Providing customized source code control with CVS

CVS needs to create lock files in order to do anything in the repository. Since CVS depends on directory permissions, it is necessary to move the locks elsewhere. This is a step-by-step approach.

Prerequisites:

• You cannot use any CVS version prior to 1.10 in your system.
• You need to keep anybody from using the repository during this process.

If you fail to do this, you will have two systems of locks being used that have no interaction with each other, and that may lead to corrupting the repository.

Procedure:

1. Select a lock directory. If your repository is /home/cvs/repository, you might want to use /home/cvs/locks.
2. Create this directory. Make sure it is world-readable, world-executable, and world-writeable.
3. Check out the CVSROOT module if you have not already done so.
4. Edit the "config" file. Add this line: LockDir=/home/cvs/locks at the end of the file. Substitute your chosen lock directory for /home/cvs/locks, but do not add any spaces.

At this time, you've allowed everybody who can read the repository directories read-only access, but only those who can write to them can check in.

You can test this easily by changing the permissions on the locks directory so you can't write to it, and trying to do any CVS operation (such as update or status). You should get a message saying that CVS cannot create the lock file.

All contents of these pages Copyright 2002 by David H. Thornley.
Permission granted for verbatim copying and use within an organization.