[Gnu-arch-users] using arch when commuting frequently between stations

[Mark A. Flacy]

>>>>> "Denys" == Denys Duchier <address@hidden> writes:
Denys> 
Denys> One of the ways I frequently (mis)used CVS was as convenient way to
Denys> synchronize between several "workstations": do some work at the
Denys> office, commit, go home, do some more work, commit, repeat.
Denys> 
Denys> Now, it is clear that this is not the way you want to work if you want
Denys> to have meaningful changesets :-)
Denys> 
Denys> Also, my workstation is behind a firewall and can only exchange data
Denys> through a gateway (not sharing a filesystem, i.e. e.g. through sftp or
Denys> some such protocol).
Denys> 
Denys> Like most of my colleagues, the way I have worked was to keep my CVS
Denys> repository on a/the gateway machine, and to use it to synchronize
Denys> between my workstation and my laptop.  Now, one nice thing is that CVS
Denys> will attempt to merge changes which means that office and home working
Denys> copies don't _have_ to be perfectly in sync (say I forgot to check in
Denys> some work before leaving home or the office).
Denys> 
Denys> Does anyone have any experience/advice for (1) using arch similarly,
Denys> (2) then transfering batched-up progress to a cleaned-up branch where
Denys> meaninful changesets can be recorded?

Simplicity in itself.  Maintain 2 repositories, one at home and one at
work.  `tla archive-mirror` copies to each other as needed.  `tla
star-merge` between home and work branches or "cherry pick" between them as
needed. 

I do it almost every day; I can only connect to work from home (not home
from work).

Zum beispiel:

When I get home from work, I'll tunnel into work and update my mirror of my
work archive...

tla archive-mirror address@hidden

(I have the archives address@hidden and a
 address@hidden, with "address@hidden" as my
 local mirror of the work archive.)

At this point, I can drop the connection to work.

I'll star-merge in any changes on the branch that I'm working on...

tla star-merge address@hidden/maketool--experimental--1.0 
~/maketool-experimental
cd ~/maketool-experimental
tla commit -L "Merge from work experimental branch"

...and work on my home branch, committing as usual.

When I'm done for the night, I'll tunnel in again and...

tla archive-mirror address@hidden maketool

(I have the archives address@hidden and
 address@hidden, with
 "address@hidden" as my remote mirror of home.) 

...and I can drop the connection.

At work, I just star-merge in the stuff that I worked on overnight...

tla star-merge address@hidden/maketool--experimental--1.0 
~/maketool-experimental
tla commit -L "Merge from home experimental branch"

...and drive on.  I personally have PAB set up at work and home so that I
can browse the changesets as needed.

Denys> 
Denys> Alternatives such as rsync/unison just don't work for this type of
Denys> situation.  You need support for "merging".  Arch is good at that.
Denys> 
Denys> So is it possible to have my cake and eat it too? I mean: with a
Denys> regular spoon, not with chopsticks that I have to handle with my left
Denys> hand :-)

I've found this to be a very simple and easy way to work.

-- 
 Mark A. Flacy
 Any opinions expressed above are my own.  Any facts expressed above
 are, ummm, facts.
"Yes, but every time I try to see things your way, I get a headache."
  --Unknown