Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
From: gerlach AT netcom DOT com (Matthew H. Gerlach)
Subject: RCS woes
Message-ID: <gerlachEq4K33.Kr4@netcom.com>
Organization: Netcom On-Line Services
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 15:52:15 GMT
Lines: 45
Sender: gerlach AT netcom16 DOT netcom DOT com
To: djgpp AT delorie DOT com
DJ-Gateway: from newsgroup comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Precedence: bulk


Hello DJGPPers,

Over the last couple of days, with support from Eli and others,
I have been trying to get RCS, running under Win95, to work with
with archives stored on a UNIX NFS server.  The goal is to
have a multiplatform Configuration Management system usable by
the variour flavors of UNIX we use and Win95/WinNT.  

Unfortunately, I am beginning to think this can't be done.
Someone please tell me I'm wrong!

In the course of this exercise, I've run into three problems, two
of which I've been able to fix.  The first problem was the inablity
to for a Win95 to create an archive file on the NFS server.  This problem
turned out to be a failed remove of a non-existant file.  This problem
has numerous possible fixes, one of which I think I will submit as a
patch to remove.c.  Once this problem was resolved, the next problem
was the permissions of archive file created by the win95 machine.  This
problem was not a DJGPP/rcs problem, but rather a problem with how I 
configured the NFS client software on my win95 machine.

The last problem, I believe, it out of my league.  Under UNIX, the
last user to touch an rcs archive file ends up owning it.   The
problem then from DJGPP is that it can't alter this archive because of
ENOACCES.   I sorta wonder how another UNIX user can, but not a DJGPP user. 

From diving into RCS, I have learned the following.  RCS creates a lockfile,
and does its work on it.  When its done, it renames the lockfile to 
the name of the archive file.  Depending on the OS, rcs, will simply
rename the lockfile, or it will delete the archive file first.  In
the case of DJGPP, removing the target file name is attempted first.

In remove.c, the file to be removed is made writable before removing it.
This fails as does the subsequent attempt to remove it.  I don't really
see how this can be fixed, but maybe a blind man can say, "don't ya see?"

I have had great luck with the DJGPP tools in general.  As a longtime
PC hater, the DJGPP tools have made DOS and Win95 usable.  For this
reason, I have a sad heart thinking I must abandon my efforts to get
RCS working, unless someone has a fresh idea.

Matthew H. Gerlach