Check-in File (see also)

After you create a QVCS archive file, you can add new revisions to that archive. Typically, you'll first check out or lock the archive so that others know you are editing the associated work file. Then, you make and save any edits to the work file using whatever tool is convenient. After you're satisfied with the changes you make, you check the new revision back into the archive.

When storing a revision, QVCS compares the new work file with the previous revision in the QVCS archive. It then stores the new revision in the archive as is and replaces the previous revision with a delta description. The delta is a description of the differences between the two revisions; instead of storing all revisions in their entirety, QVCS stores just the new revision and the differences between one revision and the next. This saves a lot of disk space, particularly when few changes are made. This storage strategy is called "reverse delta."

To add a new revision to your archive, check in the work file by clicking the Check-in File toolbar button. This brings up the Check-in File dialog which will by default store the work file as the newest revision on the default branch and allow you to enter a comment for the revision. You can use the Advanced options to tailor the check-in behavior to suit your needs.

Check-in File Dialog

This is the dialog which appears when you click the Check-in File toolbar button.

You can alter the default settings on this dialog using the Check-In Dialog tab of the User Preferences dialog.

Each field has the following meanings:

From the work file:

This field shows the full path name of the work file from which the new revision will be made. This field is read-only. To use a different source for the new revision, you must click the [...] button, and select a file from the resulting dialog.

Into the archive:

This field identifies the QVCS archive file to which QVCS will store the new revision. This field is read-only, and shown as a sanity check so you can verify that the operation is occurring using the appropriate QVCS archive. For multi-file operations, this field displays the QVCS archive directory instead of the individual archive name.

Description of changes:

Use this field to enter a description of the changes you made for this new revision. For multi-file operations, this same description is applied to all the files that you are checking in. If you have previously performed a check-in with Qwin, Qwin will populate this edit box with the most recently used revision description -- potentially saving you the bother of having to type an identical description. If you defined a check-out comment when you checked out (or locked) this file, that check-out comment becomes the default check-in comment here. Use the Next and Prev buttons to alternate among the most recently used check-in comments. The number of comments saved can be defined in the Check-in Dialog tab of the User Preferences dialog.

Compare

Clicking the Compare button allows you to compare the current work file with a revision in the QVCS archive.

Leave checked out

Enable this check box if you want to keep the file that you are checking in checked out. This is a useful way to save snapshots of your work in progress without letting others have access to the file.

Protect work file

Leaving this check box in its greyed state will cause QWin to use the archive's attributes to determine whether to write-protect the work file after performing the check-in. Enabling the check box will cause QWin to protect the work file after check-in, and clearing the check box will cause QWin to leave the work file read/write after the check-in, both regardless of the file's attribute settings.

Force a branch

Enabling this check box will cause QWin to create a branch for the new revision. Typically, if you have checked out a tip revision, QVCS will simply make the new revision the new tip on the same branch as you check it in. However, if you want to create a branch point, checking "Force a branch" will cause QVCS to create a branch separate from the TRUNK (the branch beginning with 1.0) with this revision as its tip. For example, if you checked out revision 1.2, forcing a branch will check it in as revision 1.2.1.1 rather than revision 1.3.

Note that if the revision you have checked out is not the most recent or tip revision, QVCS will automatically create a branch when you check that revision back in.

Do not expand keywords after check-in

Enabling this check box will cause QWin to skip the update of the work file after the check-in operation. This means that the keywords in your work file may not be accurate, but it will prevent QWin from updating the work file, so that if you use a make-like utility, you won't have to re-compile the work file since the timestamp on the work file won't get updated.

Apply Label

Enabling this check box allows you to apply a label to the revision that you are checking in. The label will be anchored to the revision that you are checking in unless you also check the Float Label option. If the label string is identical to an existing label for the given file, it will point that label to the new revision without notification.

Float Label

If you are applying a label, enabling this check box will cause that label to be a "floating" label. Rather than being attached to one particular revision, it will remain associated with the tip revision of the branch.

Apply label only on changes

This check box is enabled only if you are applying a label. When enabled, this check box will cause the label you have defined to be applied to the archive file only if a new revision is created as a result of the check-in.

Toolbar Operations

Get

Check Out

Add

Check In

Undo Check-out

Lock

Label

File Groups

Sort Revisions

Filter Revisions

Filter Files

Compare

See also: the corresponding qput command line utility.