Server Definitions

Server definitions allow jCVS to predefine the parameters needed to access a particular CVS server. The user can then select a predefined server definition in any of the command panels to have the server's information entered automatically.

JCVS includes a number of default server definitions. The user may also add their own server definitions by creating a server definitions file in their home directory (which is printed on stdout during startup as the 'user.home' property). This file will be named '.jcvsdef' on systems which use '/' as their file separator character (typically UNIX systems), and 'jcvsdef.txt' on all other systems including the MacOS and Windows.

Server Definitions File Format

The format of the server definitions file is based upon the Java properties file format. This means that all properties are defined using the 'name=value' syntax.

Each server definition is started by defining a property prefixed by 'server.'. The name that follows the prefix is considered the 'server definition name'. The property's value is a boolean which determines if the definition is actually presented to the user. Setting the value to false allows you to hide definitions from the user without deleting the definition. For example,

server.gjt=true

defines a server definition named 'gjt', and indicates that the server definition should be presented to the user.

Once you define a server definition, you must then define a number of properties for the definition. Each property is defined using a property name constructed using the syntax 'param.servername.propertyname=value'. For example, the host property for the 'gjt' server would be defined using:

param.gjt.host=cvs.gjt.org

The following table lists the parameters that must be defined for a complete server definition.

method
The connection method. Set to 'server' or 'pserver'.

name
The displayed name of the server definition.

module
The module name of the definition.

host
The hostname of the CVS server.

user
The login name for this definition.
repos
The CVS repository, or root, directory.

desc
A more complete description of the server definition.

Example

The following is an example definition which defines the CVS server for anonymous access of the Giant Java Tree project.

server.gjt=true
param.gjt.method=pserver
param.gjt.name=Giant Java Tree
param.gjt.module=java
param.gjt.host=cvs.gjt.org
param.gjt.user=anoncvs
param.gjt.repos=/gjt/cvsroot
param.gjt.desc=\
This is the root of the Giant Java Tree. \
Use the password 'anoncvs'.