pcl-cvs on os X over ssh (instead of rsh)

pcl-cvs on os X over ssh (instead of rsh)

[Jonathan Whiteman]

Greetings all,

I'm sure you get this bonehead question alot so I apologize in advance. 
  I'm using pcl-cvs in the stock emacs on os X 10.4.6 (it appears to be 
version 21.2) and I can't seem to get remote cvs repository access 
working.  Every time i try to run M-x cvs-update or M-x cvs-status or 
such it outputs this in the middle of the normal cvs buffer instead of a 
file list or a prompt for a password (which i would expect):

Message: cvs [status aborted]: end of file from server (consult above 
messages if any)
Message: Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive).

Has anyone out there got some advice for me on how to fix this?
my CVSROOT=:ext:me@dev:/home/cvs and my CVS_RSH=/usr/bin/ssh

I'm told that using rsh instead of ssh for the CVS_RSH isn't an option, 
and neither is :pserver: instead of :ext: due to security flaws in inetd

It should be noted that the command-line cvs binary prompts for a 
password every time and works correctly when supplied a password.  Also 
I am aware I might be able to sidestep this problem by using RSA 
authentication through a public ssh key but I don't want to do this 
unless its my only option.

anyway, any help is welcomed, thanks in advance,
~jon

Re: pcl-cvs on os X over ssh (instead of rsh)

[Stefan Monnier]

> It should be noted that the command-line cvs binary prompts for a password
> every time and works correctly when supplied a password.  Also I am aware
> I might be able to sidestep this problem by using RSA authentication through
> a public ssh key but I don't want to do this unless its my only option.

PCL-CVS does not provide any way for you to give a password.  So here are
some options:
- use RSA authentication with an ssh-agent (or with an empty password, tho
  it's not recommended).
- try fsh, maybe?
- arrange for ssh to prompt you for a password in a GUI prompt (via
  sh-askpass).  All you need is for ssh to run over a pipe rather than a tty
  (search for process-connection-type in pcvs.el to check which one is used
  in your version and change it to nil if necessary).  Tho I've only tried
  it in an X11 environment.  No idea how/if it works elsewhere.


        Stefan