[cvsnt] Any migration caveats between CVSNT versions?

[Glen Starrett]

Bernhard Merkle wrote:
> Changes ?
> I thought CVSNT would be *compatible* with the standard RCS file format, 
> so what changes ? Is it NOT ?
> Are CVSNT rcs Files compatible to CVS rcs Files or not ?

Short answer: "yes and no".

CVSNT has additional fields in the RCS format than nongnu CVS uses (e.g. 
mergepoints, user variables, etc.).  It also stores some things in 
different places (e.g. keyword options are versioned in CVSNT but not 
with nongnu CVS; and the file exec bit is stored within the RCS file 
with CVSNT, but is stored in the file system settings by nongnu CVS).

The RCS file format allows for additional fields which CVSNT is using. 
However, when you have a utility that doesn't expect these and is 
looking for a very specific layout it might not work properly.  That is 
why CVSNT ships it's own RCS wrappers.

CVSNT can read nongnu CVS' RCS files, but nongnu CVS may have difficulty 
with the added information from CVSNT.  March Hare supports migrating 
forward, but not back (that would have to be something the nongnu group 
would have to implement, or someone could write a RCS file 
'back-converter').


Regards,

-- 
Glen Starrett