CVS Setup

This is how to setup and run CVS on you machine.

CVS is now transfered to a new secure machine. This is on cvs.mygrid.info. This machine is now running ssh 2 so it is secure The current setup for CVS is:
Protocol: ssh (ext)
Server: cvs.mygrid.org.uk
Repository Directory: /usr/local/cvs/mygrid
Username: contact me for a username and password.
Module: mygrid-all

If you are using windows I suggest using Tortoise CVS available at http://www.tortoisecvs.org/download.shtml
When downloaded use the details above to connect and checkout the files

If you are using *nix you will need to use the follwing setup to connect to the cvs repository
CVS_RSH=ssh
export CVS_RSH
You will need to add this to your bash profile so that it is available all the time. Once added the command
cvs -d:ext:username@cvs.mygrid.org.uk:/usr/local/cvs/mygrid co module
will checkout the module name supplied. See the attached documentation for a full list of CVS commands

SSH public private keys

Using SSH results in lots of password prompts especially when checking in. To get around this problem you can change the authentication from password to public private key. For windows the steps are:

1. Generate public and private keys on your local machine. This is done using PuttyGen^?.exe downloadable from the Putty site. Make sure SSH2 RSA key type is selected then generate the key. Enter a passcode to encrypt the private key. Save the private key somewhere on your local machine. Do not save the public key but leave the tool open.
2. Upload the public key on to the server. Now use Putty.exe to open a secure shell (using SSH) on cvs.mygrid.info. Create a .ssh directory in your home directory. Use your favourite editor to create and edit a new authorized_keys file. I used emacs. ctrl x ctrl f to create the file. Then copy the public key from the puttygen window to the emacs window. Save the file ctrl-x ctrl-s and exit ctrl-x ctrl-c. This mechanism ensures the key is all on one line which is not the case if you save the public key and copy it onto the server.
3. Add the private key to an agent on your local machine. Pageant is an authenitication agent that sits on your local machine storing your private keys. When you need to use one for example to connnect to the CVS server it will supply it. Download pageant from the putty site. Run it. A new icon will appear in the system tray. Double click on it to open a window. Click on the add button and select the private key you saved earlier. You will be prompted for the passcode.
4. Use it. If you are using TortoiseCVS^? this should now just work. Basically TortoiseCVS^? comes with plink (a command line SSH client) from the Putty stable. When plink starts it looks to see if pageagent is running and if so gets the private key from it for authentication.

The end result is that you only have to enter the passcode of the private key when starting pageant and not your unix password each time a connection is made to CVS

Information for linux

Putty downloads

Docs on using Putty for public key authentication

TortoiseCVS FAQ on using SSH keys

Web Based Access

There is now web based access to the CVS repository via the url http://cvs.mygrid.org.uk/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/

Documentation

• Karl Fogel's Book - http://cvsbook.red-bean.com/cvsbook.html
• CVS Documentation - http://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs.html

-- RichCawley - 22 Oct 2002

• CVS-1.11.2.pdf: CVS Documentation