emacs/man/vc1-xtra.texi

@c This is part of the Emacs manual.
@c Copyright (C) 2004, 2005, 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions.
@c
@c This file is included either in vc-xtra.texi (when producing the
@c printed version) or in the main Emacs manual (for the on-line version).
@node VC Dired Mode
@subsection Dired under VC

@cindex PCL-CVS
@pindex cvs
@cindex CVS Dired Mode
  The VC Dired Mode described here works with all the version control
systems that VC supports.  Another more powerful facility, designed
specifically for CVS, is called PCL-CVS.  @xref{Top, , About PCL-CVS,
pcl-cvs, PCL-CVS --- The Emacs Front-End to CVS}.

@kindex C-x v d
@findex vc-directory
  When you are working on a large program, it is often useful to find
out which files have changed within an entire directory tree, or to view
the status of all files under version control at once, and to perform
version control operations on collections of files.  You can use the
command @kbd{C-x v d} (@code{vc-directory}) to make a directory listing
that includes only files relevant for version control.

@vindex vc-dired-terse-display
  @kbd{C-x v d} creates a buffer which uses VC Dired Mode.  This looks
much like an ordinary Dired buffer
@iftex
(@pxref{Dired,,,emacs, the Emacs Manual});
@end iftex
@ifnottex
(@pxref{Dired});
@end ifnottex
however, normally it shows only the noteworthy files (those locked or
not up-to-date).  This is called @dfn{terse display}.  If you set the
variable @code{vc-dired-terse-display} to @code{nil}, then VC Dired
shows all relevant files---those managed under version control, plus
all subdirectories (@dfn{full display}).  The command @kbd{v t} in a
VC Dired buffer toggles between terse display and full display
(@pxref{VC Dired Commands}).

@vindex vc-dired-recurse
  By default, VC Dired produces a recursive listing of noteworthy or
relevant files at or below the given directory.  You can change this by
setting the variable @code{vc-dired-recurse} to @code{nil}; then VC
Dired shows only the files in the given directory.

  The line for an individual file shows the version control state in the
place of the hard link count, owner, group, and size of the file.  If
the file is unmodified, in sync with the master file, the version
control state shown is blank.  Otherwise it consists of text in
parentheses.  Under RCS and SCCS, the name of the user locking the file
is shown; under CVS, an abbreviated version of the @samp{cvs status}
output is used.  Here is an example using RCS:

@smallexample
@group
  /home/jim/project:

  -rw-r--r-- (jim)      Apr  2 23:39 file1
  -r--r--r--            Apr  5 20:21 file2
@end group
@end smallexample

@noindent
The files @samp{file1} and @samp{file2} are under version control,
@samp{file1} is locked by user jim, and @samp{file2} is unlocked.

  Here is an example using CVS:

@smallexample
@group
  /home/joe/develop:

  -rw-r--r-- (modified) Aug  2  1997 file1.c
  -rw-r--r--            Apr  4 20:09 file2.c
  -rw-r--r-- (merge)    Sep 13  1996 file3.c
@end group
@end smallexample

  Here @samp{file1.c} is modified with respect to the repository, and
@samp{file2.c} is not.  @samp{file3.c} is modified, but other changes
have also been checked in to the repository---you need to merge them
with the work file before you can check it in.

@vindex vc-stay-local
@vindex vc-cvs-stay-local
  In the above, if the repository were on a remote machine, VC would
only contact it when the variable @code{vc-stay-local} (or
@code{vc-cvs-stay-local}) is nil (@pxref{CVS Options}).  This is
because access to the repository may be slow, or you may be working
offline and not have access to the repository at all.  As a
consequence, VC would not be able to tell you that @samp{file3.c} is
in the ``merge'' state; you would learn that only when you try to
check-in your modified copy of the file, or use a command such as
@kbd{C-x v m}.

  In practice, this is not a problem because CVS handles this case
consistently whenever it arises.  In VC, you'll simply get prompted to
merge the remote changes into your work file first.  The benefits of
less network communication usually outweigh the disadvantage of not
seeing remote changes immediately.

@vindex vc-directory-exclusion-list
  When VC Dired displays subdirectories (in the ``full'' display mode),
it omits some that should never contain any files under version control.
By default, this includes Version Control subdirectories such as
@samp{RCS} and @samp{CVS}; you can customize this by setting the
variable @code{vc-directory-exclusion-list}.

  You can fine-tune VC Dired's format by typing @kbd{C-u C-x v d}---as in
ordinary Dired, that allows you to specify additional switches for the
@samp{ls} command.

@node VC Dired Commands
@subsection VC Dired Commands

  All the usual Dired commands work normally in VC Dired mode, except
for @kbd{v}, which is redefined as the version control prefix.  You can
invoke VC commands such as @code{vc-diff} and @code{vc-print-log} by
typing @kbd{v =}, or @kbd{v l}, and so on.  Most of these commands apply
to the file name on the current line.

  The command @kbd{v v} (@code{vc-next-action}) operates on all the
marked files, so that you can lock or check in several files at once.
If it operates on more than one file, it handles each file according to
its current state; thus, it might lock one file, but check in another
file.  This could be confusing; it is up to you to avoid confusing
behavior by marking a set of files that are in a similar state.  If no
files are marked, @kbd{v v} operates on the file in the current line.

  If any files call for check-in, @kbd{v v} reads a single log entry,
then uses it for all the files being checked in.  This is convenient for
registering or checking in several files at once, as part of the same
change.

@findex vc-dired-toggle-terse-mode
@findex vc-dired-mark-locked
  You can toggle between terse display (only locked files, or files not
up-to-date) and full display at any time by typing @kbd{v t}
(@code{vc-dired-toggle-terse-mode}).  There is also a special command
@kbd{* l} (@code{vc-dired-mark-locked}), which marks all files currently
locked (or, with CVS, all files not up-to-date).  Thus, typing @kbd{* l
t k} is another way to delete from the buffer all files except those
currently locked.

@ignore
   arch-tag: 8e8c2a01-ad41-4e61-a89a-60131ad67263
@end ignore