Provided by: aegis_4.24.3-3_amd64 
NAME
aegis new file - add new files to be created by a change
SYNOPSIS
aegis -New_File file-name... [ option... ]
aegis -New_File -List [ option... ]
aegis -New_File -Help
DESCRIPTION
The aegis -New_File command is used to add new files to a change. The named files will be added to the
list of files in the change.
For each file named, a new file is created in the development directory, if it does not exist already.
If the file already exists, it will not be altered.
If you want a new source file to be executable (shell scripts, for example) then you simply use the
normal chmod(1) command. If any of the file's executable bits are set at aede(1) time the file is
remembered as executable and all execute bits (minus the project's umask) will be set by subsequent
aecp(1) commands.
If you name a directory on the command line, the entire directory tree will be searched for new files.
(Note: absolutely everything will be added, including dot files and binary files, so you will need to
clean out any junk first.) Files below this named directory which are already in the change, or in the
project, will be ignored. The file_name_accept and file_name_reject patterns in the project aegis.conf
file will also be applied, see aepconf(5) for more information.
Directory Example
There are times when a command such as
$ aenf fubar/*
aegis: project "example": change 42: "fubar/glorp" already in change
aegis: project "example": change 42: found 1 fatal error, no new files added
$
will fail as shown. There are several ways to deal with this, the easiest being to simply name the
directory:
$ aenf fubar
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
You could also use the find(1) command for arbitrarily complex file selection, but you must first
exclude files that the above command excludes automatically:
$ aelcf > exclude
$ aelpf >> exclude
$ find fubar -type f | \
grep -v -f exclude | \
xargs aegis --new-file -v
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
If you aren't using the exclude list, the find(1) command will need fine tuning for your development
directory style. If you are using the symlink-style, you will need to add the find -nlink 1 option in
addition to the find -type f option.
$ find fubar -type f -nlinks 1 | \
xargs aegis --new-file -v
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/smiley" added
aegis: project "example": change 42: file "fubar/frownie" added
$
If you are using the full-copy development directory style, you will have to use the exclude list
method, above.
File Templates
When a new file is created in the development directory the project config file is searched for a
template for the new file. If a template is found, the new file will be initialized to the template,
otherwise it will be created empty. See aepconf(5) for more information.
The simplest form is to use template files, such as
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*.c" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/c abs}}";
},
{
pattern = [ "test/*/.sh" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/test abs}}";
},
];
As you can see, the template files are part of the project source, so you can add the appropriate
copyright notices, and wrappers, etc. The $source substitution locates them, if they are not part of
the current change (and they usually are not).
The template files themselves contain substitutions. The $filename substitution is available, and
contains the name of the file being created. This can be manipulated in various ways when constructing
the appropriate file contents. See aesub(5) for more information about substitutions.
It is also possible to run a command to create the new file. You can do this instead of specifying a
body string, viz:
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*" ];
body_command = "perl ${source template.pl abs} $filename";
},
];
The command is run with a current directory set to the top of the development directory. It is an error
if the command fails to create the file. You can mix-and-match the two techniques, body string and
body_command, if you want.
File Name Limitations
There are a number of controls available to limit the form of project file names. All of these controls
may be found in the project configuration file, see aepconf(5) for more information. The most
significant are briefly described here:
maximum_filename_length = integer;
This field is used to limit the length of filenames. All new files may not have path components
longer than this. Defaults to 255 if not set. For maximum portability you should set this to
14.
posix_filename_charset = boolean;
This field may be used to limit the characters allowed in filenames to only those explicitly
allowed by POSIX. Defaults to false if not set, meaning whatever your operating system will
tolerate, except white space and high-bit-on characters. For maximum portability you should set
this to true.
dos_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform to the DOS 8+3 filename limits
and to the DOS filename character set. Defaults to false if not set.
windows_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform to the Windows98 and WindowsNT
filename limits and character set. Defaults to false if not set.
shell_safe_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they do not contain shell special characters.
Defaults to true if not set. If this field is set to false, you will need to use the ${quote}
substitution around filenames in commands, to ensure that filenames containing shell special
characters do not have unintended side effects. Weird characters in filenames may also confuse
your dependency maintenance tool.
allow_white_space_in_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow white space characters in file names. This will allow the
following characters to appear in file names: backspace (BS, \b, 0x08), horizontal tab (HT, \t,
0x09), new line (NL, \n, 0x0A), vertical tab (VT, \v, 0x0B), form feed (FF, \f, 0x0C), and
carriage return (CR, \r, 0x0D). Defaults to false if not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name filters. It will be necessary to
explicitly set shell_safe_filenames = false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_filename_‐
required = false (the default) as well. It will be necessary to set posix_filename_charset =
false (the default) as well.
