{"id":133,"date":"2009-06-20T04:59:12","date_gmt":"2009-06-20T04:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.scmgalaxy.com\/tutorials\/2009\/06\/20\/cheat-sheet-of-perforce-command-line\/"},"modified":"2025-02-01T22:39:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T22:39:44","slug":"cheat-sheet-of-perforce-command-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/cheat-sheet-of-perforce-command-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Perforce Web References & Cheatsheet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"perforce-command-line-cheatsheet\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
A way to remember data-mining commands<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The following is a set of questions that will be used during the Perforce training to remind students which \u201cdata-mining\u201d commands to use for specific situations. Perforce is a terrific tool, but it\u2019s easy to get lost in the choices between \u201cp4 files\u201d and \u201cp4 changes\u201d and \u201cp4 filelog\u201d and so on. This list can help a great deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
the question starts with\u2026<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
the answer starts with\u2026
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Examples<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cWhat are the filenames that\u2026?\u201d<\/td>\n\u201cp4 files\u2026.\u201d<\/td>\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026#have
\np4 have
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026
\n(which is the same as)
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026#head
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026@label
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026@client
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026@2001\/02\/12
\np4 files \/\/depot\/\u2026@1541<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cWhat are the differences between the
\nworkspace copy of XXX and the depot
\ncopy of XXX?\u201d<\/td>\n		\u201cp4 diff \u2026\u201d<\/td>\n\u2022 p4 diff file.c
\n\u2022 p4 diff file.c#2
\n\u2022 p4 diff file.c#head
\n\u2022 p4 diff \/\/\u2026 or \u201cp4 diff\u201d
\n\u2022 p4 diff \u2013se<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cWhat are the differences the depot copy
\nof ______ and the depot copy of ______?\u201d<\/td>\n		\u201cp4 diff2 \u2026.\u201d<\/td>\n\u2022 p4 diff2 file1.c file2.c
\n\u2022 p4 diff2 file1.c#1 file.c#2
\n\u2022 p4 diff2 dir1\/\u2026 dir2\/\u2026
\n\u2022 p4 diff2 dir1\/\u2026@now dir1\/\u2026@2000\/01\/02<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cTell me everything about changelist #___.\u201d<\/td>\n\u201cp4 describe\u201d<\/td>\n\u2022 p4 describe 1231<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a list of changelists that\u2026.?\u201d<\/td>\n\u201cp4 changes\u2026.\u201d<\/td>\n\u2022 p4 changes
\n(which is the same as)
\np4 changes \/\/\u2026
\n\u2022 p4 changes file.c
\n\u2022 p4 changes \u2013i file.c | grep 1255
\n\u2022 p4 changes \/\/depot\/\u2026@label1,@label2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\u201cCheat Sheet\u201d of Perforce command-line<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The following list is a set of helpful commands that anyone can run, but that the person administering the Perforce codelines will
\nbe using a lot. They\u2019re included here for quick reference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n
Function<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Commands<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Create a new workspace\u2026
\n1. That\u2019s modeled after the
\n\u201c1.0dev\u201d workspace \u2013 same
\nmappings
\n2. That\u2019s the Perforce defaults,<\/td>\n		Set the workspace name using \u201cp4 set\u201d or in the environment. Then run:
\n1. p4 client \u2013t 1.0dev
\n2. p4 client<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Retrieve a file as of
\n1. Now (head revision)
\n2. April 15, 2000
\n3. Label \u201cxyz\u201d
\n4. Changelist 123456
\n5. the revision that client
\n\u201cjab.work\u201d has retrieved
\n6. The revision you had before
\naccidently bashing your disk<\/td>\n		Use \u201cp4 sync\u201d as follows:
\n1. p4 sync file.java
\np4 sync file.java#head
\np4 sync file.java@now
\n2. p4 sync file.java@2000\/04\/15
\n3. p4 sync file.java@xyz
\n4. p4 sync file.java@123456
\n5. p4 sync file.java@jab.work
\n6. p4 sync \u2013f file.java#have
\nSee \u201cp4 help revisions\u201d for more examples. Note that anywhere that \u201cfile.java\u201d is used in these
\nexamples, a full pathname (\u201cc:\\work\\projects\\file.java\u201d) or depot name
\n(\u201c\/\/depot\/rel_218\/base\/projects\/file.java\u201d) could be used.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Open a file for:
\n1. add
\n2. edit
\n3. delete
\nAnd then publish the change to others
\n.<\/td>\n		Use \u201cp4\u201d with the appropriate verb:
\n\u2022 p4 add file.java
\n\u2022 p4 edit file.java
\n\u2022 p4 delete file.java
\nThen \u201cp4 submit\u201d to publish it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What have I changed in the files I
\nhave opened for edit?<\/td>\n		\u2022 p4 diff (for all opened files)
\n\u2022 p4 diff file1 file2 (for specific files)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Undo a checkout.<\/td>\nIf the file hasn\u2019t been submitted yet:
\n\u2022 Use \u201cp4 revert \u2013a\u201d to find all opened files that have no modifications \u2013 it\u2019ll revert those.
