[Fwd: version control]

["David T. Bath" <bathd edipost auspost com au>]

Rob Brown-Bayliss wrote:
> 
> > One thing I'd like to see in Gnome is integrated version control.
> 
> Yes, tied in with the 'Recent Documents' feature and life would be
> sweet.
> 
> I would imagine being able to set a policy for directories, though this
> is beging to sound like a filesystem feature.  Any reason why we cant
> build structrue on top of one of the forth comming JFS?

Yes, the one thing we should not be guilty of is running only on one
filesystem, one distribution, one OS, etc.  (Developers please note,
RedHat is not the only Linux, Linux is not the only Unix).

Might I suggest a runtime parameter where the version control system
(as well as current module, server, etc if you are using CVS) could
be set.  This *may* need to be on a document by document basis, and
might need to be turned on explicitly (you do not want to commit when
you exit a document held merely in your sandpit).

If you are wanting checkpoints, then you can always use tools such
as RCS from the command line, though I can understand many users will
find this cumbersome.

Perhaps those with the skills and time could work on a generic
widget for version control interfacing that "saves and shells out"
to other front ends, such as the GUI RCS tools for Win32, Pharmacy,
PVCS or (ugh) SourceSafe.

Given that GnomeOffice saves in Good-Ol'-ASCII XML (sometimes
gzipped), it might not be too difficult to interface to gdiff, or
even (though I think there are many ugly aspects) permit an
option where you could save to/from something like an RCS
internal format (extensions could have an extra ",v") with
command line tools easily available to get out the version
you wanted.  This might make version number and date macros
a cinch.  Mind you, personally I'd never use it - I'd use the
external tools - but some users might. 
-- 
David T. Bath bathd@edipost.auspost.com.au
+613 9204 8713 (W) 0418 316 634 (Mbl)