Re: cvs[checkout aborted]: invalid change text problem

[Larry Jones]

address@hidden writes:
> 
> The problem appears when we try to checkout
> a file within some time interval (plain cvs co works...).
> Going back in time, there are intervals where the 
> checkout is impossible and the error message
> is "invalid change text" (see details in the following).

This indicates that the RCS file is corrupt.

> In the example provided, the files
> has two revisions 1.1 and 1.2. Everything is
> OK before the date corresponding to 
> 1.1 and after the one corresponding to
> revision 1.2

Revision 1.1 is the very first revision of the file, so before that date
the file simply doesn't exist.  Revision 1.2 is the last revision of the
file, which is stored in its entirety in the RCS file and so doesn't
require applying any change text.  Thus, both of these cases naturally
work.

> We would like to know:
> 0) Is the corruption localised to few
>    files or the full repository is in danger?

It's hard to say since I have no idea what would cause this type of
corruption.

>    check_cvs.pl is OK.

I find that hard to believe, since revision 1.1 cannot be checked out
successfully.

> 1) explanation of the problem

In this case, revision 1.2 in the RCS file is a completely empty file. 
The changes for revion 1.1 try to delete lines that don't exist and add
stuff after lines that don't exist.  Obviously, revision 1.2 should
*not* be an empty file.

> 2) origin 

No idea.  CVS is *very* careful when messing with RCS files since they
are the "crown jewels", so to speak, but it's not impossible that
there's a bug lurking somewhere.  This is only the second report of this
type of corruption that I've ever seen, so it must be very rare.

> 3) fixes (there is a pair of files giving this problem)

Fixing it requires finding a correct copy of the lost revision and then
performing manual surgery on the RCS file.  If you want to send me
copies of the lost revisions and the corrupt RCS files, I'll try to fix
them for you, or I can try to explain the process if you want to try to
do it yourself.

-Larry Jones

We seem to be out of gun powder. -- Calvin