\n\u2022 Use \u201cp4 revert file.java\u201d to revert an individual file.
\n\u2022 Use \u201cp4 revert \/\/\u2026\u201d to revert all files.
\nRemember that \u201cp4 revert\u201d is irreversible.
\nIf the file has been submitted, you\u2019ll need to open the file for edit and check in a prior revision.
\nUse very good change descriptions to say what you did and why.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Interrupt your work to edit a single
\nfile and check it in, without any other
\ndisruptions. (You\u2019re hacking Java and
\nsomeone needs a \u201crelnotes.txt\u201d
\nupdated ASAP to issue a release.)<\/td>\n		Two ways:
\n1. Edit the file and submit only that file.
\n\u2022 p4 edit relnotes.txt
\n\u2022 do the modifications
\n\u2022 p4 submit relnotes.txt
\n2. Make a new changelist to manage just that change.
\n\u2022 p4 change
\nremove all the files in this change from the Files: section, it\u2019ll create an empty
\nchange.
\n\u2022 p4 edit \u2013c XXX relnotes.txt
\nwhere XXX is the change number in the previous step
\n\u2022 p4 submit \u2013c XXX<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Publish your work to others<\/td>\n\u201cp4 submit\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Compress the data on the net
\nbecause you have a slow modem line
\nbetween your workspace and the
\nserver.<\/td>\n		Run \u201cp4 client\u201d for your workspace, and change the options from \u201cnocompress\u201d to \u201ccompress\u201d.
\n(Read \u201cp4 help client\u201d for details.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Get the list of\u2026
\n1. All changelists applied to the
\nbase codeline
\n2. \u2026 to the prodxyz codeline
\n3. \u2026 to the prodxyz codeline,
\nincluding those applied
\noriginally to another codeline
\nand integrated into prodxyz
\n4. All revisions of file.java<\/td>\n		Use \u201cp4 changes\u201d or \u201cp4 filelog\u201d as follows:
\n1. p4 changes \/\/depot\/eng\/\u2026
\n2. p4 changes \/\/depot\/eng\/prodxyz\/\u2026
\n3. p4 changes \u2013i \/\/depot\/eng\/prodxyz\/\u2026
\n4. p4 filelog file.java<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Push \u2026 from the base codeline
\n(\u201cprodxyz\u201d) to the 1.0.1 codeline
\n(\u201cprodxyz-1.0.1\u201d):
\n1. Push change #1232
\n2. From change #129 to #134
\n3. all changes in the base
\ncodeline<\/td>\n		Use \u201cp4 integrate \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1\u201d as the place to start, in each case:
\n1. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 \/\/\u2026@=1232
\n2. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 \/\/\u2026@129,@134
\n3. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 (no additional args)
\nNote that this assumes that the named branch specification \u201cprodxyz-1.0.1\u201d has been created
\nby your project lead or administrator using \u201cp4 branch\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Push \u2026 from the prodxyz-1.0.1
\ncodeline to the base (\u201cprodxyz\u201d)
\ncodeline:
\n1. Push change #1235
\n2. From change #127 to #128
\n3. all changes in the base<\/td>\n		Use \u201cp4 integrate \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1\u201d as the place to start, in each case:
\n1. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 \u2013r @=1235
\n2. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 \u2013r \/\/\u2026@127,@128
\n3. p4 integ \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1 \u2013r (no additional args)
\nThe \u201c-r\u201d reverses the order of source\/target in that named branch specification.
\nNote that for the \u2018selective integration\u2019 cases, you\u2019ll want to be VERY CAUTIOUS of \u2018accept
\ntheirs\u2019.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Show the \u2018diff\u2019 between the
\nprodxyz-1.0.1 codeline and its
\nparent<\/td>\n		\u201cp4 diff2 \u2013b prodxyz-1.0.1\u201d (This works because \u201cprodxyz\u201d is the name of the branch
\nspecification, not because \u201cprodxyz\u201d is part of \u201c\/\/depot\/prodxyz\/\u2026\u201d)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What branches do I have?<\/td>\nIf you use \u201cp4 branch\u201d to create branch specifications and use them consistently, then \u201cp4
\nbranches\u201d provides this info.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How do I make a new codeline
\nnamed prodxyz-2.0?<\/td>\n		There are several steps:
\n1. Make a named branch specification. Save it.
