-vcsh - manage config files in $HOME via fake bare git repositories
+vcsh - Version Control System for $HOME - multiple Git repositories in $HOME
-# Index #
-1. Contact
-2. Introduction
-3. Overview
-4. Getting Started
-5. Usage
+# Index
-# 1 Contact #
+1. [Introduction](#introduction)
+2. [30 second howto](#30-second-howto)
+3. [Overview](#overview)
+4. [Getting Started](#getting-started)
+5. [Usage Exmaples](#usage-examples)
+6. [Contact](#contact)
-There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed
-community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life.
-* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net
+# Introduction
+
+[vcsh][vcsh] allows you to maintain several git repositories in one single
+directory. They all maintain their working trees without clobbering each other
+or interfering otherwise. By default, all git repositories maintained via
+`vcsh` are stored in `$HOME` but you can override this setting if you want to.
+All this means that you can have one repository per application or application
+family, i.e. `zsh`, `vim`, `ssh`, etc. This, in turn, allows you to clone
+custom sets of configurations onto different machines or even for different
+users; picking and mixing which configurations you want to use where.
+For example, you may not need to have your `mplayer` configuration on a server
+or available to root and you may want to maintain different configuration for
+`ssh` on your personal and your work machines.
+
+`vcsh` was designed with [mr][mr], a tool to manage Multiple Repositories, in
+mind and the two integrate very nicely. `mr` has native support for `vcsh`
+repositories and to `vcsh`, `mr` is just another configuration to track.
+This make setting up any new machine a breeze. It takes literally less than
+five minutes to go from standard installation to fully set up system
+
+A lot of modern UNIX-based systems offer pacakges for `vcsh`. In case yours
+does not read `INSTALL.md` for install instructions or `PACKAGING.md` to create
+a package, yourself. If you do end up packaging `vcsh` please let us know so we
+can give you your own packaging branch in the upstream repository.
+
+## Talks
-* Mailing list: vcs-home@lists.madduck.net
+Some people found it useful to look at slides and videos explaining how `vcsh`
+works instead of working through the docs, first.
+They can all be found [on the author's talk page][talks].
-* Pull requests or issues on https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh
-# 2 Introduction #
+# 30 second howto
-vcsh allows you to have several git repositories, all maintaining their working
-trees in $HOME without clobbering each other. That, in turn, means you can have
-one repository per config set (zsh, vim, ssh, etc), picking and choosing which
-configs you want to use on which machine.
+While it may appear that there's an overwhelming amount of documentation and
+while the explanation of the concepts behind `vcsh` needs to touch a few gory
+details of `git` internals, getting started with `vcsh` is extremely simple.
-vcsh was designed with [mr] [1] in mind so you might want to install that, as
-well.
+Let's say you want to version control your `vim` configuration:
-Read INSTALL.md for detailed setup instructions.
+ vcsh init vim
+ vcsh vim add ~/.vimrc ~/.vim
+ vcsh vim commit -m 'Initial commit of my Vim configuration'
+ # optionally push your files to a remote
+ vcsh vim remote add origin <remote>
+ vcsh vim push -u origin master
+ # from now on you can push additional commits like this
+ vcsh vim push
-The following overview will try to give you an idea of the use cases and
-advantages of vcsh. See sections 3 and 4 for detailed instructions and
-examples.
+If all that looks a _lot_ like standard `git`, that's no coincidence; it's
+a design feature.
-# 3 Overview
-## 3.1 Comparison to Other Solutions ##
+# Overview
+
+## From zero to vcsh
+
+You put a lot of effort into your configuration and want to both protect and
+distribute this configuration.
Most people who decide to put their dotfiles under version control start with a
-**single repository in $HOME**, adding all their dotfiles (and possibly more)
+single repository in `$HOME`, adding all their dotfiles (and possibly more)
to it. This works, of course, but can become a nuisance as soon as you try to
manage more than one host.
The next logical step is to create single-purpose repositories in, for example,
-~/.dotfiles and to create **symbolic links in $HOME**. This gives you the
+`~/.dotfiles` and to create symbolic links into `$HOME`. This gives you the
flexibility to check out only certain repositories on different hosts. The
downsides of this approach are the necessary manual steps of cloning and
-symlinking the individual repositories. It will probably become a nuisance when
-you try to manage more than two hosts.
+symlinking the individual repositories.
+
+`vcsh` takes this approach one step further. It enables single-purpose
+repositories and stores them in a hidden directory. However, it does not create
+symbolic links in `$HOME`; it puts the actual files right into `$HOME`.
