co

co [

options

] 

files

Retrieve a previously checked-in revision, and place it in the corresponding working file (or print to standard output if -p is specified). If you intend to edit the working file and check it in again, specify -l to lock the file. co accepts the standard options -q , -V , and -x .

Options

-d date

Retrieve latest revision whose check-in timestamp is on or before date .

-f[ R ]

Force the working file to be overwritten.

-I[ R ]

Interactive mode; prompt user even when standard input is not a terminal. (New in RCS Version 5.)

-j R2 : R3

This works like rcsmerge . R2 and R3 specify two revisions whose changes are merged into a third file: either the corresponding working file, or a third revision (any R specified by other co options).

-k c

Expand keyword symbols according to flag c . c can be:

kv

Expand symbols to keyword and value (the default). Insert the locker's name only during a ci -l or co -l .

kvl

Like kv , but always insert the locker's name.

k

Expand symbols to keywords only (no values). This is useful for ignoring trivial differences during file comparison.

o

Expand symbols to keyword and value present in previous revision. This is useful for binary files that don't allow substring changes.

v

Expand symbols to values only (no keywords). This prevents further keyword substitution and is not recommended.

-l[ R ]

Same as -r , but also lock the retrieved revision.

-M[ R ]

Set the working file's modification time to that of the retrieved version. Use of -M can confuse make and should be used with care. (New in RCS Version 5.6.)

-p[ R ]

Send retrieved revision to standard output instead of to a working file. Useful for output redirection or filtering.

-r[ R ]

Retrieve the latest revision or, if R is given, retrieve the latest revision that is equal to or lower than R .

-s state

Retrieve the latest revision having the given state .

-u[ R ]

Same as -r , but also unlock the retrieved revision if you locked it previously.

-w[ user ]

Retrieve the latest revision that was checked in either by the invoking user or by the specified user .

Examples

Sort the latest stored version of file :

co -p 



file

 | sort

Check out (and lock) all uppercase filenames for editing:

co -l [A-Z]*

Note that filename expansion fails unless a working copy resides in the current directory. Therefore, this example works only if the files were previously checked in via ci -u . Finally, here are some different ways to extract the working files for a set of RCS files (in the current directory):

co -r3 *,v

	
Latest revisions of release 3



co -r3 -wjim *,v

	
Same, but only if checked in by jim



co -d'May 5, 2 pm LT' *,v

	
Latest revisions that were

	
modified on or before the date



co -rPrototype *,v

	
Latest revisions named Prototype