CVS add directory / error "there is no version, do` cvs checkout 'first "

Question

Using a terminal (on Mac OSX 10.8.x) whenever I try to add a directory to my project

project_root jacob$ cvs add foo/ project_root jacob$ cvs add ./shared/foo/ project_root jacob$ cvs add /full/path/foo/ 

CVS complains:

 cvs add: in directory `.': cvs [add aborted]: there is no version here; do `cvs checkout' first 

In addition, I heard that cvs does not like to create empty directories, and he does not like to create a directory with only internal directories (without immediate child files), so inside foo/ an empty file called blank.txt .

Running cvs checkout project does not help.

This post is ridiculous; obviously there is no version - why is it called add !

PS Unfortunately, upgrading to svn / git is not an option at this time.

Answer 1

OMG, cvs is a terrible joke: the current working directory must be the immediate parent of the directory being added:

 project_root jacob$ cd shared/ project_root jacob$ cvs add foo/ Directory /…/foo added to the repository 

a source

Answer 2

The parent folder must first be added to the repository. This is a standard error message from the cvs executable.