Re: CVS Read-Only Access: readers & writers files

[Larry Jones]

S I writes:
> 
> Posting a 2nd time;

Have patience, grasshopper.

> I find the 
> documentation for readers and writers files somewhat confusing and 
> ambiguous.  Could both readers and writers coexist or one at any given time?

Yes, although it doesn't make much sense.  The next to last paragraph
makes it clear that the writers file trumps the readers file.  (In other
words, if the writers file exists, then users listed in it get write
access and everyone else gets read-only access, regardless of the
contents of the readers file.)

> Question 1: Could anyone tell me when (as of what version) these files were 
> implemented?  I'm running CVS 1.11.1p1 on our Linux server and I just 
> created the 'readers' file anyway and added a user to and will ask him to 
> test it.  I don't think I could or would want to test and block myself lest 
> running the risk of undoing what I've done.  Would my current version of CVS 
> understand readers?

As far as I can recall, they've been there as long as pserver mode has. 
Certainly they're supported in 1.11.1p1 (but there are lots of bugs that
have been fixed since then, so you really should update).

> Question 2: If not, then I'm overdue an upgrade and hate to bring down the 
> server during a critical release.  Would someone please shed some light on 
> upgrading?

First, read the NEWS file for the new version to see if there have been
any changes that are going to affect you.  Usually there aren't and all
you have to do is replace your current CVS executable with the new one. 
You should run ``cvs init'' afterwards to perform any necessary updates
to your repository (but there haven't been any necessary updates -- the
most it will do is create any new administrative files -- so you don't
*have* to do it, but it's still a good idea).

-Larry Jones

They say winning isn't everything, and I've decided
to take their word for it. -- Calvin