2.6.1 modern

rcs [options] command [command-arg …]

This rcs usage dispatches to command, passing along command-arg… without interpretation.

--commands

Display a list of available commands, including a one-line description, and exit successfully.

--aliases

Display a list of command aliases and exit successfully.

--help command

Display help for a particular command and exit successfully. For example, to display help for the legacy interface, use:

--help frob

2.6.2 legacy

rcs frob [options] file …
(or “rcs” instead of “rcs frob”)

This rcs usage performs various administrative operations on the RCS file, depending on the options given.

-i

Create and initialize a new RCS file.

-L

Set strict locking.

-U

Set non-strict locking.

-M

Don’t send mail when breaking someone else’s lock.

Do not confuse this with -Mrev (see Working file mtime option).

-T

Preserve the modification time on the RCS file unless a revision is removed.

-I

-q

See Misc common options.

-alogins

Append logins (see Delim-separated list) to access-list.

-e[logins]

Erase logins (see Delim-separated list) from access-list. If logins is omitted, clear the access-list.

-Afile-name

Append access-list of file-name to current access-list.

-b[rev]

Set default branch to that of rev or highest branch on trunk if rev is omitted.

-l[rev]

Lock a revision.

-u[rev]

Unlock a revision.

-cstring

Set comment leader to string. NB: Don’t use; obsolete.

-ksubst

See Substitution mode option.

-mrev:[msg]

Replace log message with msg. See Log message option.

-nname[:[rev]]

If :rev is omitted, delete symbolic name. Otherwise, associate name with rev; name must be new.

-Nname[:[rev]]

Like -n, but overwrite any previous assignment.

-orange

Delete (also known as “outdate”) revisions in range:

rev

single revision

br

latest revision on branch br

rev1:rev2

rev1 to rev2 on same branch, inclusive

:rev

beginning of branch to rev

rev:

rev to end of branch

-sstate[:rev]

Set state (see State option).

-t-text

-tfile-name

See Description option. Replace description.

-V

-Vn

-xsuff

See Misc common options.

These options have no effect, and are included solely for consistency with other commands (see Environment): -zzone.