The user must take great care to use the ${quote} substitution around all file names in commands
in the project configuration. And even then, substitutions which expect a space separated list
of file names will have undefined results.
allow_non_ascii_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow file names with non-ascii-printable characters in them. Usually
this would mean a UTF8 or international charset of some kind. Defaults to false if not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name filters. It will be necessary to
explicitly set shell_safe_filenames = false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_filename_‐
required = false (the default) as well. It will be necessary to set posix_filename_charset =
false (the default) as well.
filename_pattern_accept = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of acceptable filenames. Defaults to "*" if
not set.
filename_pattern_reject = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of unacceptable filenames.
Please Note: Aegis also consults the underlying file system, to determine its notion of maximum file
size. Where the file system's maximum file size is less than maximum_filename_length, the filesystem
wins. This can happen, for example, when you are using the Linux UMSDOS file system, or when you have
an NFS mounted an ancient V7 filesystem. Setting maximum_filename_length to 255 in these cases does not
alter the fact that the underlying file systems limits are far smaller (12 and 14, respectively).
If your development directories (or your whole project) is on filesystems with filename limitations, or
a portion of the heterogeneous builds take place in such an environment, it helps to tell Aegis what
they are (using the project config file's fields) so that you don't run into the situation where the
project builds on the more permissive environments, but fails with mysterious errors in the more limited
environments.
If your development directories are routinely on a Linux UMSDOS filesystem, you would probably be better
off setting dos_filename_required = true, and also changing the development_directory_template field.
Heterogeneous development with various Windows environments may also require this.
File Name Interpretation
The aegis program will attempt to determine the project file names from the file names given on the
command line. All file names are stored within aegis projects as relative to the root of the baseline
directory tree. The development directory and the integration directory are shadows of this baseline
directory, and so these relative names apply here, too. Files named on the command line are first
converted to absolute paths if necessary. They are then compared with the baseline path, the
development directory path, and the integration directory path, to determine a baseline-relative name.
It is an error if the file named is outside one of these directory trees.
The -BAse_RElative option may be used to cause relative filenames to be interpreted as relative to the
baseline path; absolute filenames will still be compared with the various paths in order to determine a
baseline-relative name.
The relative_filename_preference in the user configuration file may be used to modify this default
behavior. See aeuconf(5) for more information.
Changing the Type of a File
If you want to change the type of a file (say, from a test to a source file, or vice versa) you could do
it as two changes, by first using aerm(1) in one change and then using aenf(1) or aent(1) in a second
change, or you can combine both steps in the same change. Remember to use the aerm -nowhiteout option
or you will get a most peculiar new file template.
File Action Adjustment
When this command runs, it first checks the change files against the projects files. If there are
inconsistencies, the file actions will be adjusted as follows:
create If a file is being created, but another change set is integrated which also creates the file,
the file action in the change set still being developed will be adjusted to "modify".
modify If a file is being modified, but another change set is integrated which removes the file, the
file action in the change set still being developed will be adjusted to "create".
remove If a file is being removed, but another change set is integrated which removes the file, the
file will be dropped from the change set still being developed.
Notification
The new_file_command in the project configuration file is run, if set. The project_file_command is also
run, if set, and if there has been an integration recently. See aepconf(5) for more information.
TEST CORRELATIONS
The “aegis -Test -SUGgest” command may be used to have aegis suggest suitable regression tests for your
change, based on the source files in your change. This automatically focuses testing effort to relevant
tests, reducing the number of regression tests necessary to be confident that you have not introduced a
bug.
The test correlations are generated by the “aegis -Integrate_Pass” command, which associates each test
in the change with each source file in the change. Thus, each source file accumulates a list of tests
which have been associated with it in the past. This is not as exact as code coverage analysis, but is
a reasonable approximation in practice.
The aecp(1) and aenf(1) commands are used to associate files with a change. While they do not actively
perform the association, these are the files used by aeipass(1) and aet(1) to determine which source
files are associated with which tests.
Test Correlation Accuracy
Assuming that the testing correlations are accurate and that the tests are evenly distributed across the
function space, there will be a less than 1/number chance that a relevant test has not been run by the
“aegis -Test -SUGgest number” command. A small amount of noise is added to the test weighting, so that
unexpected things are sometimes tested, and the same tests are not run every time.
Test correlation accuracy can be improved by ensuring that:
• Each change should be strongly focused, with no gratuitous file inclusions. This avoids spurious
correlations.
• Each item of new functionality should be added in an individual change, rather than several together.
This strongly correlates tests with functionality.
• Each bug should be fixed in an individual change, rather than several together. This strongly
correlates tests with functionality.
