comb(1)                                                      comb(1)


       NAME
             comb - combine SCCS deltas

       SYNOPSIS
             comb [-o] [-s] [-pSID] [-clist] file . . .

       DESCRIPTION
             comb generates a shell procedure [see sh(1)] that, when run,
             reconstructs the given SCCS files.  The reconstructed files
             are typically smaller than the original files.  The arguments
             may be specified in any order, but all keyletter arguments
             apply to all named SCCS files.  If a directory is named, comb
             behaves as though each file in the directory were specified as
             a named file, except that non-SCCS files (last component of
             the path name does not begin with s.)  and unreadable files
             are silently ignored.  If a name of - is given, the standard
             input is read; each line of the input is taken to be the name
             of an SCCS file to be processed; non-SCCS files and unreadable
             files are silently ignored.  The generated shell procedure is
             written on the standard output.

             The keyletter arguments are as follows.  Each argument is
             explained as if only one named file is to be processed, but
             the effects of any keyletter argument apply independently to
             each named file.

             -o    For each get -e, this argument causes the reconstructed
                   file to be accessed at the release of the delta to be
                   created, otherwise the reconstructed file would be
                   accessed at the most recent ancestor.  Use of the -o
                   keyletter may decrease the size of the reconstructed
                   SCCS file.  It may also alter the shape of the delta
                   tree of the original file.

             -s    This argument causes comb to generate a shell procedure
                   that, when run, produces a report that gives for each
                   file: the file name, size (in blocks) after combining,
                   original size (also in blocks), and percentage change
                   computed by:
                         100 * (original - combined) / original

                   It is recommended that before any SCCS files are
                   actually combined, one should use this option to
                   determine exactly how much space is saved by the
                   combining process.



                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1

      comb(1)                                                      comb(1)


            -pSID The SCCS identification string (SID) of the oldest delta
                  to be preserved.  All older deltas are discarded in the
                  reconstructed file.

            -c list
                  A list of deltas to be preserved.  All other deltas are
                  discarded.  See get(1) for the syntax of a list.

            If no keyletter arguments are specified, comb preserves only
            leaf deltas and the minimal number of ancestors needed to
            preserve the tree.

      FILES
            s.COMB        the reconstructed SCCS file
            comb?????     temporary file
            /usr/lib/locale/locale/LC_MESSAGES/uxepu
                          language-specific message file [See LANG on
                          environ (5).]

      REFERENCES
            admin(1), delta(1), get(1), help(1), prs(1), sccsfile(4),
            sh(1)

      DIAGNOSTICS
            Use help(1) for explanations.

      NOTICES
            comb may rearrange the shape of the tree of deltas.

            comb may not save any space; in fact, it is possible for the
            reconstructed file to be larger than the original.

















                          Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 2