bug#17441: 24.3; Should not offer to "create an RCS repository"

bug#17441: 24.3; Should not offer to "create an RCS repository"

[Samuel Bronson]

Okay, so, I just went to "register" a file with RCS in my habitual way
by doing "C-x v v" to invoke `vc-register'.

For some reason, it suddenly decided there was some question as to what
VCS to use, so I told it to go with RCS.

Now the really stupid part: it wanted to create an "RCS repository",
whatever that is, and it *ASKED ME WHAT DIRECTORY* it should do that in.

(Looking at the `vc-rcs' package source, it seems its idea of making an
RCS repository is basically "mkdir RCS" in the directory in question.)

So, since I really didn't want one here, I told it to make one in "~/".

Then, it asked me the more familiar question:
"Create RCS subdirectory?", to which I always say "no".

There are THREE things wrong with this picture:

1. Making an "RCS" directory in some parent directory is totally beside
   the point; it might as well offer to show me pictures of cats.

2. If I nevertheless ask for a repository in the parent directory,
   I get prompted again right away.

3. As you can see, even `vc-rcs' considers creating an "RCS directory to
   be of questionable desirability: that was, after all, the one
   question it asked me. However, it doesn't even ask every time,
   instead, it look checks for clues:
   
   a. Do you have one already? No point making one then.

   b. Do you already have other RCS ",v" files in this directory?
      If so, you presumably don't want the RCS directory.

   Only if those two checks are both inconclusive does it even bother to
   ask.

   However, `vc-backend-for-registration' just stomps all over all of
   that attention to detail and offers to create the "repository" before
   `vc-rcs-register' even has a chance to start.

-- 
Hi! I'm a .signature virus! Copy me into your ~/.signature to help me spread!

In GNU Emacs 24.3.1 (i486-pc-linux-gnu, X toolkit, Xaw3d scroll bars) of
 2013-12-22 on binet, modified by Debian Windowing system distributor
 `Colin Harrison', version 11.0.60900031 System Description: Debian
 GNU/Linux testing (jessie)

Configured using:
 `configure '--build' 'i486-linux-gnu' '--build' 'i486-linux-gnu'
 '--prefix=/usr' '--sharedstatedir=/var/lib' '--libexecdir=/usr/lib'
 '--localstatedir=/var/lib' '--infodir=/usr/share/info'
 '--mandir=/usr/share/man' '--with-pop=yes'
 '--enable-locallisppath=/etc/emacs24:/etc/emacs:/usr/local/share/emacs/24.3/site-lisp:/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp:/usr/share/emacs/24.3/site-lisp:/usr/share/emacs/site-lisp'
 '--with-crt-dir=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu' '--with-x=yes'
 '--with-x-toolkit=lucid' '--with-toolkit-scroll-bars' '--without-gconf'
 '--without-gsettings' 'build_alias=i486-linux-gnu' 'CFLAGS=-g -O2
 -fstack-protector --param=ssp-buffer-size=4 -Wformat
 -Werror=format-security -Wall' 'LDFLAGS=-Wl,-z,relro'
 'CPPFLAGS=-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2''

Recent input:
C-x C-f f o o . c <return> C-x v v <tab> 
R <tab> <return> <C-backspace> <return> y n o <return> 

Recent messages:
(New file)
Making completion list...
arg ~/
Buffer foo.c modified; save it? (y or n)  y
Saving file /home/naesten/hacking/foo.c...
Wrote /home/naesten/hacking/foo.c
Registering (/home/naesten/hacking/foo.c)... done
call-interactively: Buffer is read-only: #<buffer foo.c> [2 times]

bug#17441: 24.3; Should not offer to "create an RCS repository"

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Samuel Bronson <naesten@gmail.com> writes:

> Okay, so, I just went to "register" a file with RCS in my habitual way
> by doing "C-x v v" to invoke `vc-register'.
>
> For some reason, it suddenly decided there was some question as to what
> VCS to use, so I told it to go with RCS.
>
> Now the really stupid part: it wanted to create an "RCS repository",
> whatever that is, and it *ASKED ME WHAT DIRECTORY* it should do that in.

This is how all the VC backends work, and having the RCS one work the
same way seems pretty logical to me.  (And when giving it a parent
directory, it'll ask whether 

 Create RCS subdirectory? (y or n) y

so I think everything here is working as designed, and I'm closing this
bug report.  If there's more to be done here, please respond to the
debbugs address and we'll reopen.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no