Emacs 21: VC problem with state needs-patch

[Justus Piater]

I use Version Control with CVS. I have a project, spanning
quite a large directory hierarchy, that currently has some files that
are locally changed (edited), one that is changed both locally and has
a more recent version in the repository (needs-merge), and several
files that have only been updated in the repository (needs-patch).

To reproduce my problems that did not exist in Emacs 20.7:

1. I start a fresh emacs, do C-x v d <root dir of project>
   The dired-under-vc buffer appears, displaying all three kinds of
   files mentioned above.
   PROBLEM: All are marked as "modified", including those that should
            be marked as "patch" or "merge".

2. I do a C-x v = on a file that should have been marked "patch". The
   mode line correctly tells me that the file is unchanged.

3. I hit g to refresh the buffer.
   PROBLEM: The file on that I did C-x v = in Step 2 is no longer
            listed in the dired-under-vc buffer.

4. I do a C-x v = on the file that should be marked "merge". The
   changes are correctly listed.

5. I hit g to refresh the buffer.
   In contrast to Step 3, this file is still correctly listed in the
   dired-under-vc buffer.

While playing with the sources vc.el (version 1.311) and vc-cvs.el
(version 1.24), I found that when I replace "vc-state" with
"vc-cvs-state" in vc-cvs.el:210 (vc-cvs-dired-state-info), I get the
correct markers in the dired-under-vc buffer at Step 1 above. However,
the problem at Step 3 persists. This was when I gave up my own ignorant
bug-hunting efforts.

The above problems occur with the default customization settings, as
 well as with the following:
 '(vc-consult-headers nil)
 '(vc-cvs-stay-local nil)
 '(vc-mistrust-permissions t)

Contents of Messages buffer after starting emacs without reading .emacs:

(emacs -q)
Loading disp-table...done
Loading tool-bar...done
Loading image...done
Loading tooltip...done
Loading paren...done
Loading regexp-opt...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/auctex.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/eshell.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/gettext.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/ocaml.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/python.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/rpm.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/ruby.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/tramp.el (source)...
Loading /usr/lib/emacs/21.1/i386-mandrake-linux/fns-21.1.1.el (source)...done
Loading /etc/emacs/site-start.d/tramp.el (source)...done
For information about the GNU Project and its goals, type C-h C-p.
Loading places from ~/.emacs-places...
Loading places from /home/jupiter/piater/.emacs-places...done
Quit
Loading vc (compiled; note, source file is newer)...done
Reading directory /home/jupiter/piater/VisorBaseAll/...done
Buffer includes 117 directories
Getting version information... 
Getting version information... done


Configuration information:

Linux jupiter.inrialpes.fr 2.4.6-5mdksmp #1 SMP Wed Jul 18 19:27:22 CEST 2001 
i686 unknown
Linux Mandrake release 8.0 (Traktopel) for i586


In GNU Emacs 21.1.1 (i386-mandrake-linux-gnu, X toolkit, Xaw3d scroll bars)
 of 2001-10-23 on bi.mandrakesoft.com
configured using `configure  --prefix=/usr --libexecdir=/usr/lib 
--sharedstatedir=/var --with-gcc --with-pop --mandir=/usr/share/man 
--infodir=/usr/share/iinfo --with-x-toolkit i386-mandrake-linux'
Important settings:
  value of $LC_ALL: nil
  value of $LC_COLLATE: fr_FR
  value of $LC_CTYPE: fr_FR
  value of $LC_MESSAGES: fr_FR
  value of $LC_MONETARY: fr_FR
  value of $LC_NUMERIC: fr_FR
  value of $LC_TIME: fr_FR
  value of $LANG: en
  locale-coding-system: iso-latin-1
  default-enable-multibyte-characters: t

-- 
Justus Piater                             Projet PRIMA, GRAVIR-IMAG
http://www-prima.inrialpes.fr/piater/     INRIA Rhône-Alpes