# HG changeset patch
# User Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
# Date 1009327376 0
# Node ID 8649ccc72076fc58d17bbc001c5d5473fa1f57a0
# Parent  aed4f1043eb86e2785a1a6aa6fc13cbf32389404
Rewrite Types of Log File node.

diff -r aed4f1043eb8 -r 8649ccc72076 man/files.texi
--- a/man/files.texi	Tue Dec 25 23:38:23 2001 +0000
+++ b/man/files.texi	Wed Dec 26 00:42:56 2001 +0000
@@ -1108,7 +1108,7 @@
 
 @menu
 * Introduction to VC::  How version control works in general.
-* VC Mode Line::     How the mode line shows version control status.
+* 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.
@@ -1222,51 +1222,32 @@
 
 @node Types of Log File
 @subsubsection Types of Log File
-@cindex Types of log file
-@cindex Log File, types of 
+@cindex types of log file
+@cindex log File, types of 
+@cindex version control log
 
 GNU projects under a revision control system generally possess
-@emph{two} types of log.  These help you keep track of what goes on.
-
-One kind of log is the per-file log maintained by the revision control
-system.  This kind of log is called the @dfn{version control log}, or
-sometimes the @dfn{revision control log}, `@samp{*rcs*} log', or
-`@samp{*cvs*} log'.  The other kind of log is a per-directory or
-per-project log called the change log or @file{ChangeLog}.
-
-@cindex Version control log
-@cindex Revision control log
-@cindex Per-file log
-The per-file log is designed to tell you about each and every change
-to a file.  Each time you check in a change, you fill out a version
-control log entry.  (@xref{Log Buffer, Log Buffer, Features of the Log
-Entry Buffer}.)  Consequently, a per-file log is very detailed, with
-remarks such as `fixed typo' as well as `re-wrote from scratch'.
-
-@cindex Change log
-@cindex Per-directory log
-@cindex Per-project log 
-On the other hand, a per-directory or per-project log is intended to
-provide a chronological record of when and why you and others changed
-a program.  A @file{ChangeLog} should be moderately, but not
-excessively detailed.
-
-A single @file{ChangeLog} file can record changes for all
-the files in its directory and all its subdirectories.  A small
-program merits one @file{ChangeLog} file; a large program may well
-merit several @file{ChangeLog} file, one in each major directory.
-(@xref{Change Log, Change Log, Change Logs}.)
-
-You can use the Emacs command @r{@kbd{C-x 4 a}}
-(@code{add-change-log-entry-other-window}) to add a new entry to a
-change log file.
-
-If you use RCS or CVS, you can generate change log entries
-automatically from the version control log entries using
-the @r{@kbd{C-x v a}} (@code{vc-update-change-log}) command.
-(@xref{Change Logs and VC, Change Logs and VC, Change Logs and VC}.)
-When you do this, you will probably want to edit and shorten the
-resulting @file{ChangeLog}.
+@emph{two} types of log for changes.  One is the per-file log
+maintained by the revision control system: each time you check in a
+change, you must fill out a @dfn{log entry} for the change (@pxref{Log
+Buffer}).  This kind of log is called the @dfn{version control log},
+or sometimes the @dfn{revision control log}, `@samp{*rcs*} log', or
+`@samp{*cvs*} log'.
+
+The other kind of log the change log file, typically called
+@file{ChangeLog}.  It provides a chronological record of all changes
+to a large portion of a program---one directory and its
+subdirectories.  A small program would use one @file{ChangeLog} file;
+a large program may well merit a @file{ChangeLog} file in each major
+directory.  @xref{Change Log}.
+
+When you use version control, you can use just the per-file log if you
+wish, or you can use both kinds of logs.  When you use both, you
+typically want to write just one entry for each change.  You can write
+the entry in @file{ChangeLog}, then copy it to the log buffer when you
+check in the change.  Or you can write the entry in the log buffer
+while checking in the change, and later use the @kbd{C-x v a} command
+to copy it to @file{ChangeLog} (@pxref{Change Logs and VC}).
 
 @node VC Mode Line
 @subsection Version Control and the Mode Line