CompuServe Messages

We have been using PVCS on one large project (about 200 exe's, 2000+ source files [mostly C]) for about 2 years. Any new development we do goes into it as well. The large project was licensed to another company to sell and/or modify. We have to exchange updates in both direction. This would be impossible with some kind of Version Control. In our shop, we use all MS-DOS machines with Token-Ring/PC LAN. Our make files are set up so that when a programmer(s) is working on a program, the file that are checked out reside on his/her local machine. Compiles take place there as well. The rules for building an object are setup so that a local source file is built first, if not found then the object is retrieved from the server (usually only the first time make is run). This keeps a copy of all objects on the local drive. This allows muliple programmers to work with the same program and not be affected by the changes made by others. When the test group approves the changes, the programmer can then check-in the source file(s), which in our case also moves the cooresponding object(s) to the server and cleans up the local drive. We have never had a problem with losing any changes or creating conflicts, EXCEPT when someone has side-stepped the procedure. For example, one or more programmers decided the check-out a working copys of the source just to fool around with. Later they decided to check-in the changes, by using VCS to manually lock the log file, then 'checked-in' the changes. OOPS, which changes are in log file now? One problem we do have with PVCS is that is often have multiple branches. IE. Custom versions for different customers. This works great until we find a bug in a common revision. There is no easy way to get this fix in a versions. C h u c k