RE: Confusion: Removing a resource from version control

   From: Lisa Dusseault [mailto:lisa@xythos.com]

   I'm confused about this paragraph in 15.1, section 2.2.1:

   "In order to remove a resource from version control, a client can
   COPY the version-controlled resource to a temporary location,
   DELETE the version-controlled resource, and then MOVE the copy from
   the temporary location back to the original URL.  The versions
   created for that resource while it was under version control will
   continue to exist at their server-defined locations."

   I'd parse the first sentence to mean that when the COPY is done,
   only one version is created at the destination.

In order for a resource to ever "not be under version control", it is
necessary that the server not automatically put all newly created
resources under version control.  So that means that the COPY will do
the default thing, and create a non-version-controlled resource at the
destination of the COPY (but one whose content and dead properties are
the same as those of the version-controlled resource at the time of
the COPY).

   Then when the MOVE
   back is done, only one version is available at the original
   location.

After the MOVE, there are no versions available at the original
location, just the new non-version-controlled resource.
(In some generic sense of the word "version", there is a new
"version" at the original location, but in the specific sense
in which "version" is defined by DeltaV, there is no "version"
resource available at the original location.

   This has the effect of replacing 'n' versions with 1
   version, and replacing a VCR with a non-version-controlled
   (ordinary) resource.

The former, no, the latter, yes.

   Then I read the second sentence, and I get confused.  The versions
   all still exist?  Why?  What's the point?  How can that be?

Possibly the confusion is caused by the first sentence of this
paragraph.  It is not really a way to "remove a resource from
version control", but rather to "remove the resource identified
by a given URL from version control".  How about the following
rewording:

"In order to remove a resource at a given URL from version control, the
client can replace the resource under version control with a
non-version-controlled copy of that resource.  For example, a client
can COPY the version-controlled resource to a temporary location,
DELETE the version-controlled resource, and then MOVE the copy from
the temporary location back to the original URL.  Note that the
versions already created for the version-controlled resource will
continue to exist at their server-defined locations."

Is that clearer?

Cheers,
Geoff

Received on Tuesday, 12 June 2001 16:18:33 UTC