Question: Topic save error

Error from TWiki like that:

Topic save error

/system/local/bin/ci -q -l -m'none' -t-none -w'guest'
/httpd/twiki/data/Main/new.txt 2>&1 1>/dev/null
/usr/local/bin/diff: not found
ci error: diff failed
ci aborted

Go back in your browser and save your changes locally. 

During save of file Main.new an error was found by the version control system. Please notify your TWiki administrator. 

Actually, the webpage has been modified already, however, it didn't update immmediately, once I want to edit same page, it gave me not updated source code of that page. I need to click "Reload" and get the updated source code.

Help me please.It is urgen, my working project due in July 17.

Thanks TWiki guys&girls.

-- YuShiChen - 11 Jul 2002

Answer

The error message indicates that the diff utility is not found. RCS calls diff during a check-in. The path to diff is determinded at build time of RCS.

Make sure you have the GNU diff installed and build RCS with the correct path to diff.

-- PeterThoeny - 12 Jul 2002

Further Query

I am having the same problem. I just rebuilt rcs having added the GNU diff to my path (i.e. before /usr/bin/) but I still seem to be getting the same problem. How to I ensure that when I build RCS that it really is using the GNU diff?

Thanks in advance.

-- SamJoseph - 25 June 2003

Answering my own query

Seems like the problem is solved - I think the change had not somehow filtered through - or my browser was caching the error page. Restarting apache a couple of times (and adding /bin:/usr/bin back to the twiki path) seem to have resolved the issue ...

• Most likely it's the PATH setting that fixed this -- RD

--SamJoseph - 25 June 2003

Answer 2: Set Path correctly

Now, I know my path for diff is wrong. Actually, both "/usr/bin/diff" and "/usr/local/bin/diff" locates in my Sun Saloris 8.0, therefore, I need to let RCS 's default path goes to "/usr/local/bin/diff" instead of going to "/usr/bin/diff". So,I change the path in .cshrc. It finally solved this problem.

Paul

The version of diff found on the PATH is tested by testenv in the Feb 2003 release, and checked to see that it is really GNU diff. This would probably have found this problem. See SupportGuidelines for details on testenv including download link.

I'm surprised that .cshrc is executed at all when running TWiki programs under CGI (though perhaps it could be as part of running the RCS commands in a sub-shell under Perl) - you normally need to edit the $safeEnvPath in TWiki.cfg to change the PATH setting, which is also more maintainable. Most people use bash or ksh as the login shell for the Apache user. Putting PATH changes into .cshrc, .bashrc, .kshrc, or whatever will break testenv's PATH checks, so that's another reason to avoid this.

-- RichardDonkin - 25 Jun 2003