Anonymous CVS Access page

So replace all instances of

 ':pserver:anonymous@riscosopen.org:/home/rool/cvsroot'

with

 ':pserver:anonymous::@riscosopen.org:/home/rool/cvsroot'

note the :: after anonymous this puts the null password into the cvsroot.

This means that elsewhere on the page you can remove any references to a password as it is not an issue.

So remove:

‘Use an empty password if you are asked for one.’

Remove:

'cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@riscosopen.org:/home/rool/cvsroot login'

In the ‘Obtaining a CVS client’ section you can remove:

‘You will get a warning about your .cvspass file the first time you do a cvs login; this is normal’

as you won’t get the warning.

Remove:

‘The first time you run this version of CVS using pserver, you will need to do the following:

 * cdir <Choices$Write>.CVS
 * create <Choices$Write>.CVS./cvspass

and replace it with:

‘If you are using the Gui frontend version (!CVS) you’ll need to run that to use the cvs command – you can quit !CVS after running it if you wish’

I’ve only tested this with RISC OS but as it’s a unix port and specified in the manual it should work elsewhere.

Good point, I don’t think it every occurred to me that passwords could be entered in this way – it’s not something you’d normally want to do if the password gives you any special privileges, of course.

I’m curious about the double colon though, is that really valid syntax? It suggests a field after the password, and I can’t find that documented anywhere. I seem to be able to login unprompted as anonymous with only a single colon after the username.

I’m curious about the double colon though, is that really valid syntax?

Did you find this (under 0.4)?

[Edit: Irrelevant, now Colin’s explained the error.]

No I wrote a double colon by mistake it should have been a single colon. It does work with a double colon though, probably because the server sees the password as a colon and accepts anything.

Its in the CVS manual Page 20

I think it’s a common way to authenticate – FTP is similar. As you point out it’s not something you’d want to do with secure password.

Further to anonymous downloads. I have a small program which checks out the Products directory, allows you to select one of them from a text menu and exports the product into a Productname.RiscOS directory. ie it merges the xxxx/RiscOS modules into ProductName.RiscOS directly (the files aren’t moved after download) and as export is used you don’t get cvs folders. So after the download you are ready to run !builder and compile the rom.

If you are interested in trying it out or making the program available on the anonymous cvs page you can have it – it’s just a bit of basic and an obey file.

Colin, I’m playing about with the checkout/build process at the moment, and I’d be interested in trying out your script. Would you upload it somewhere for people to experiment with, perhaps? Good tip about the CVS password, BTW. Thanks!

Its in the CVS manual Page 20

That states:

[:method:][[user][:password]@]hostname[:[port]]/path/to/repository

The https://www.riscosopen.org/content/downloads/cvs-access page states:

:pserver:anonymous@riscosopen.org:/home/rool/cvsroot

(and your previous suggestion was:

:pserver:anonymous::@riscosopen.org:/home/rool/cvsroot

I seem to be able to login unprompted as anonymous with only a single colon after the username.

But the syntax in the CVS manual seems to indicate that the colon after user is only included if password is also present. (But the one preceding port is optional.) Therefore, rather than being a question of one or two colons, shouldn’t there be none after user, with no password present (as the current page states)? Wouldn’t a single colon send an empty password?

(As I think most of you know, I’m not a programmer – so apologies if I’ve misunderstood.)

I’ve uploaded the program RiscOSExport for you to try. !Runimage just produces an obey file which is then run so if you want to know what this obey file will contain comment out the ‘x obey’ and ‘remove’ lines in !run and run he program the obey file should then be left in the app directory.

There’s a help file for the app

Trevor:

The syntax says that you can have a username or a password or both or neither. The colon after user does indeed show that the password is present and in this case it is ”” it’s the same as loging on and just pressing return for the password.

The colon preceding port is manditory if you specify a port the port number is optional.

I’m surprised it doesn’t work for you. If you would like to try the app if it doesn’t work Edit the !Run file and put anything between the : and @

You need only go as far as the product listing to know if it works. I’d be interested to know if you have problems.

I’m surprised it doesn’t work for you.

I’ve not had a reason to try it yet. Also, CVS access states:

“Grab a tarball in preference to checking out with CVS, unless you absolutely must have specific revisions or are only interested in a small amount of the source.”

Is there a problem with CVS downloading ?
I just keep getting a “Connection Refused” error.

This had been a recurrent server problem of late – the CVS server daemon needs a bit of manual kicking from time to time, and we haven’t identified the underlying cause yet. Feel free to drop ROOL an email if you get the problem again, we’re likely to see that quicker than a forum post.