NAME
aegis new file - add new files to be created by a change
SYNOPSIS
aegis -New_File file-name... [ option... ]
aegis -New_File -List [ option... ]
aegis -New_File -Help
DESCRIPTION
The aegis -New_File command is used to add new files to a change. The
named files will be added to the list of files in the change.
For each file named, a new file is created in the development
directory, if it does not exist already. If the file already exists,
it will not be altered.
If you want a new source file to be executable (shell scripts, for
example) then you simply use the normal chmod(1) command. If any of
the file’s executable bits are set at aede(1) time the file is
remembered as executable and all execute bits (minus the project’s
umask) will be set by subsequent aecp(1) commands.
If you name a directory on the command line, the entire directory tree
will be searched for new files. (Note: absolutely everything will be
added, including dot files and binary files, so you will need to clean
out any junk first.) Files below this named directory which are
already in the change, or in the project, will be ignored. The
file_name_accept and file_name_reject patterns in the project
aegis.conf file will also be applied, see aepconf(5) for more
information.
Directory Example
There are times when a command such as
$ aenf fubar/*
aegis: project "example": change 42: "fubar/glorp" already in
change
aegis: project "example": change 42: found 1 fatal error, no new
files added
$
will fail as shown. There are several ways to deal with this, the
easiest being to simply name the directory:
$ aenf fubar
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
You could also use the find(1) command for arbitrarily complex file
selection, but you must first exclude files that the above command
excludes automatically:
$ aelcf > exclude
$ aelpf >> exclude
$ find fubar -type f | \
grep -v -f exclude | \
xargs aegis --new-file -v
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
If you aren’t using the exclude list, the find(1) command will need
fine tuning for your development directory style. If you are using the
symlink-style, you will need to add the find -nlink 1 option in
addition to the find -type f option.
$ find fubar -type f -nlinks 1 | \
xargs aegis --new-file -v
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
If you are using the full-copy development directory style, you will
have to use the exclude list method, above.
File Templates
When a new file is created in the development directory the project
config file is searched for a template for the new file. If a template
is found, the new file will be initialized to the template, otherwise
it will be created empty. See aepconf(5) for more information.
The simplest form is to use template files, such as
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*.c" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/c abs}}";
},
{
pattern = [ "test/*/.sh" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/test abs}}";
},
];
As you can see, the template files are part of the project source, so
you can add the appropriate copyright notices, and wrappers, etc. The
$source substitution locates them, if they are not part of the current
change (and they usually are not).
The template files themselves contain substitutions. The $filename
substitution is available, and contains the name of the file being
created. This can be manipulated in various ways when constructing the
appropriate file contents. See aesub(5) for more information about
substitutions.
It is also possible to run a command to create the new file. You can
do this instead of specifying a body string, viz:
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*" ];
body_command = "perl ${source template.pl abs} $filename";
},
];
The command is run with a current directory set to the top of the
development directory. It is an error if the command fails to create
the file. You can mix-and-match the two techniques, body string and
body_command, if you want.
File Name Limitations
There are a number of controls available to limit the form of project
file names. All of these controls may be found in the project
configuration file, see aepconf(5) for more information. The most
significant are briefly described here:
maximum_filename_length = integer;
This field is used to limit the length of filenames. All new
files may not have path components longer than this. Defaults
to 255 if not set. For maximum portability you should set this
to 14.
posix_filename_charset = boolean;
This field may be used to limit the characters allowed in
filenames to only those explicitly allowed by POSIX. Defaults
to false if not set, meaning whatever your operating system
will tolerate, except white space and high-bit-on characters.
For maximum portability you should set this to true.
dos_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform
to the DOS 8+3 filename limits and to the DOS filename
character set. Defaults to false if not set.
windows_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform
to the Windows98 and WindowsNT filename limits and character
set. Defaults to false if not set.
shell_safe_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they do not
contain shell special characters. Defaults to true if not set.
If this field is set to false, you will need to use the
${quote} substitution around filenames in commands, to ensure
that filenames containing shell special characters do not have
unintended side effects. Weird characters in filenames may
also confuse your dependency maintenance tool.
allow_white_space_in_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow white space characters in file
names. This will allow the following characters to appear in
file names: backspace (BS, \b, 0x08), horizontal tab (HT, \t,
0x09), new line (NL, \n, 0x0A), vertical tab (VT, \v, 0x0B),
form feed (FF, \f, 0x0C), and carriage return (CR, \r, 0x0D).
Defaults to false if not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name filters.
It will be necessary to explicitly set shell_safe_filenames =
false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_filename_
required = false (the default) as well. It will be necessary
to set posix_filename_charset = false (the default) as well.
The user must take great care to use the ${quote} substitution
around all file names in commands in the project configuration.