\n\u2022 \u201cp4 prodxyz-2.0\u201d
\n\u2022 if you want to exactly imitate another branch (e.g. prodxyz), use
\n\u201cp4 branch \u2013o prodxyz-1.0.1 > tmp\u201d to capture the output, edit this temporary file
\nand replace the \u201c1.0.1\u201d references with \u201c2.0\u201d, then run \u201cp4 branch \u2013i < tmp\u201d.
\n2. Run the \u201cp4 integrate\u201d command to populate this new codeline. Submit the change.
\n\u2022 p4 integrate \u2013b prodxyz-2.0
\nor, if you want to push content as of a certain label (e.g. \u201cxyz\u201d) from the parent,
\np4 integrate \u2013b prodxyz-2.0 \/\/\u2026@xyz
\n\u2022 p4 submit
\n3. Send e-mail telling everyone about this codeline and what it\u2019s used for.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Put everything onto a laptop, you\u2019re
\ngoing to the beach and want to hack.
\n(This assumes that you won\u2019t be
\nconnected to a net while away.)<\/td>\n		There are several steps:
\n1. Connect the laptop to the net.
\n2. Run \u201cp4 sync\u201d to populate the source onto the laptop.
\n3. Leave for the beach.
\n4. While editing, use \u201cchmod\u201d or \u201cattrib\u201d to make the files writeable. Make your changes.
\n5. Get back to work, reconnect to the net.
\n6. Run the following commands to tell you what\u2019s updated and open them for
\nadd\/edit\/delete:
\n\u2022 p4 diff \u2013se | p4 \u2013x \u2013 edit
\n\u2022 p4 diff \u2013sd | p4 \u2013x \u2013 delete
\n\u2022 find . \u2013type f \u2013print | p4 \u2013x \u2013 add
\nThen inspect what\u2019s opened (\u201cp4 opened\u201d) and what you\u2019ve changed (\u201cp4 diff\u201d). Submit or
\nrevert as appropriate.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Run a checkpoint<\/td>\n\u201cp4 admin checkpoint\u201d \u2013 only an administrator can run this. (An administrator has \u201csuper\u201d
\npermissions in the \u201cp4 protect\u201d data.)
\nBe sure to back up the checkpoint, the current journal, and each of the \u201cdepot\u201d directories on
\nthe server machine!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Change the security\/permissions<\/td>\n\u201cp4 protect\u201d \u2013 only an administrator can run this.
\nAlso\u2026
\n\u201cp4 protects\u201d \u2013 used in 2006.1 and later to TELL you your permissions .<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Make a label<\/td>\nIt\u2019s a two-step process:
\n1. Make the label using \u201cp4 label xxx\u201d
\n2. Populate it using \u201cp4 labelsync \u2013l xxx\u201d
\nor if you have a specific list of files,
\n\u201cp4 labelsync \u2013l xxx file1 file2 \u2026\u201d.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Copy a label\u2019s contents to another
\nlabel. Assume that the existing label
\nis \u201cxxx\u201d and the new label is to be
\n\u201cabc\u201d.<\/td>\n		Again, a two-step process:
\n1. Make the label using \u201cp4 label \u2013t xxx abc\u201d
\n2. Populate it using
\n\u201cp4 labelsync \u2013l abc \/\/\u2026@xxx\u201d
\nNote that the second step is really identical to the second step in the previous question \u2013 we\u2019re
\njust specifying a very specific list of revisions [of files] to include in the new label.
\n(Also\u2026
\nIn 2005.1 and later, \u201cp4 tag\u201d will make the label and apply it to a set of files.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A way to remember data-mining commands The following is a set of questions that will be used during the Perforce training to remind students which \u201cdata-mining\u201d commands to use for specific situations. Perforce is a terrific tool, but it\u2019s easy to get lost in the choices between \u201cp4 files\u201d and \u201cp4 changes\u201d and \u201cp4 filelog\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[370],"tags":[3203,824,3206,384,3210,3211,3209,2837,373,3207,3204,3205,3213,3217,3216,3214,3215,3212,3208],"class_list":["post-133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-perforce","tag-cheat-sheet","tag-command-line","tag-data-mining-commands","tag-p4","tag-p4-changes","tag-p4-filelog","tag-p4-files","tag-p4v","tag-perforce","tag-perforce-command-reference","tag-perforce-command-line","tag-perforce-command-line-cheat-sheet","tag-perforce-command-line-guide","tag-perforce-command-line-help","tag-perforce-command-line-list","tag-perforce-command-line-reference","tag-perforce-command-line-resource","tag-perforce-command-line-tutorial","tag-reference-guide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=133"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7254,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133\/revisions\/7254"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devopsschool.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}