Documentation / git-cvsserver.txton commit Merge branch 'jc/cvsimport' into next (8d707b6)
   1git-cvsserver(1)
   2================
   3
   4NAME
   5----
   6git-cvsserver - A CVS server emulator for git
   7
   8SYNOPSIS
   9--------
  10[verse]
  11export CVS_SERVER=git-cvsserver
  12'cvs' -d :ext:user@server/path/repo.git co <HEAD_name>
  13
  14DESCRIPTION
  15-----------
  16
  17This application is a CVS emulation layer for git.
  18
  19It is highly functional. However, not all methods are implemented,
  20and for those methods that are implemented,
  21not all switches are implemented.
  22
  23Testing has been done using both the CLI CVS client, and the Eclipse CVS
  24plugin. Most functionality works fine with both of these clients.
  25
  26LIMITATIONS
  27-----------
  28
  29Currently cvsserver works over SSH connections for read/write clients, and
  30over pserver for anonymous CVS access.
  31
  32CVS clients cannot tag, branch or perform GIT merges.
  33
  34INSTALLATION
  35------------
  36
  371. If you are going to offer anonymous CVS access via pserver, add a line in
  38   /etc/inetd.conf like
  39
  40   cvspserver stream tcp nowait nobody git-cvsserver pserver
  41
  42   Note: In some cases, you need to pass the 'pserver' argument twice for
  43   git-cvsserver to see it. So the line would look like
  44
  45   cvspserver stream tcp nowait nobody git-cvsserver pserver pserver
  46
  47   No special setup is needed for SSH access, other than having GIT tools
  48   in the PATH. If you have clients that do not accept the CVS_SERVER
  49   env variable, you can rename git-cvsserver to cvs.
  50
  512. For each repo that you want accessible from CVS you need to edit config in
  52   the repo and add the following section.
  53
  54   [gitcvs]
  55        enabled=1
  56        # optional for debugging
  57        logfile=/path/to/logfile
  58
  59   Note: you need to ensure each user that is going to invoke git-cvsserver has
  60   write access to the log file and to the git repository. When offering anon
  61   access via pserver, this means that the nobody user should have write access
  62   to at least the sqlite database at the root of the repository.
  63
  643. On the client machine you need to set the following variables.
  65   CVSROOT should be set as per normal, but the directory should point at the
  66   appropriate git repo. For example:
  67
  68   For SSH access, CVS_SERVER should be set to git-cvsserver
  69
  70   Example:
  71
  72     export CVSROOT=:ext:user@server:/var/git/project.git
  73     export CVS_SERVER=git-cvsserver
  74
  754. For SSH clients that will make commits, make sure their .bashrc file
  76   sets the GIT_AUTHOR and GIT_COMMITTER variables.
  77
  785. Clients should now be able to check out the project. Use the CVS 'module'
  79   name to indicate what GIT 'head' you want to check out. Example:
  80
  81     cvs co -d project-master master
  82
  83Eclipse CVS Client Notes
  84------------------------
  85
  86To get a checkout with the Eclipse CVS client:
  87
  881. Select "Create a new project -> From CVS checkout"
  892. Create a new location. See the notes below for details on how to choose the
  90   right protocol.
  913. Browse the 'modules' available. It will give you a list of the heads in
  92   the repository. You will not be able to browse the tree from there. Only
  93   the heads.
  944. Pick 'HEAD' when it asks what branch/tag to check out. Untick the
  95   "launch commit wizard" to avoid committing the .project file.
  96
  97Protocol notes: If you are using anonymous acces via pserver, just select that.
  98Those using SSH access should choose the 'ext' protocol, and configure 'ext'
  99access on the Preferences->Team->CVS->ExtConnection pane. Set CVS_SERVER to
 100'git-cvsserver'. Not that password support is not good when using 'ext',
 101you will definitely want to have SSH keys setup.
 102
 103Alternatively, you can just use the non-standard extssh protocol that Eclipse
 104offer. In that case CVS_SERVER is ignored, and you will have to replace
 105the cvs utility on the server with git-cvsserver or manipulate your .bashrc
 106so that calling 'cvs' effectively calls git-cvsserver.
 107
 108Clients known to work
 109---------------------
 110
 111CVS 1.12.9 on Debian
 112CVS 1.11.17 on MacOSX (from Fink package)
 113Eclipse 3.0, 3.1.2 on MacOSX (see Eclipse CVS Client Notes)
 114TortoiseCVS
 115
 116Operations supported
 117--------------------
 118
 119All the operations required for normal use are supported, including
 120checkout, diff, status, update, log, add, remove, commit.
 121Legacy monitoring operations are not supported (edit, watch and related).
 122Exports and tagging (tags and branches) are not supported at this stage.
 123
 124The server will set the -k mode to binary when relevant. In proper GIT
 125tradition, the contents of the files are always respected.
 126No keyword expansion or newline munging is supported.
 127
 128Dependencies
 129------------
 130
 131git-cvsserver depends on DBD::SQLite.
 132
 133Copyright and Authors
 134---------------------
 135
 136This program is copyright The Open University UK - 2006.
 137
 138Authors: Martyn Smith    <martyn@catalyst.net.nz>
 139         Martin Langhoff <martin@catalyst.net.nz>
 140         with ideas and patches from participants of the git-list <git@vger.kernel.org>.
 141
 142Documentation
 143--------------
 144Documentation by Martyn Smith <martyn@catalyst.net.nz> and Martin Langhoff <martin@catalyst.net.nz> Matthias Urlichs <smurf@smurf.noris.de>.
 145
 146GIT
 147---
 148Part of the gitlink:git[7] suite