And even then, substitutions which expect a space separated
list of file names will have undefined results.
allow_non_ascii_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow file names with non-ascii-
printable characters in them. Usually this would mean a UTF8
or international charset of some kind. Defaults to false if
not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name filters.
It will be necessary to explicitly set shell_safe_filenames =
false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_filename_
required = false (the default) as well. It will be necessary
to set posix_filename_charset = false (the default) as well.
filename_pattern_accept = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of acceptable
filenames. Defaults to "*" if not set.
filename_pattern_reject = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of
unacceptable filenames.
Please Note: Aegis also consults the underlying file system, to
determine its notion of maximum file size. Where the file system’s
maximum file size is less than maximum_filename_length, the filesystem
wins. This can happen, for example, when you are using the Linux
UMSDOS file system, or when you have an NFS mounted an ancient V7
filesystem. Setting maximum_filename_length to 255 in these cases does
not alter the fact that the underlying file systems limits are far
smaller (12 and 14, respectively).
If your development directories (or your whole project) is on
filesystems with filename limitations, or a portion of the
heterogeneous builds take place in such an environment, it helps to
tell Aegis what they are (using the project config file’s fields) so
that you don’t run into the situation where the project builds on the
more permissive environments, but fails with mysterious errors in the
more limited environments.
If your development directories are routinely on a Linux UMSDOS
filesystem, you would probably be better off setting
dos_filename_required = true, and also changing the
development_directory_template field. Heterogeneous development with
various Windows environments may also require this.
File Name Interpretation
The aegis program will attempt to determine the project file names from
the file names given on the command line. All file names are stored
within aegis projects as relative to the root of the baseline directory
tree. The development directory and the integration directory are
shadows of this baseline directory, and so these relative names apply
here, too. Files named on the command line are first converted to
absolute paths if necessary. They are then compared with the baseline
path, the development directory path, and the integration directory
path, to determine a baseline-relative name. It is an error if the
file named is outside one of these directory trees.
The -BAse_RElative option may be used to cause relative filenames to be
interpreted as relative to the baseline path; absolute filenames will
still be compared with the various paths in order to determine a
baseline-relative name.
The relative_filename_preference in the user configuration file may be
used to modify this default behavior. See aeuconf(5) for more
information.
Changing the Type of a File
If you want to change the type of a file (say, from a test to a source
file, or vice versa) you could do it as two changes, by first using
aerm(1) in one change and then using aenf(1) or aent(1) in a second
change, or you can combine both steps in the same change. Remember to
use the aerm -nowhiteout option or you will get a most peculiar new
file template.
File Action Adjustment
When this command runs, it first checks the change files against the
projects files. If there are inconsistencies, the file actions will be
adjusted as follows:
create If a file is being created, but another change set is
integrated which also creates the file, the file action in the
change set still being developed will be adjusted to "modify".
modify If a file is being modified, but another change set is
integrated which removes the file, the file action in the
change set still being developed will be adjusted to "create".
remove If a file is being removed, but another change set is
integrated which removes the file, the file will be dropped
from the change set still being developed.
Notification
The new_file_command in the project configuration file is run, if set.
The project_file_command is also run, if set, and if there has been an
integration recently. See aepconf(5) for more information.
TEST CORRELATIONS
The “aegis -Test -SUGgest” command may be used to have aegis suggest
suitable regression tests for your change, based on the source files in
your change. This automatically focuses testing effort to relevant
tests, reducing the number of regression tests necessary to be
confident that you have not introduced a bug.
The test correlations are generated by the “aegis -Integrate_Pass”
command, which associates each test in the change with each source file
in the change. Thus, each source file accumulates a list of tests
which have been associated with it in the past. This is not as exact
as code coverage analysis, but is a reasonable approximation in
practice.
The aecp(1) and aenf(1) commands are used to associate files with a
change. While they do not actively perform the association, these are
the files used by aeipass(1) and aet(1) to determine which source files
are associated with which tests.
Test Correlation Accuracy
Assuming that the testing correlations are accurate and that the tests
are evenly distributed across the function space, there will be a less
than 1/number chance that a relevant test has not been run by the
“aegis -Test -SUGgest number” command. A small amount of noise is
added to the test weighting, so that unexpected things are sometimes
tested, and the same tests are not run every time.
Test correlation accuracy can be improved by ensuring that:
· Each change should be strongly focused, with no gratuitous file
inclusions. This avoids spurious correlations.
· Each item of new functionality should be added in an individual
change, rather than several together. This strongly correlates tests
with functionality.
· Each bug should be fixed in an individual change, rather than several
together. This strongly correlates tests with functionality.
· Test correlations will be lost if files are moved. This is because
correlations are by name.