-**vcsh** takes this second approach one step further. It expects
-**single-purpose repositories** and stores them in a hidden directory (similar
-to ~/.dotfiles). However, it does not create symbolic links in $HOME; it puts
-the **actual files right into $HOME**.
+As `vcsh` allows you to put an arbitrary number of distinct repositories into
+your `$HOME`, you will end up with a lot of repositories very quickly.
-Furthermore, by making use of [mr] [1], it makes it very easy to enable/disable
-and clone a large number of repositories. The use of mr is technically optional
-(see 4.3), but it will be an integral part of the proposed system that follows.
+To manage both `vcsh` and other repositories, we suggest using [mr](mr). `mr`
+takes care of pulling in and pushing out new data for a variety of version
+control systems.
-## 3.2 Default Directory Layout ##
+
+The last logical step is to maintain all those new repositores with an automated
+tool instead of tracking them by hand.
+This is where `mr` comes in. While the use of `mr` is technically
+optional, but it will be an integral part of the proposed system that follows.
+
+## Default Directory Layout
To illustrate, this is what a possible directory structure looks like.
|-- .mrconfig
`-- .mrtrust
-### available.d ###
+### available.d
-The files you see in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d are mr configuration files
+The files you see in $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d are mr configuration files
that contain the commands to manage (checkout, update etc.) a single
repository. vcsh repo configs end in .vcsh, git configs end in .git, etc. This
is optional and your preference. For example, this is what a zsh.vcsh
status = vcsh run zsh git status
gc = vcsh run zsh git gc
-### config.d ###
+### config.d
-$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d contains *all available* repositories. Only
+$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d contains *all available* repositories. Only
files/links present in mr/config.d, however, will be used by mr. That means
that in this example, only the zsh, gitconfigs, tmux and vim repositories will
be checked out. A simple `mr update` run in $HOME will clone or update those
four repositories listed in config.d.
-### ~/.mrconfig ###
+### ~/.mrconfig
Finally, ~/.mrconfig will tie together all those single files which will allow
you to conveniently run `mr up` etc. to manage all repositories. It looks like
[DEFAULT]
jobs = 5
- include = cat $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/*
+ # Use if your mr does not have vcsh support in mainline, yet
+ include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh
+ include = cat ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/mr/config.d/*
-### repo.d ###
+### repo.d
-$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vcsh/repo.d is the directory where all git repositories which
+$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/vcsh/repo.d is the directory where all git repositories which
are under vcsh's control are located. Since their working trees are configured
to be in $HOME, the files contained in those repositories will be put in $HOME
directly.
-Of course, [mr] [1] will work with this layout if configured according to this
+Of course, [mr] [mr] will work with this layout if configured according to this
document (see above).
vcsh will check if any file it would want to create exists. If it exists, vcsh
Optionally, merge your local and your global configs afterwards and push with
`vcsh run foo git push`.
-## 3.3 Moving into a New Host ##
+## Moving into a New Host
To illustrate further, the following steps could move your desired
configuration to a new host.
1. Clone the mr repository (containing available.d, config.d etc.); for
- example: `vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git`
+ example: `vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr`
2. Choose your repositories by linking them in config.d (or go with the default
you may have already configured by adding symlinks to git).
-3. Run mr to clone the repositories: `cd; mr update`.
-4. Done.
+3. Make sure the line 'include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh' in .mrconfig points
+ to an existing file
+4. Run mr to clone the repositories: `cd; mr update`.
+5. Done.
Hopefully the above could help explain how this approach saves time by
If you want to give vcsh a try, follow the instructions below.
-# 4 Getting Started #
+
+# Getting Started
Below, you will find a few different methods for setting up vcsh:
2. The Steal-from-Template Way
3. The Manual Way
-### 4.1 The Template Way ###
+### The Template Way
-#### 4.1.1 Prerequisites ####
+#### Prerequisites
Make sure none of the following files and directories exist for your test
(user). If they do, move them away for now:
* ~/.gitignore.d
* ~/.mrconfig
-* $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/mr.vcsh
-* $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/available.d/zsh.vcsh
-* $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/mr.vcsh
-* $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vcsh/repo.d/mr.git/
+* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d/mr.vcsh
+* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/available.d/zsh.vcsh
+* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/mr/config.d/mr.vcsh
+* $XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/vcsh/repo.d/mr.git/
All of the files are part of the template repository, the directory is where
the template will be stored.
apt-get install mr
-#### 4.1.2 Clone the Template ####
+#### Install vcsh
+
+#### Debian
+
+If you are using Debian Squeeze, you will need to enable backports
+
+ apt-get install vcsh
+
+#### Arch Linux
+
+vcsh is availabe via [AUR](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=54164)
+and further documentation about the use of AUR is available
+[on Arch's wiki](https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_User_Repository).
