Yes, CVS does merge changes, but of course this only works if all developers
make their changes in files that they first update from CVS. John Fitch has
not been doing this. Therefore the existence of Csound sources in CVS could
be misleading to somebody just getting familair with Csound 5. One might
expect to be able to commit changes that would persist, but that is not the
case. I hope this situation is temporary.

If CVS can't do an automatic merge, it first makes a backup copy of the
local file, then it inserts both versions of conflicting blocks of code into
the merged file, separated by special identifying lines that enable the
developer to decide which version to keep or edit.

As an alternative to this awkward situation, perhaps John would prefer
moving to a situation where proposed commits must be explicitly approved by
him. There are sites that work this way.

============================================
Michael Gogins
gogins at pipeline period com
Irreducible Productions
============================================


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anthony Kozar" 
To: "Csound Developers Discussion List" 
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 5:31 PM
Subject: [CSOUND-DEV:4361] Re: Getting in step


> So, the question here, I believe, is "what is the correct way for everyone
> to use CVS?"  I haven't used CVS except to anonymously check out sources,
so
> I am a little bit confused.
>
> Isn't CVS supposed to manage merging changes?  Shouldn't CVS merge changes
> from a commit and not wholesale replace the files?
>
> How does CVS handle the situation where I do a fresh check out, modify
some
> files, but before I can submit my changes, someone else has already
commited
> other changes to the same files?  If CVS won't properly merge the changes,
> and rechecking out the files will overwrite my changes on my local
machine,
> then how is anyone supposed to resolve this situation?
>
> Anthony Kozar
> anthony.kozar@utoledo.edu
>
>
> On 3/17/04 9:38 AM, jpff@cs.bath.ac.uk etched in
stone:
>
> > "Michael" == Michael Gogins  writes:
>
> >> that when he commits his own changes to CVS, the changes will be
merged, or
> >> will John's changes simply overwrite other contributions? This has
happened
> >> with my changes several times now.
>
> > On the other hand, from my point of view you have been committing
> > files which overwrite my changes.
>

>>>>> "Michael" == Michael Gogins  writes:

 Michael> Yes, CVS does merge changes, but of course this only works if all developers
 Michael> make their changes in files that they first update from CVS. John Fitch has
 Michael> not been doing this. Therefore the existence of Csound sources in CVS could
 Michael> be misleading to somebody just getting familair with Csound 5. One might
 Michael> expect to be able to commit changes that would persist, but that is not the
 Michael> case. I hope this situation is temporary.

I always did a "cvs update" before any changes I made in that
directory.  What does seem to have happened is that the CVS system
deleted some directories from the CVS/Repository file.

 Michael> If CVS can't do an automatic merge, it first makes a backup copy of the
 Michael> local file, then it inserts both versions of conflicting blocks of code into
 Michael> the merged file, separated by special identifying lines that enable the
 Michael> developer to decide which version to keep or edit.

I have been fighting the odd results of the merge for a long time.

==John ffitch