With the default value of @var{vc-handled-backends}, this means that
Emacs uses RCS if there are any files under RCS control, and CVS if
there are any files under CVS.  If there are no files under version
control, RCS is used.

  If locking is in use, @kbd{C-x v i} leaves the file unlocked and
read-only.  Type @kbd{C-x C-q} if you wish to start editing it.  After
registering a file with CVS, you must subsequently commit the initial
version by typing @kbd{C-x C-q}.

it.  Switching branches in this way is allowed only when the file is not
locked.

  You can omit the minor version number, thus giving only the branch
number; this takes you to the head version on the chosen branch.  If you
only type @kbd{RET}, Emacs goes to the highest version on the trunk.

  After you have switched to any branch (including the main branch), you
stay on it for subsequent VC commands, until you explicitly select some
other branch.

@end table

@kindex C-x v m
@findex vc-merge
  @kbd{C-x v m} (@code{vc-merge}) takes a set of changes and merges it
into the current version of the work file.  It firsts asks you in the
minibuffer where the changes should come from.  If you just type
@kbd{RET}, Emacs merges any changes that were made on the same branch
since you checked the file out (we call this @dfn{merging the news}).
This is the common way to pick up recent changes from the repository,
regardless of whether you have already changed the file yourself.

  You can also enter a branch number or a pair of version numbers in
the minibuffer.  Then it finds the changes from that branch, or between
the two versions you specified, and merges them into the current version
of the current file.

  As an example, suppose that you have finished a certain feature on
branch 1.3.1.  In the meantime, development on the trunk has proceeded
to version 1.5.  To merge the changes from the branch to the trunk,
first go to the head version of the trunk, by typing @kbd{C-u C-x C-q

explicitly in each session which branch you are working on.  To do this,
first find the file, then type @kbd{C-u C-x C-q} and specify the correct
branch number.  This ensures that Emacs knows which branch it is using
during this particular editing session.

@node Remote Repositories
@subsection Remote Repositories
@cindex remote repositories (CVS)

Many projects set up a central CVS repository somewhere in the Internet,
and let each user check out a personal working copy of the files to
his local machine.  Committing changes to the repository, and picking
up changes from other users into one's own working area, then works by
direct interactions with the CVS server.  

The problem is that access to the CVS server is often slow, and that
developers might need to work offline as well.  VC therefore offers
some features that allow you to keep network interactions to a
minimum.

@menu
* Version Backups::        Keeping local copies of repository versions.
* Local Version Control::  Using another version system for local editing.
@end menu

@node Version Backups
@subsubsection Version Backups
@cindex version backups

When VC sees that the CVS repository for a file is on a remote machine,
it automatically makes local backups of unmodified versions of the file.
This means that you can compare the file to the repository version
(@kbd{C-x v =}), or revert to that version (@kbd{C-x v u}), without any
network interactions.

The local copy of the unmodified file is called a @dfn{version backup}.
This is to indicate that it corresponds exactly to a version that is
stored in the repository.  Note that version backups are related to,
but distinct from the other kinds of backups that Emacs can make:
single backups and numbered backups (@pxref{Backup}).

@vindex vc-cvs-stay-local
For a file that comes from a remote CVS repository, VC makes a version
backup whenever you save the first changes to the file, and removes it
after you have committed your modified version to the repository.  (You
can switch this off by setting the variable @code{vc-cvs-stay-local} to
@code{nil}.)

@cindex automatic version backups
@cindex manual version backups
The name of a version backup for a file named @var{file}, with version
@var{version}, is @code{@var{file}.~@var{version}.~}.  Note that this
naming convention is almost the same as that used by @kbd{C-x v ~}
(@pxref{Old Versions}), the only difference being the additional dot
(@samp{.}) after the version number.  This similarity is intentional,
because both kinds of files store the same kind of information.  To
distinguish between them, we speak of @dfn{automatic version backups}
(those created by the mechanism described here) and @dfn{manual version
backups} (created by @kbd{C-x v ~}).  Their primary difference is that
Emacs deletes automatic version backups when you commit to the
repository (this is why the trailing dot is needed to identify them),
while manual version backups are never deleted automatically.

Each of the two mechanisms can use the files created by the other one.
For example, if you changed a file outside of Emacs, so that no
automatic version backup was created, you can create a manual backup of
that version using @kbd{C-x v ~}.  Emacs will then use that file for
local diff and revert operations.

@node Local Version Control
@subsubsection Local Version Control
@cindex local version control
@cindex local back end (version control)

When you make many changes to a file that comes from a remote
repository, it can be convenient to have version control on your local
machine as well.  You can then record intermediate versions, revert to
a previous state, etc., before you actually commit your changes to the
remote server.

VC lets you do this by putting a file under a second, local version
control system, so that the file is effectively registered in two
systems at the same time.  For the description here, we will assume
that the remote system is CVS, and you use RCS locally, although the
mechanism works with any combination of version control systems
(@dfn{back ends}).

To make it work with other back ends, you must make sure that the "more
local" back end comes before the "more remote" back end in the setting
of @var{vc-handled-backends} (@pxref{Customizing VC}).  By default, this
variable is set up correctly so that you can use RCS and CVS as
described here.

