Using Concurrent Versions System (CVS) With JDeveloper

JDeveloper allows you to use the source control features of Concurrent Versions Support (CVS) version 1.10 onwards. JDeveloper works seamlessly with CVS so that once you have configured it you can check out files and commit changes from JDeveloper's Navigator pane.

Note. For extensive information about how to use and administer CVS, see the online manual.

To configure JDeveloper to work with CVS you first enter some connection information. Once you can connect to the CVS repository you then import your work into the CVS repository to place the files under source control. Then, before you can work on them, you have to check them out. This copies them to a location on your local file system. Finally, you import them into a JDeveloper project so that you can see the files in the Navigator pane.

Note. It is possible to use your existing checked out modules with JDeveloper CVS source control by creating CVS connections (CVSROOTs) in JDeveloper that match the CVSROOT that created your sandbox(es) and then use your existing sandbox(es) inside JDeveloper. However, we strongly recommend that you instead perform fresh checkouts from within JDeveloper.

Any changes you make are to the local copies of your files, and these changes are only updated to the CVS repository when you perform a commit. It also means that, for example, when you create a new file and add it to CVS, the file is not yet under source control. Only when you commit that file is the CVS repository updated.

You can see the status of a file or other item in the Navigator pane that is under CVS source control because the icon is overlaid with one of the following status markers:

The file has been added to your local CVS files.

The file is not under CVS, but may be added to the repository.

There were conflicts when the file was updated from the CVS repository. In this case, you have to manually edit the file to resolve all the points of conflict.

The file has been scheduled for removal from the CVS repository with the next commit action.

The file is out of synch with the CVS repository due to local or remote changes.

The file is up to date but read only.

The file is unmodified since it was last copied from the repository.

The following topics describe how to configure JDeveloper to use CVS:

Configuring JDeveloper to Use CVS

Importing JDeveloper Project Files into CVS

Checking Out CVS Project Files

The following topics show you how to work with files and folders in CVS:

Adding a File to CVS

Removing a File from CVS

Updating a File in CVS

Committing a File to CVS

Comparing Files in CVS

Displaying the Log for a CVS File

Displaying the Status of a CVS File

Additional information for CVS administrators

The CVS administrator has to configure the CVS repository for the automatic handling of binary files produced by JDeveloper, such as image file formats.

Where other file types are updated, CVS attempts to merge them. If you do not want this to occur, you must change the configuration of the CVS repository.

For more information about CVS, refer to the CVS documentation, or see their website, http://www.cvshome.org. This is also where you can download CVS software.

Additional information about SSH (secure shell), CVS and JDeveloper

CVS: SSH Must Be Configured for Use with JDeveloper

JDeveloper does not provide a direct way of using SSH (secure shell) as an access method for the CVS repository. It is however possible to configure SSH so that it can be used for remote shell access:

1. Generate public and private keys using the command: ssh-keygen

2. Concatenate the ~/.ssh/identity.pub public key file with ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the machine with the CVS repository.

Before running JDeveloper and attempting to use CVS with SSH, users should be explicitly authorized and the environment correctly configured. Follow the steps below to configure the environment correctly:

1. Set the CVS_RSH environment variable to the location of the SSH client.

2. Enter ssh-agent {shell} at the UNIX command line, then press Enter.

3. Enter ssh-add at the UNIX command line, then press Enter.

4. Start JDeveloper.

5. Select External as the CVS access method from the Source Control section of the Tools | Preferences dialog.