RCS and SCCS

[Richard Harter]

In article <290 at intelisc.UUCP> joel at intelisc.UUCP (Joel Clark) writes:

>Can anyone explain to me how a program could store `the most recent version`
>such that each line in the file does not need to be examined to determine
>if it is in the most recent version?

There are two different ways that I know of to do this.  One is the way RCS
does it.  When the file is updated the delta is calculated in terms of carrying
the latest version to the previous version.  The delta is appended to the stored
deltas, and the previous version is replaced by the updated version.  I can't
give you the details on the other way (it is proprietary to ADC) but the
essence of the matter is the information about the lines do not have to be
stored with the lines.

-- 

In the fields of Hell where the grass grows high
Are the graves of dreams allowed to die.
	Richard Harter, SMDS  Inc.