To start using local RCS for a file that comes from a remote CVS server,
you must @dfn{commit the file to RCS}, by typing @kbd{C-u C-x v v rcs
RET}.  (In other words, @code{vc-next-action}, when called with a prefix
argument, accepts a back end name in place of the version to commit to.)
VC then registers the file under RCS.

You can commit to RCS at any time; it does not matter whether you have
already modified the file with respect to the version in the CVS
repository.  If possible, VC tries to make the RCS master start with
the unmodified repository version, then checking in any local changes
as a new version.  This works if you have not made any changes yet,
or if the unmodified repository version exists locally as a version
backup (@pxref{Version Backups}).  If the unmodified version is not
available locally, the RCS master starts with the modified version;
the only problem with this is that you cannot compare your changes
locally to what is stored in the repository.

The version number of the RCS master is derived from the current CVS
version, starting a branch from it.  For example, if the current CVS
version is 1.23, the local RCS branch will be 1.23.1.  Version 1.23 in
the RCS master will be identical to version 1.23 under CVS; your first
changes are checked in as 1.23.1.1.  (If the unmodified file is not
available locally, VC will check-in the modified file twice, both as
1.23 and 1.23.1.1, to make the revision numbers consistent.)

If you do not use locking under CVS (the default), locking is also
switched off under RCS, so that editing under RCS works exactly as
under CVS.  

When you are done with your edits, you can commit the final version back
to the CVS repository, typing @kbd{C-u C-x v v cvs RET}.  Emacs will
initialize the log entry buffer (@pxref{Log Buffer}) to contain all the
check-in comments you have made in the RCS master; you can make changes
to these comments as needed and then commit to CVS by typing @kbd{C-c
C-c}.  If the commit is successful, VC finally removes the RCS master,
so that the file becomes once again registered under CVS only.  (The RCS
master is not actually deleted, but renamed by adding a @samp{~} to its
name, so that you can get back to it later if you want.)

While you are working with a local RCS master, you might still want to
pick up recent changes from the CVS repository into your local file,
or you might want to commit some of your changes back to CVS, without
actually switching back to CVS completely.  VC lets you do this by
switching to another backend temporarily.

@table @kbd
@item C-x v b
Switch to any other back end that the current file is registered
under (@code{vc-switch-backend}).
@end table

@kindex{C-x v b}
@findex vc-switch-backend
If the current file is registered in more than one back end, typing
@kbd{C-x v b} lets you ``cycle'' through these back ends.  (With a prefix
argument, it asks for the back end to use in the minibuffer.)  This
command does not change any files, it only changes VC's perspective of
the file.  Any other VC commands that you use on a file will operate on
the back end that is currently selected.

Thus, if you have a file under local RCS, and you want to pick up some
recent changes from CVS, type @kbd{C-x v b} to switch to CVS, and then
@kbd{C-x v m RET} to merge the news (@pxref{Merging}).  You can then switch
back to RCS by typing @kbd{C-x v b} again, and continue to edit locally.

Note though, that if you do this, the revision numbers in the RCS
master no longer correspond to those of CVS in a meaningful way.
Technically, this is not a problem, but it might be more difficult for
you to keep track of what is in the repository and what is not.  So we
suggest that, frequently, you commit your changes back to CVS
completely using @kbd{C-u C-x v v cvs RET}.

@node Snapshots
@subsection Snapshots
@cindex snapshots and version control

  A @dfn{snapshot} is a named set of file versions (one for each

headers.

@node Customizing VC
@subsection Customizing VC

@vindex vc-handled-backends
The variable @var{vc-handled-backends} determines which version
control systems VC should handle.  The default value is @code{(RCS CVS
SCCS)}, so it contains all three version systems that are currently
supported.  If you want VC to ignore one or more of these systems,
exclude its name from the list.

The order of systems in the list is significant: when you visit a file
is registered in more than one system (@pxref{Local Version Control}),
VC uses the system that comes first in @var{vc-handled-backends} by
default.  The order is also significant when you register a file for
the first time, @pxref{Registering} for details.

@menu
* General VC Options::  Options not specific for any back end system.
* RCS Options::         Options for RCS.
* CVS Options::         Options for CVS.
* SCCS Options::        Options for SCCS.
@end menu

@node General VC Options
@subsubsection General Options

@vindex vc-make-backup-files
  Emacs normally does not save backup files for source files that are
maintained with version control.  If you want to make backup files even
for files that use version control, set the variable
@code{vc-make-backup-files} to a non-@code{nil} value.

@vindex vc-keep-workfiles
  Normally the work file exists all the time, whether it is locked or
not.  If you set @code{vc-keep-workfiles} to @code{nil}, then checking
in a new version with @kbd{C-x C-q} deletes the work file; but any
attempt to visit the file with Emacs creates it again.  (With CVS, work
files are always kept.)

@vindex vc-follow-symlinks
  Editing a version-controlled file through a symbolic link can be
dangerous.  It bypasses the version control system---you can edit the
file without locking it, and fail to check your changes in.  Also,
your changes might overwrite those of another user.  To protect against
this, VC checks each symbolic link that you visit, to see if it points
to a file under version control.