+
+ cd /var/abs/local/
+ wget https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/vc/vcsh-git/vcsh-git.tar.gz
+ tar xfz vcsh-git.tar.gz
+ cd vcsh-git
+ makepkg -s
+ pacman -U vcsh*.pkg.tar.xz
+#### From source
+
+If your version of mr is older than version 1.07, make sure to put
+
+ include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh
+
+into your .mrconfig .
+
+ # choose a location for your checkout
+ cd $HOME
mkdir -p ~/work/git
- cd !$
- git clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh.git vcsh
+ git clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh.git
cd vcsh
- ln -s vcsh /usr/local/bin # or add it to your PATH
+ ln -s vcsh /usr/local/bin # or add it to your PATH
cd
- vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr.vcsh
-#### 4.1.3 Enable Your Test Repository ####
+#### Clone the Template
+
+ vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr
+
+#### Enable Your Test Repository
mv ~/.zsh ~/zsh.bak
mv ~/.zshrc ~/zshrc.bak
cd
mr up
-#### 4.1.4 Set Up Your Own Repositories ####
+#### Set Up Your Own Repositories
Now, it's time to edit the template config and fill it with your own remotes:
Done!
-### 4.2 The Steal-from-Template Way ###
+### The Steal-from-Template Way
You're welcome to clone the example repository:
- git clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git
+ vcsh clone git://github.com/RichiH/vcsh_mr_template.git mr
+ # make sure 'include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh' points to an exiting file
+ vim .mrconfig
Look around in the clone. It should be reasonably simple to understand. If not,
poke me, RichiH, on Freenode (query) or OFTC (#vcs-home).
-### 4.3 The Manual Way ###
+### The Manual Way
This is how my old setup procedure looked like. Adapt it to your own style or
copy mine verbatim, either is fine.
~ % cat ~/.mrconfig
[DEFAULT]
+ # adapt /usr/share/mr/vcsh to your system if needed
+ include = cat /usr/share/mr/vcsh
include = cat $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mr/config.d/*
~ % echo $XDG_CONFIG_HOME
/home/richih/.config
~ % cd
~ % mr -j 5 up
-# 5 Usage #
-### 5.1 Keeping repositories Up-to-Date ###
+# Usage Examples
+
+All examples in this section will use the short form of `vcsh` which is the
+simplest way to interface with it. If you don't know what that means simply
+ignore this fact for now and follow the examples.
+
+## Initialize a new repository "vim"
+
+ vcsh init vim
+
+## Clone an existing repository
+
+ vcsh clone <remote> <repository_name>
+
+## Add files to repository "vim"
+
+ vcsh vim add ~/.vimrc ~/.vim
+ vcsh vim commit -m 'Update Vim configuration'
+
+## Add a remote for repository "vim"
+
+ vcsh vim remote add origin <remote>
+ vcsh vim push origin master:master
+ vcsh vim branch --track master origin/master
+
+## Push to remote of repository "vim"
+
+ vcsh vim push
+
+## Pull from remote of repository "vim"
+
+ vcsh vim pull
+
+
+# mr usage ; will be factored out & rewritten
+
+### Keeping repositories Up-to-Date
This is the beauty of it all. Once you are set up, just run:
Neat.
-### 5.1 Making Changes ###
+### Making Changes
After you have made some changes, for which you would normally use `git add`
and `git commit`, use the vcsh wrapper (like above):
will be ignored by default. This is to show you only useful output when running
git-status. A fix for this problem is being worked on.
-### 5.3 Using vcsh without mr ###
+### Using vcsh without mr
-vcsh encourages you to use [mr] [1]. It helps you manage a large number of
+vcsh encourages you to use [mr][mr]. It helps you manage a large number of
repositories by running the necessary vcsh commands for you. You may choose not
to use mr, in which case you will have to run those commands manually or by
other means.
-#### A Few Examples ####
To initialize a new repository: `vcsh init zsh`
vcsh run $repo git pull;
done
-----------
-mr can be found at: [http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/][1]
+# Contact
+
+There are several ways to get in touch with the author and a small but committed
+community around the general idea of version controlling your (digital) life.
+
+* IRC: #vcs-home on irc.oftc.net
+
+* Mailing list: [http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home][vcs-home-list]
+
+* Pull requests or issues on [https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh][vcsh]
+
-[1]: http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/ (http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/)
+[mr]: http://kitenet.net/~joey/code/mr/
+[talks]: http://richardhartmann.de/talks/
+[vcsh]: https://github.com/RichiH/vcsh
+[vcs-home-list]: http://lists.madduck.net/listinfo/vcs-home
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