When files are deleted from the repository, the build log looks like

....
[j2ee] $ cvs -q -z9 update -PdC
P refactoring/manifest.mf
cvs server:
refactoring/src/org/netbeans/modules/j2ee/refactoring/resources/mf-layer.xml is
no longer in the repository
[j2eeserver] $ cvs -q -z9 update -PdC
....
$ computing changelog
ERROR: cvs exited with error code 1
Command line was [Executing 'cvs' with arguments:
'-d:pserver:anoncvs@cvs.netbeans.org:/cvs'
'log'
'-d'
'>=2006-07-28'
....
'j2ee/refactoring/manifest.mf'
'j2ee/refactoring/src/org/netbeans/modules/j2ee/refactoring/resources/mf-layer.xml'

The ' characters around the executable and arguments are
not part of the command.
....

The Hudson log does not include the actual error output from CVS, which if you
try it manually is:

cvs [log aborted]: no such directory
`j2ee/refactoring/src/org/netbeans/modules/j2ee/refactoring/resources'

I think the problem is not for any file deletion, but when the last file in a
dir is deleted. Then up -dP deletes the dir, and cvs log complains that it does
not exist.

Should either

1. Skip over nonexistent dirs to avoid the error (but fail to report the deleted
files in the changelog).

2. Run cvs rlog. Note: with CVS servers run by CollabNet like netbeans.org or
dev.java.net, you need to use a special CVSROOT in order for rlog to work. E.g.:

$ cvs -d :pserver:guest@cvs.dev.java.net:/cvs rlog hudson/hudson/build.xml
lock.c:223: failed assertion `strncmp (repository,
current_parsed_root->directory, strlen (current_parsed_root->directory)) == 0'
cvs [rlog aborted]: received abort signal
lock.c:223: failed assertion `strncmp (repository,
current_parsed_root->directory, strlen (current_parsed_root->directory)) == 0'
cvs [rlog aborted]: received abort signal
$ cvs -d :pserver:guest@cvs.dev.java.net:/shared/data/ccvs/repository rlog
hudson/hudson/build.xml
[OK]

3. Temporarily resurrect CVS working dirs with the correct contents, run the
changelog, then delete them again.