save(1)
NAME
save - save revision of a file
SYNOPSIS
save [ version binding options ] [ options ] files ..
Save [ version binding options ] [ options ] files ..
Options: [ -?fglq ] [ -help ] [ -a (or -alias) version alias ]
[ -delta ] [ -force ] [ -fix generation | alias | date ]
[ -newgen ] [ -lock ] [ -m (or -logmsg) message ]
[ -n (or -setvnum) version number ] [ -nodelta ] [ -quiet ]
[ -setattrs filename ] [ -stdin ] [ -version ]
DESCRIPTION
save takes a snapshot of the current state of the specified files, stores them into corresponding archive files and assigns unique version numbers to the created versions. The original files will by default be removed and unlocked in order to support a cooperative style of teamwork. Versions of files can be restored as regular files with the retrv command. Versions in archives are inalterable. An archive will be created the first time a file is saved in a subdirectory named AtFS. The AtFS subdirectory must be present. When an archive is created, save asks for a short description of the saved documents purpose. If a subsequent version is saved, the user is prompted for a comment describing the modifications. The save command requires that the version history of a file that shall be saved is locked by the user issuing the command. This is to prevent different developers from applying concurrent updates to the same file and thereby invalidating the other developers' modifications. The only exception from this rule is the first time a file is saved, which means that an archive has yet to be created. For more details on locking, see the ShapeTools Tutorial, retrv(1), and vadm(1). The save program assigns unique version ids to each evolving revision of a file. The version id is a pair of integers separated by a dot, identifying the major and minor revision (<generation>.<revision>) of a version. Subsequent invocations of save increase the minor revision number, starting with version 1.0. The generation number is increased by invocations of Save (see below). There is no support for explicit branching. The version control toolkit rather encourages a linear model of version evolution. Instead of branching, save allows to insert new versions into old generations (see description of -fix). This allows, for example, to fix bugs in major revision N (version numbers N.x) which may be the currently operational release while development proceeds in generation N+1 (or N+n if you like). Before a file is saved it will be checked whether it has actually changed with respect to the previously saved version. If the file hasn't changed, the user will be asked if it should be saved anyway. The command line option -f (or -force) overrides the prompting. The version control system supports a built-in basic status model for versions. The version status is intended to express different levels of quality, and aims at providing basic project management functionality. State attributes of software objects can help to describe an object's current meaning in the development process (e.g. tested, incompletely implemented, submitted for evaluation, or shipped to customer). A newly created version will by default be assigned the state saved. This status marks the lowest level of quality, suggesting that the version is just saved for possible later retrieval but may be inconsistent. Versions that meet higher quality standards (or are part of a release) should be marked by appropriate status (see vadm -promote, sbmt, or publ). If the program is invoked as Save (that is with capital-S) a new major revision (generation) of the document history is created - provided the programmer issuing the command has the permission to do this. This option is intended to support a development model where maintenance of an operational release can be performed parallel to the development of the next release (see -fix).
OPTIONS
For version selection, any version binding option, as described on the
vbind(1) manual page, may be given. Version bind directives in brackets
added to the filename are interpreted different to vbind(1). A version
number following the name will be treated as if the -n (-setvnum)
option was given with this version number as argument. Any other string
in brackets will be taken as alias name (see -alias option).
-?, -help
print short information about usage of this command.
-a, -alias version alias
assign a version alias (a symbolic name) to the new version. In
more detail, an attribute __SymbolicName__ is set to the value
specified in version alias. The specified alias name must not be
assigned to any other version within the same version history.
Alternatively to the -a option, the version alias may be given
in brackets following the name of the file to be saved. Check
the description of the -n option for an example of this
notation.
-delta Create delta for internal storage. This is the default.
-f, -force
force a revision deposit (i.e. without asking), even if the busy
version hasn't changed since the last time it was saved.
-fix generation | alias | date
append a new version after the most recent version within the
referenced major revision level. The major revision level
(called ``generation'') is either referenced explicitly, by
specifying a number, or implicitly, by specifying a version
alias (e.g. a release name) or a date. The latter form is
particularly useful for saving a fix that extends over more than
one object.
This option is intended to support maintenance of older releases
while development proceeds at the logical end of the version
chain. In order to insert a (fixed) version into an old
generation, one must have a lock on the most recent version of
that generation (generation lock). This lock must be set with
the vadm command. The -fix option is incompatible with -setvnum,
-newgen and the Save command option.
-g, -newgen
create a major revision of the document. Major revisions are
indicated by the first number in the version-id (generation).
Only the archive administrator is allowed to create major
revisions. The archive administrator is the user who owns the
AtFS subdirectory where the version archives reside. Use of this
switch is identical to calling the program as Save.
-l, -lock
Keep the lock on the version history. The saved files will not
be removed.
-m, -logmsg message
set message as descriptive note for all document versions that
result from the invocation of save. When message starts with an
at sign (@), it is interpreted as filename and the text
contained in the file is set as descriptive note for all
document versions that result from the invocation of save.
-n, -setvnum version number
set the version number of the newly created revision to version.
The version must be given in the format <generation>.<revision>
where generation and revision are integers. Example:
save -setvnum 4.3 mkattr.c
The specified version must be greater than the highest
previously assigned version number in a given object history.
Only the archive administrator may set version numbers directly.
The archive administrator is the user who owns the AtFS
subdirectory where the version archives reside. -setvnum is
useful for keeping consistent version numbering across related,
physically different object repositories, or for converting
archive formats of other revision control systems to this
toolkit (see: rcs2atfs). Alternatively to the -n option, the
version number may be given in brackets following the name of
the file to be saved. The command
save mkattr.c[4.3]
is interpreted the same way as the example above.
-nodelta
Suppress delta generation
-q, -quiet
quiet operation. No messages are printed on standard output. If
the busy version is unchanged, it will not be saved unless -f is
set. The user will not be prompted for a descriptive note. If no
message or note is supplied with the command line (see options
-m and -t) the log will remain empty. This option is useful for
batch operation.
-setattrs filename
read names and values of user defined attributes from the file
filename. The entries in the attribute file must have either of
the formats NAME=VALUE or NAME+=VALUE. NAME must be an
alphanumeric string (no spaces) immediately followed by the
assignment operator. The value may be an arbitrary ASCII string
with the exception of control-A and newline characters. There is
exactly one attribute definition per line. The file's last
character must be a newline character.
If the first format (single equal symbol) is used, previously
assigned values of user defined attributes are reset with the
values defined in the attribute file. The second format (``plus
equal'') allows to append additional values to an already
existing attribute. If no attribute of a given name exists, it
will be created.
This way to attach attributes was introduced to allow quick
automatic attachment of a large number of attributes to version
objects. This interface to the attribute setting facility is
mainly intended for tools that invoke save.
If the -setattrs option is omitted, save searches the
environment for a variable SVATTRS. If this variable is absent,
no user defined attributes will be assigned to the evolving
versions.
-stdin force save to read a descriptive note from stdin instead of
forking an editor. A previously set intent-message is printed.
-version
print the version of the program itself.
FILES
All revisions of documents are stored in archive files in the subdirectory AtFS.
BUGS
With the -g (-newgen) option given and an unchanged busy version, save ignores the users answer to the question, if the busy version should be saved anyway. It always assumes a positive answer and goes on with its saving procedure. You can avoid saving by interrupting (Ctrl-C) save during the next question if the unmodified version should be commented anyway.
SEE ALSO
retrv(1), vbind(1)
AUTHOR
Axel.Mahler@cs.tu-berlin.de and Andreas.Lampen@cs.tu-berlin.de
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