The best way for tests to correlate accurately with source files is
when a change contains a test and exactly those files relating to the
functionality under test. Too many spurious files will weaken the
usefulness of the testing correlations.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood
-Build
This option may be used to specify that the file is constructed
during a build (often only an integrate build), so that history
of it may be kept. This is useful for generating patch files,
where a history of generated files is important. Files created
in this way may not be copied into a change, though they may be
deleted. Avoid using files of this type, if at all possible.
-BAse_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be
considered relative to the base of the source tree. See
aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
-CUrrent_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be
considered relative to the current directory. This is usually
the default. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user
preference.
-Change number
This option may be used to specify a particular change within a
project. See aegis(1) for a complete description of this
option.
-CONFIGured
This option may be used to specify that the file is an Aegis
project configuration file. The default project configuration
file is called aegis.conf, however any file name may be used.
You may also use more than one file, splitting the content
across several files, all of which must be of this type.
-Help
This option may be used to obtain more information about how to
use the aegis program.
-Keep
This option may be used to retain files and/or directories
usually deleted or replaced by the command. Defaults to the
user’s delete_file_preference if not specified, see aeuconf(5)
for more information.
-No_Keep
This option may be used to ensure that the files and/or
directories are deleted or replaced by the command. Defaults
to the user’s delete_file_preference if not specified, see
aeuconf(5) for more information.
-List
This option may be used to obtain a list of suitable subjects
for this command. The list may be more general than expected.
-Not_Logging
This option may be used to disable the automatic logging of
output and errors to a file. This is often useful when several
aegis commands are combined in a shell script.
-Project name
This option may be used to select the project of interest.
When no -Project option is specified, the AEGIS_PROJECT
environment variable is consulted. If that does not exist, the
user’s $HOME/.aegisrc file is examined for a default project
field (see aeuconf(5) for more information). If that does not
exist, when the user is only working on changes within a single
project, the project name defaults to that project. Otherwise,
it is an error.
-TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template
should be used, even if the file already exists.
-No_TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template
should not be used, even if the file does not exist (any empty
file will be created).
-TERse
This option may be used to cause listings to produce the bare
minimum of information. It is usually useful for shell
scripts.
-Verbose
This option may be used to cause aegis to produce more output.
By default aegis only produces output on errors. When used
with the -List option this option causes column headings to be
added.
-Wait This option may be used to require Aegis commands to wait for
access locks, if they cannot be obtained immediately. Defaults
to the user’s lock_wait_preference if not specified, see
aeuconf(5) for more information.
-No_Wait
This option may be used to require Aegis commands to emit a
fatal error if access locks cannot be obtained immediately.
Defaults to the user’s lock_wait_preference if not specified,
see aeuconf(5) for more information.
See also aegis(1) for options common to all aegis commands.
All options may be abbreviated; the abbreviation is documented as the
upper case letters, all lower case letters and underscores (_) are
optional. You must use consecutive sequences of optional letters.
All options are case insensitive, you may type them in upper case or
lower case or a combination of both, case is not important.
For example: the arguments "-project, "-PROJ" and "-p" are all
interpreted to mean the -Project option. The argument "-prj" will not
be understood, because consecutive optional characters were not
supplied.
Options and other command line arguments may be mixed arbitrarily on
the command line, after the function selectors.
The GNU long option names are understood. Since all option names for
aegis are long, this means ignoring the extra leading ’-’. The
"--option=value" convention is also understood.
RECOMMENDED ALIAS
The recommended alias for this command is
csh% alias aenf ’aegis -nf \!* -v’
sh$ aenf(){aegis -nf "$@" -v}
ERRORS
It is an error if the change is not in the being developed state.
It is an error if the change is not assigned to the current user.
It is an error if the file is already part of the change.
It is an error if the file is already part of the baseline.
It is an error if the files named on the command line are not normal
files and not directories. (If you need symbolic links or special
files, create them at build time.)
EXIT STATUS
The aegis command will exit with a status of 1 on any error. The aegis
command will only exit with a status of 0 if there are no errors.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
See aegis(1) for a list of environment variables which may affect this
command. See aepconf(5) for the project configuration file’s project_
specific field for how to set environment variables for all commands
executed by Aegis.
SEE ALSO
aecp(1) copy files into a change
aedb(1) begin development of a change
aemv(1) rename a file as part of a change
aenfu(1)
remove new files from a change
aent(1) add new tests to a change
aerm(1) add files to be deleted by a change
aepconf(5)
project configuration file format
aeuconf(5)
user configuration file format
COPYRIGHT
aegis version 4.24.3.D001
Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Peter
Miller
The aegis program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details use
the ’aegis -VERSion License’ command. This is free software and you
are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions; for details
use the ’aegis -VERSion License’ command.
AUTHOR
Peter Miller E-Mail: millerp@canb.auug.org.au
/\/\* WWW: http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~millerp/