This page contains information on how to use CVS (MacCVS Pro) from your Mac over a secure channel (F-Secure SSH).

CVS (concurrent versions system) is a tool that facilitates version control and configuration management of software projects. It has also been found extremely helpful in managing the design, development and maintenance of web sites.

Relevant or useful links.

• Cyclic Software: company that develops and supports CVS
• Apache CVS guide: used by the Apache team in managing the development of Apache HTTP server
• Cederdqvist CVS manual: the most complete CVS manual to date
• CVS Version Control for Web Site Projects: applying CVS to developing web sites

You will need the following software packages for your Mac:

MacCVS Pro	Macintosh CVS client, available from www.maccvs.org.  
		The software is free.

F-Secure SSH 	Macintosh SSH client, available from www.datafellows.com.  
		This is commercial software.

MacCVS Pro:	MacCVS Pro is a program for the Macintosh that allows you to
		connect to a remote CVS server/repository.  Using MacCVS Pro,
		you can download any items that need editing, - programming
		code, HTML pages, sensitive system configuration files, -
		onto your Mac, work with them locally, and upload them to 
		the CVS server once you are done.

F-Secure SSH: 	F-Secure SSH is a terminal program that encrypts the 
		communication between your machine and the server, thereby
		making any data, including usernames and passwords,
		invisible to potential attackers.

Putting it all together.

Here are step-by-step instructions:

1. Download both packages to your Mac, install them.

2. Open F-Secure
   Select File->New Window
   Select Edit->Connection Properties
   Choose Connection tab, fill in
   

   	Host Name: cvs.forum.swarthmore.edu
   	User Name: your username
   

   Choose Apply, then OK
   Now go to Forward tab
   Choose Local (vs Remote)
   Choose New, fill in
   

   	Name: a descriptive name, such as 'forumCVS'
   	Source Port: 2401
   	Destination Host: cvs.forum.swarthmore.edu
   	Destination Port: 2401
   

   Make sure that Allow Local Connections Only is checked
   Say OK

   Use File->Save to save the information you entered

3. Open MacCVS Pro
   Select File->New
   Pick a descriptive name for your session preferences, type it in, and choose Save
   Select Edit->Session Settings
   From the pull-down menu, choose Remote Host Information, fill in

   	Server Hostname: localhost
   	CVS root:       /cvsroot
   	CVS user name: your user name on the CVS machine 
   	CVS password: your password on the CVS machine
   

   From the pull-down menu, choose Checkout and Update Options
   Click on Set button under the Local Tree Directory
   Use the New button to create a new folder inside the MacCVS Pro folder, and call it, say, Development
   Choose OK
   

4. From within F-Secure, select File->Open Settings to choose settings for your CVS connection:
   

   	make sure that Host Name is cvs.forum.swarthmore.edu,
   	check your username, 
   	enter your password, and hit OK
   

   Now you should be logged into the CVS server
   Keep your session opened during your entire CVS editing session

5. From within MacCVS Pro, select Action->Check Out Module To
   Fill in the name of the module, hit OK
   The progess bar will keep you updated as files are downloaded to your Mac.

6. Please read Sean Dreilinger's excellent help document about using CVS to develop web sites: CVS Version Control for Web Site Projects . This document will provide you with basic information on how to use CVS and why we use it. Most of the logistics outlined in the document very much apply to our environment.

last updated $Date: 1999/04/09 20:58:59 $ by sasha