PMS

Patch Management System Any-VCS local branches support

PMS is a small tool aimed at maintaining local branches independent of current VCS (Version Control System) used. Currently PMS supports the following VCS-es:

• Subversion
• GIT
• CVS
• Bazaar (new!)

Usage:

pms import <patch-name> | switch <patch-name> | co <patch-name> | ci [<patch-name>] | reset | ann <file> | split <patch-name>

With no arguments pms shows help, list of local branches, current local branch and state of files in working copy based on VCS used.

The Story

We (Aplikacja.info software systems) are a small Polish company that create custom software systems using Python or Java. We are using stable master/trunk policy, so we are using heavily branching for peer code review (our adaptation of XP's Pair Programming). Local branching support is very helpful facility for us. So: PMS was born. That's all, folks!

Author contact: dcieslak at aplikacja.info.

Usage

pms import patch-name

Import opeation creates local branch based on local modifications made to SVN/GIT repository. A .pms directory is created and patch with given name is stored inside.

pms switch patch-name, pms co patch-name

Saves current local branch (if there's any) and switches to the branch given.

pms ci [patch-name]

Saves current local branch or creates new one if name is given. Shows an error if there's no current local branch or new branch already exists.

pms reset

Saves current local branch and restores current workspace.

pms ann file

Shows annotation of selected file (login, commit date for every line)

pms split new-patch-name

Inspired by Tomayko's Blog Entry http://tomayko.com/writings/the-thing-about-git . This operation:

• Assume you have uncommitted changes in working copy with two tangled tasks you want to make in separate commits
• an $EDTOR is opened with current patch
• you have to leave changes that will go into new patch
• new patch is created and it's removed from working copy

Binary files

PMS tries to detect binary files modification and refuses to continue if such file is found.

How does it work?

PMS creates .pms subdirectory in current directory and holds here pacthes (located by name) and current patch name (in .pms/.currect file). In .pms/.history directory a backup of processed PMS checkins are stored here (hourly).

Pretty simple!