Global options
==============

   The available `cvs_options' (that are given to the left of
`cvs_command') are:

`--allow-root=ROOTDIR'
     Specify legal CVSROOT directory.  See *Note Password
     authentication server::.

`-b BINDIR'
     Use BINDIR as the directory where RCS programs are located.
     Overrides the setting of the `$RCSBIN' environment variable and
     any precompiled directory.  This parameter should be specified as
     an absolute pathname.

`-T TEMPDIR'
     Use TEMPDIR as the directory where temporary files are located.
     Overrides the setting of the `$TMPDIR' environment variable and
     any precompiled directory.  This parameter should be specified as
     an absolute pathname.

`-d CVS_ROOT_DIRECTORY'
     Use CVS_ROOT_DIRECTORY as the root directory pathname of the
     repository.  Overrides the setting of the `$CVSROOT' environment
     variable.  See Repository.

`-e EDITOR'
     Use EDITOR to enter revision log information.  Overrides the
     setting of the `$CVSEDITOR' and `$EDITOR' environment variables.
     For more information, see See Committing your changes.

`-f'
     Do not read the `~/.cvsrc' file.  This option is most often used
     because of the non-orthogonality of the CVS option set.  For
     example, the `cvs log' option `-N' (turn off display of tag names)
     does not have a corresponding option to turn the display on.  So
     if you have `-N' in the `~/.cvsrc' entry for `log', you may need
     to use `-f' to show the tag names.

`-H'
`--help'
     Display usage information about the specified `cvs_command' (but
     do not actually execute the command).  If you don't specify a
     command name, `cvs -H' displays overall help for CVS, including a
     list of other help options.

`-l'
     Do not log the cvs_command in the command history (but execute it
     anyway).  See history, for information on command history.

`-n'
     Do not change any files.  Attempt to execute the `cvs_command',
     but only to issue reports; do not remove, update, or merge any
     existing files, or create any new files.

     Note that CVS will not necessarily produce exactly the same output
     as without `-n'.  In some cases the output will be the same, but
     in other cases CVS will skip some of the processing that would
     have been required to produce the exact same output.

`-Q'
     Cause the command to be really quiet; the command will only
     generate output for serious problems.

`-q'
     Cause the command to be somewhat quiet; informational messages,
     such as reports of recursion through subdirectories, are
     suppressed.

`-r'
     Make new working files files read-only.  Same effect as if the
     `$CVSREAD' environment variable is set (*note Environment
     variables::.).  The default is to make working files writable,
     unless watches are on (see Watches.).

`-s VARIABLE=VALUE'
     Set a user variable (see Variables.).

`-t'
     Trace program execution; display messages showing the steps of CVS
     activity.  Particularly useful with `-n' to explore the potential
     impact of an unfamiliar command.

`-v'
`--version'
     Display version and copyright information for CVS.

`-w'
     Make new working files read-write.  Overrides the setting of the
     `$CVSREAD' environment variable.  Files are created read-write by
     default, unless `$CVSREAD' is set or `-r' is given.

`-x'
     Encrypt all communication between the client and the server.  Only
     has an effect on the CVS client.  As of this writing, this is only
     implemented when using a Kerberos connection (*note Kerberos
     authenticated::.).  Encryption support is not available by
     default; it must be enabled using a special configure option,
     `--enable-encryption', when you build CVS.

`-z GZIP-LEVEL'
     Set the compression level.  Only has an effect on the CVS client.