• Test correlations will be lost if files are moved. This is because correlations are by name.
The best way for tests to correlate accurately with source files is when a change contains a test and
exactly those files relating to the functionality under test. Too many spurious files will weaken the
usefulness of the testing correlations.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood
-Build
This option may be used to specify that the file is constructed during a build (often only an
integrate build), so that history of it may be kept. This is useful for generating patch files,
where a history of generated files is important. Files created in this way may not be copied
into a change, though they may be deleted. Avoid using files of this type, if at all possible.
-BAse_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be considered relative to the base of the
source tree. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
-CUrrent_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be considered relative to the current
directory. This is usually the default. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
-Change number
This option may be used to specify a particular change within a project. See aegis(1) for a
complete description of this option.
-CONFIGured
This option may be used to specify that the file is an Aegis project configuration file. The
default project configuration file is called aegis.conf, however any file name may be used. You
may also use more than one file, splitting the content across several files, all of which must
be of this type.
-Help
This option may be used to obtain more information about how to use the aegis program.
-Keep
This option may be used to retain files and/or directories usually deleted or replaced by the
command. Defaults to the user's delete_file_preference if not specified, see aeuconf(5) for
more information.
-No_Keep
This option may be used to ensure that the files and/or directories are deleted or replaced by
the command. Defaults to the user's delete_file_preference if not specified, see aeuconf(5) for
more information.
-List
This option may be used to obtain a list of suitable subjects for this command. The list may be
more general than expected.
-Not_Logging
This option may be used to disable the automatic logging of output and errors to a file. This
is often useful when several aegis commands are combined in a shell script.
-Project name
This option may be used to select the project of interest. When no -Project option is
specified, the AEGIS_PROJECT environment variable is consulted. If that does not exist, the
user's $HOME/.aegisrc file is examined for a default project field (see aeuconf(5) for more
information). If that does not exist, when the user is only working on changes within a single
project, the project name defaults to that project. Otherwise, it is an error.
-TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template should be used, even if the file
already exists.
-No_TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template should not be used, even if the file
does not exist (any empty file will be created).
-TERse
This option may be used to cause listings to produce the bare minimum of information. It is
usually useful for shell scripts.
-Verbose
This option may be used to cause aegis to produce more output. By default aegis only produces
output on errors. When used with the -List option this option causes column headings to be
added.
-Wait This option may be used to require Aegis commands to wait for access locks, if they cannot be
obtained immediately. Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified, see
aeuconf(5) for more information.
-No_Wait
This option may be used to require Aegis commands to emit a fatal error if access locks cannot
be obtained immediately. Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified, see
aeuconf(5) for more information.
See also aegis(1) for options common to all aegis commands.
All options may be abbreviated; the abbreviation is documented as the upper case letters, all lower case
letters and underscores (_) are optional. You must use consecutive sequences of optional letters.
All options are case insensitive, you may type them in upper case or lower case or a combination of
both, case is not important.
For example: the arguments "-project, "-PROJ" and "-p" are all interpreted to mean the -Project option.
The argument "-prj" will not be understood, because consecutive optional characters were not supplied.
Options and other command line arguments may be mixed arbitrarily on the command line, after the
function selectors.
The GNU long option names are understood. Since all option names for aegis are long, this means
ignoring the extra leading '-'. The "--option=value" convention is also understood.
RECOMMENDED ALIAS
The recommended alias for this command is
csh% alias aenf 'aegis -nf \!* -v'
sh$ aenf(){aegis -nf "$@" -v}
ERRORS
It is an error if the change is not in the being developed state.
It is an error if the change is not assigned to the current user.
It is an error if the file is already part of the change.
It is an error if the file is already part of the baseline.
It is an error if the files named on the command line are not normal files and not directories. (If you
need symbolic links or special files, create them at build time.)
EXIT STATUS
The aegis command will exit with a status of 1 on any error. The aegis command will only exit with a
status of 0 if there are no errors.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
See aegis(1) for a list of environment variables which may affect this command. See aepconf(5) for the project configuration file's project_specific field for how to set environment variables for all commands executed by Aegis.
SEE ALSO
aecp(1) copy files into a change aedb(1) begin development of a change aemv(1) rename a file as part of a change aenfu(1) remove new files from a change aent(1) add new tests to a change aerm(1) add files to be deleted by a change aepconf(5) project configuration file format aeuconf(5) user configuration file format
COPYRIGHT
aegis version 4.24.3.D001
Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Peter Miller
The aegis program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details use the 'aegis -VERSion License'
command. This is free software and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions; for
details use the 'aegis -VERSion License' command.
AUTHOR
Peter Miller E-Mail: millerp@canb.auug.org.au /\/\* WWW: http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~millerp/