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2.6 Invoking rcs
================

The rcs command is unique in the set of RCS programs in that it has two
usages, the modern (for RCS 5.9.0 and later) and the legacy.

2.6.1 modern
------------

     rcs [options] command [command-arg …]

This rcs usage dispatches to COMMAND, passing along COMMAND-ARG… without
interpretation.

‘--commands’
     Display a list of available commands, including a one-line
     description, and exit successfully.

‘--aliases’
     Display a list of command aliases and exit successfully.

‘--help COMMAND’
     Display help for a particular COMMAND and exit successfully.  For
     example, to display help for the legacy interface, use:
          --help frob

2.6.2 legacy
------------

     rcs frob [options] file …
     (or “rcs” instead of “rcs frob”)

This rcs usage performs various administrative operations on the RCS
file, depending on the options given.

‘-i’
     Create and initialize a new RCS file.

‘-L’
     Set strict locking.

‘-U’
     Set non-strict locking.

‘-M’
     Don’t send mail when breaking someone else’s lock.

‘-T’
     Preserve the modification time on the RCS file unless a revision is
     removed.

‘-I’
‘-q’
     Note: Misc common options.

‘-aLOGINS’
     Append LOGINS (comma-separated list of usernames) to access-list.

‘-e[LOGINS]’
     Erase LOGINS (comma-separated list of usernames) from access-list.
     If LOGINS is omitted, clear the access-list.

‘-AFILE-NAME’
     Append access-list of FILE-NAME to current access-list.

‘-b[REV]’
     Set default branch to that of REV or highest branch on trunk if REV
     is omitted.

‘-l[REV]’
     Lock a revision.

‘-u[REV]’
     Unlock a revision.

‘-cSTRING’
     Set comment leader to STRING.  *NB*: Don’t use; obsolete.

‘-kSUBST’
     Note: Substitution mode option.

‘-mREV:[MSG]’
     Replace log message with MSG.  Note: Log message option.

‘-nNAME[:[REV]]’
     If :REV is omitted, delete symbolic NAME.  Otherwise, associate
     NAME with REV; NAME must be new.

‘-NNAME[:[REV]]’
     Like ‘-n’, but overwrite any previous assignment.

‘-oRANGE’
     Delete (also known as “outdate”) revisions in RANGE:

     REV
          single revision

     BR
          latest revision on branch BR

     ‘REV1:REV2’
          REV1 to REV2 on same branch, inclusive

     ‘:REV’
          beginning of branch to REV

     ‘REV:’
          REV to end of branch

‘-sSTATE[:REV]’
     Note: Misc common options.  Set state.

‘-t-TEXT’
‘-tFILE-NAME’
     Note: Description option.  Replace description.

‘-V’
‘-VN’
‘-xSUFF’
     Note: Misc common options.

These options have no effect, and are included solely for consistency
with other comamnds (Note: Environment): ‘-zZONE’.