windowsperforce

How do you add an AltRoot for Windows using `p4 client` non-interactively?

I am trying to add an Windows AltRoot to my p4 client automatically in command line without needing to edit the client form interactively. I am doing this from a Linux machine. Below is the command I tried:

p4 client -o | sed "s@AltRoot:@AltRoot:\n\tN:\\\path\\\to\\\the\\\client@" | p4 client -i

However, p4 client is recognizing the drive number N: as an invalid p4 client field name.

How do we get around this?

Solution

  • Use the --field global option to edit the fields produced by a <spec> -o command. This option uses the built-in spec parser so you don't need to fiddle with regexes.

    You can then pipe the result directly to p4 client -i:

    C:\Perforce\test>p4 --field AltRoots+=N:\path\to\the\client client -o | p4 client -i
Client Samwise-dvcs-1509687817 saved.

C:\Perforce\test>p4 client -o | grep -A1 AltRoots
#  AltRoots:    Up to two alternate client workspace roots.
#  Options:     Client options:
--
AltRoots:
        N:\path\to\the\client