backup files and version control

backup files and version control

[Heiko Gerdau]

Hi,

I need some advice concerning backup files and version control.

I have written my own elisp function "make-backup-file-name" to collect backup 
files in subdirectories named ".backup~". (function is attached at the end of 
this mail)

It works fine for all regular files except if they are under version control. 
Than the backup files are scattering with the version numbers  attached in 
the same directory as the original file which is realy unconfortable if I 
want to use tools like grep etc.

I also tried (setq version-control (quote never)) with no effect.

So my question:
What can I do to put also those files into my backup subdirectory that are 
under version control?

Any help is appriciated
Thanks
Heiko

Here is my version of "make-backup-file-name"
;; Create backup files in a separate subdirectory
(defun make-backup-file-name (file)
  (let ((dir (concat (file-name-directory file) ".backup~")))
    (if (not (file-exists-p dir))
	(make-directory dir))
    (concat dir "/" (file-name-nondirectory file) "~")))

Re: backup files and version control

[timseal]

Does backup-directory-alist help you?

Re: backup files and version control

[Kevin Rodgers]

Heiko Gerdau wrote:
 > I need some advice concerning backup files and version control.
 >
 > I have written my own elisp function "make-backup-file-name" to
 > collect backup files in subdirectories named ".backup~". (function is
 > attached at the end of this mail)

It would be better to write a new function (i.e. with a new name) and
set the make-backup-file-name-function variable to it (than to redefine
the make-backup-file-name function).  I also suggest using
expand-file-name instead of concat to create directory and file names in
your function.

Using the make-backup-file-name-function variable has the added
advantage that reading its doc string tells you what else you have to
do:

| If you define it, you may need to change `backup-file-name-p'
| and `file-name-sans-versions' too.

So:

(defun backup-file-name-p (file)
   "Return non-nil if FILE is a backup file name (numeric or not)."
   (setq file (expand-file-name file))
   (let ((directory (directory-file-name (file-name-directory file))))
     (and (equal (file-name-nondirectory directory) ".backup~")
          (equal (aref file (1- (length file))) ?~))))

 > It works fine for all regular files except if they are under version
 > control.  Than the backup files are scattering with the version
 > numbers attached in the same directory as the original file which is
 > realy unconfortable if I want to use tools like grep etc.
 >
 > I also tried (setq version-control (quote never)) with no effect.
 >
 > So my question:
 > What can I do to put also those files into my backup subdirectory 
that are
 > under version control?

Does the above help?

-- 
Kevin Rodgers

Re: backup files and version control

[Heiko Gerdau]

Hi,

thanks a lot for your hints. I did as you suggested (changed the name of 
make-backup-file-name) and used your "backup-file-name-p" version. I also 
added my relative backup directories ( "/.backup~" ) to 
backup-directory-alist. Unfortunately all this has no effect.

But while testing I realized the following:

Let's say I have the file "foo.cpp" under version control and it is uptodate. 
If I change that file using Emacs than on saving a new file "foo.bar.~1.4~" 
is written to the same directory, if 1.4 is the current revision in CVS. This 
file has the date of the revision in CVS and is never changed again. I can 
delete it and change foo.cpp again and it's not created again.

So it happens only on the first change of an uptodate file under cvs control. 
Maybe the problem has nothing to with the emacs backup handling.

Any further idea?

Best
Heiko
    
On Thursday 17 February 2005 20:44, Kevin Rodgers wrote:
> Heiko Gerdau wrote:
>  > I need some advice concerning backup files and version control.
>  >
>  > I have written my own elisp function "make-backup-file-name" to
>  > collect backup files in subdirectories named ".backup~". (function is
>  > attached at the end of this mail)
>
> It would be better to write a new function (i.e. with a new name) and
> set the make-backup-file-name-function variable to it (than to redefine
> the make-backup-file-name function).  I also suggest using
> expand-file-name instead of concat to create directory and file names in
> your function.
>
> Using the make-backup-file-name-function variable has the added
> advantage that reading its doc string tells you what else you have to
>
> do:
> | If you define it, you may need to change `backup-file-name-p'
> | and `file-name-sans-versions' too.
>
> So:
>
> (defun backup-file-name-p (file)
>    "Return non-nil if FILE is a backup file name (numeric or not)."
>    (setq file (expand-file-name file))
>    (let ((directory (directory-file-name (file-name-directory file))))
>      (and (equal (file-name-nondirectory directory) ".backup~")
>           (equal (aref file (1- (length file))) ?~))))
>

Re: backup files and version control

[Thien-Thi Nguyen]

Heiko Gerdau <hg@technosis.de> writes:

> Any further idea?

look at var `vc-stay-local' (and for cvs, `vc-cvs-stay-local').

thi

Re: backup files and version control

[Heiko Gerdau]

On Friday 18 February 2005 13:44, Thien-Thi Nguyen wrote:
> Heiko Gerdau <hg@technosis.de> writes:
> > Any further idea?
>
> look at var `vc-stay-local' (and for cvs, `vc-cvs-stay-local').

yes, that did it.
thanks a lot!

Best
Heiko