Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Newbie - don't quite understand tagging method

[Robert Anderson]

I apologize upfront for my horrible mail program's inadequacies.

--- Original Message ---
From: Alan Chandler <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden
Subject: [Gnu-arch-users] Newbie - don't quite understand tagging
method

>I was working my way through arch meets hello-world - in order
to put by web 
>site under arch's control prior to making some changes.  Because
of a lot 
>files, I didn't fancy using the tla add command on each file
that the 
>tutorial recommends but instead changed the tagging-method to
tagline, and 
>then imported the top directory.

While this "works," I think it is not what you wanted.  It is
usually better to add inline taglines directly into your source
files when possible.  This is, generally speaking, the intended
usage of the tagline method.  What you have done instead is to
have tla automatically generate tags based on the file names. 
This does not allow for renaming or moving of files with retained
history.

>I am now confused however.

This is a common conceptual hurdle.  A little practice needed to
"get it."

>
>1) The tutorial speaks of the tla add command.  Does it mean the
tla add-tag 
>command? [also mentions the move and delete commands]

I haven't looked at the tutorial in awhile but suspect it is out
of date.  There have been some ui changes recently and the
tutorial has not, as far as I know, always been kept up to date.

>2) If I now add new files or directories to the project with the
tagline 
>tagging method do I need to tla add-tag?

Use add-tag for directories.  Add taglines into files where
possible.  When that's not desired or feasible, use add-tag to
create tags for the files.

>3) Similarly if I delete files/directories - do I have to
delete-tag?

For directories: no.

For files:  If they have been added explicitly, i.e., using the
add-tag, yes.  If they had inline tags, no.

>4)I have moved a file to a subdirectory and changed its name. 
But I can't do 
>a tla move-tag (error message about missing files or directory).
 So how do I 
>inform arch that this is the same file thats moved.  [If that
means changing 
>the tagging-method back to explicit, do I need to go back and 
tla add-tag 
>every file?]

You can't, assuming you used "name based" tags for your initial
import (which it sounds like you did.)

You probably want to start over, either using inline tags for
everything, a mix of inline tags and explicit tags (if you would
like inline tags but can't use them in all cases), or you may
want to use explicit tags for everything.  Your choice.

Inline tags have the nice property that moves/renames require no
new operations for arch to recognize them.  You could use a GUI
file manager to rearrange a tree, for example.  Explicit tags
have the subjectively nice property of not requiring the tagline
in your controlled files.


Bob