  The variable @code{vc-follow-symlinks} controls what to do when a
symbolic link points to a version-controlled file.  If it is @code{nil},
VC only displays a warning message.  If it is @code{t}, VC automatically
follows the link, and visits the real file instead, telling you about
this in the echo area.  If the value is @code{ask} (the default), VC
asks you each time whether to follow the link.

@vindex vc-suppress-confirm
  If @code{vc-suppress-confirm} is non-@code{nil}, then @kbd{C-x C-q}
and @kbd{C-x v i} can save the current buffer without asking, and
@kbd{C-x v u} also operates without asking for confirmation.  (This
variable does not affect @kbd{C-x v c}; that operation is so drastic
that it should always ask for confirmation.)

@vindex vc-command-messages
  VC mode does much of its work by running the shell commands for RCS,
CVS and SCCS.  If @code{vc-command-messages} is non-@code{nil}, VC
displays messages to indicate which shell commands it runs, and
additional messages when the commands finish.

@vindex vc-path
  You can specify additional directories to search for version control
programs by setting the variable @code{vc-path}.  These directories are
searched before the usual search path.  But the proper files are usually
found automatically.

@node RCS Options
@subsubsection Options specific for RCS

@cindex non-strict locking (RCS)
@cindex locking, non-strict (RCS)
  By default, RCS uses locking to coordinate the activities of several
users, but there is a mode called @dfn{non-strict locking} in which
you can check-in changes without locking the file first.  Use
@samp{rcs -U} to switch to non-strict locking for a particular file,
see the @samp{rcs(1)} manpage for details.

  When deducing the version control state of a file, VC first looks
for an RCS version header string in the file (@pxref{Version
Headers}).  If there is no header string, VC normally looks at the
file permissions of the work file; this is fast.  But there might be
situations when the file permissions cannot be trusted.  In this case
the master file has to be consulted, which is rather expensive.  Also
the master file can only tell you @emph{if} there's any lock on the
file, but not whether your work file really contains that locked
version.

@vindex vc-consult-headers
  You can tell VC not to use version headers to determine the file
status by setting @code{vc-consult-headers} to @code{nil}.  VC then
always uses the file permissions (if it can trust them), or else
checks the master file.

@vindex vc-mistrust-permissions
  You can specify the criterion for whether to trust the file
permissions by setting the variable @code{vc-mistrust-permissions}.
Its value can be @code{t} (always mistrust the file permissions and
check the master file), @code{nil} (always trust the file
permissions), or a function of one argument which makes the decision.
The argument is the directory name of the @file{RCS} subdirectory.  A
non-@code{nil} value from the function says to mistrust the file
permissions.  If you find that the file permissions of work files are
changed erroneously, set @code{vc-mistrust-permissions} to @code{t}.
Then VC always checks the master file to determine the file's status.

@node CVS Options
@subsubsection Options specific for CVS

@cindex locking (CVS)
  By default, CVS does not use locking to coordinate the activities of
several users; anyone can change a work file at any time.  However,
there are ways to restrict this, resulting in behavior that resembles
locking.

@cindex CVSREAD environment variable (CVS)
  For one thing, you can set the @env{CVSREAD} environment variable to
an arbitrary value.  If this variable is defined, CVS makes your work
files read-only by default.  In Emacs, you must type @kbd{C-x C-q} to

make it writable.  VC calls @code{cvs edit} to make the file writeable,
and CVS takes care to notify other developers of the fact that you
intend to change the file.  See the CVS documentation for details on
using the watch feature.

@vindex vc-cvs-stay-local
@cindex remote repositories (CVS)
  When a file's repository is on a remote machine, VC tries to keep
network interactions to a minimum.  This is controlled by the variable
@var{vc-cvs-stay-local}.  If it is @code{t}, then VC uses only the
entry in the local CVS subdirectory to determine the file's state (and
possibly information returned by previous CVS commands).  One
consequence of this is that when you have modified a file, and
somebody else has already checked in other changes to the file, you
are not notified of it until you actually try to commit.  (But you can
try to pick up any recent changes from the repository first, using
@kbd{C-x v m RET}, @pxref{Merging}).

  When @var{vc-cvs-stay-local} is @code{t}, VC also makes local
version backups, so that simple diff and revert operations are
completely local (@pxref{Version Backups}).

  On the other hand, if you set @var{vc-cvs-stay-local} to @code{nil},
then VC queries the remote repository @emph{before} it decides what to
do in @code{vc-next-action} (@kbd{C-x v v}), just as it does for local
repositories.  It also does not make any version backups.

  You can also set @var{vc-cvs-stay-local} to a regexp that is matched
against the repository hostname; VC then stays local only for
repositories from hosts that match the pattern.

@node SCCS Options
@subsubsection Options specific for SCCS

VC determines the version control state of files under SCCS similar as
under RCS.  It does not consider SCCS version headers, though.  Thus,
the variable @var{vc-mistrust-permissions} is used in the same way as
under RCS, @pxref{RCS Options} for details.


@node Directories
@section File Directories

@cindex file directory