VHDL Code Repositories

[chris.michael]

I'm just starting out with VHDL and I am finding that configuration
management is getting to be a major consumer of my time. In the past
when programming I would use a code repository like CVS to keep track
of what is going on and to get back to previous versions. Is this also
done for VHDL? Does anyone have a favorite for a repository for VHDL
that I can recomend to my lead designer?

~chris

 

[Mike Treseler]

Is this also done for VHDL?
Yes.

Does anyone have a favorite for a repository for VHDL
that I can recomend to my lead designer?

If I am working on my own, I use RCS because
it requires no setup and no server. But RCS
will drive you nuts with a group, because
each developer "locks" the file he is working
on until he is done with it.

CVS solves this problem, but expect to
spend day or two getting the server and
network access to it set up.

With CVS the new developer "Joe" can check
out all the committed files from the CVS server into
his own directory and hack away without
bothering Bob and Jim, who are doing the same thing.

When Joe is done he types "cvs commit" which checks
in only his changed files to the server.

Now suppose that Bob needs Joe's changes. He types
"cvs update" to get them.

At the same time Jim is putting the finishing
touches on an unrelated design entity
and does not want to add any other differences
to the mix. He defers the update until he is done.
Then he commits his changes before he worries
about trying out Joes's stuff.

CVS is free, open source, runs on dos/windows,
linux and mac. Each platform commits native
style text files and CVS does the right thing
with the line endings when a different platform
does an update.

-- Mike Treseler

 

[Michael Hordijk]

I would use a code repository like CVS to keep track

If you're comfortable with using CVS, I would highly recommend checking out
Subversion (http://subversion.tigris.org). It's what we upgraded to at work
after dealing with CVS for many years. Their self-described purpose is to
be a " a compelling replacement for CVS". The basic command line syntax is
similar, but it provides many more features than CVS, not the least of which
is the idea of versioned directories.

- hoffer

 

[chris.michael]

thanks all. It is appreciated