CVS Help

What is CVS?

The scripts that make up the various ACP modules are stored on a remote server provided by SourceForge.net through the use of a program called CVS, or Concurrent Versions System. This software allows developers to track changes by maintaining all versions of each file, complete with comments, timestamps, and the name of the person who made each change. If something gets screwed up and you want to undo it, CVS lets you easily go back to a previously committed version of a file.

The project has been given a certain space, called a source code repository, to upload files, and within that space there are several modules. Each module is a set of scripts released and maintained by the project. For example, the XL scripts are stored in one module (acp_xl) and the LE scripts are stored in another (acp_le). There are also modules containing scripts for other clients, such as MUSHclient or TinyFugue.

Why Do I Need CVS?

Anyone who wants to stay current with the very latest features and bug fixes will want to know how to use CVS to download the scripts. The files are released periodically, when enough testing has been done to determine that no major outstanding bugs remain, and you can download those for a fairly stable installation. In between releases, however, little changes are made to fix bugs or take changes in the game into account, and those changes are only obtainable with CVS until another official version is released.

How Can I Get the Latest Code?

You will need to install a CVS client on your computer, first of all. The recommended client, especially for beginners, is TortoiseCVS. It is a simple client that integrates with Windows Explorer and allows you to interact with files from a CVS repository using right-click context (or popup) menus.

Follow the directions on the project's CVS page, under "Anonymous CVS Access," for setting up your client and downloading the latest code. After you do the initial checkout, you can keep current with just an update. Checkout the module only once, and just update after that. All changes will be merged with your local copies of the scripts and you can then import them into your zMUD settings.

Alternatively, you can use the web viewer to browse the repository and locate the file(s) you're interested in updating. Saving text files from the web interface is sometimes a problem, as they are stored in UNIX ASCII format and may not convert properly to the Windows format. Also, changes do not show up in the web viewer immediately, sometimes lagging behind by a day or two.

If you have problems using CVS and the documentation isn't helping, it may just be that the server is unavailable due to system maintenance. Errors such as timing out, the operation failing, or a problem with a proxy server can and will occur from time to time. Please do not contact the developers, if this is the case, as we have no direct control over the servers.