first draft version -- not really tested yet but the framework was and it sounds OK

diff --git a/scripts/import-module.sh b/scripts/import-module.sh
new file mode 100755 (executable)
index 0000000..6151508
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/import-module.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+# $Id$
+#
+
+date=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
+
+#### REVIEW this carefully
+module=new_plc_api
+cvstag=planetlab-4_0-rc3
+previous=002-rc3-2007-05-02
+next=003-${cvstag}-${date}
+
+####
+svn="svn+ssh://thierry@svn.one-lab.org/svn"
+cvs=":pserver:anon@cvs.planet-lab.org:/cvs"
+import=$HOME/import-$module-$date
+
+
+function message () {
+  echo -n '-------------------- '
+  echo $@
+  echo -n 'Enter return to proceed .. '
+  read x
+}
+
+function run () {
+  echo -n '-------------------- '
+  message="$1" ; shift
+  echo $message
+  
+  echo -n 'PWD=' ; pwd
+  echo RUNNING $@
+  $@
+}
+
+function run_prompt () {
+  default="$1" ; shift
+  message="$1" ; shift
+  case "$default" in
+    y|Y) label="[y]/n" ;;
+    n|N) label="y/[n]" ;;
+    *) label="y/n (no default)" ;;
+  esac
+
+  echo -n '-------------------- '
+  echo $message
+  
+  echo -n 'PWD= ' ; pwd 
+  echo -n "want to run $@ $label ? "
+  read answer
+  [ -z "$answer" ] && answer=$default
+  while true; do
+    case $answer in
+      y|Y)
+       $@
+       break
+       ;;
+      n|N)
+       echo 'Skipped'
+       break
+       ;;
+      *)
+       echo 'Please enter y or n'
+       ;;
+    esac
+  done
+}
+
+function run_loop () {
+  message="$1" ; shift
+  while true; do
+    echo -n '-------------------- '
+    echo $message
+    echo -n PWD= ; pwd
+    echo Running $@
+    $@
+    echo -n 'OK ? y/[n] '
+    read answer
+    [ -z "$answer" ] && answer=n
+    case $answer in
+      y|Y)
+       break ;;
+      *) ;;
+  esac
+done
+}
+
+### echoes OK on stdout if url exists
+function svn_url_check () {
+   url=$1; shift
+   svn list $url &> /dev/null && echo OK
+}
+
+### return 'y' or 'n' for being used as prompt
+function svn_url_needs_creation () {
+   url=$1; shift
+   if [ -n "$(svn_url_check $url)" ] ; then echo n ; else echo y ; fi
+}
+
+function dir_needs_creation () {
+   dir=$1; shift
+   if [ -d "$dir" ] ; then echo n ; else echo y ; fi
+}
+
+##############################
+##############################
+##############################
+
+cat <<EOF
+####### WARNING
+
+ this script is quite rough and should be used with care
+
+ I am slowly trying to automate this painful process,
+
+ so again : USE WITH CARE
+
+module=$module
+previous=$previous
+next=$next
+cvstag=$cvstag
+ 
+svn=$svn
+cvs=$cvs
+date=$date
+import=$import
+####### WARNING
+
+EOF
+
+function run_test () {
+  message Hi there
+  run_prompt n "going to /etc" cd /etc
+  run_prompt y "going to /etc" cd /etc
+  run_prompt y "Cleaning up /foobar" rmdir /foobar
+  run_prompt $(dir_needs_creation /foobar) "create unexisting dir /foobar" mkdir /foobar
+  run_prompt $(dir_needs_creation /var) "create existing dir /var" mkdir /var
+  run_prompt y "Cleaning up /foobar" rmdir /foobar
+  
+  run_loop "Check this and that" ls -ls passwd
+  run "Listing passwd" ls -ls passwd
+  exit 0
+}
+
+# checks current status
+echo "------------------------------ Checking $module/imports/import-$previous"
+[ -z "$(svn_url_check $svn/$module/imports/import-$previous)" ] && echo WARNING : import-$previous not found
+
+echo ''
+
+# snapshot current status
+prompt=$(svn_url_needs_creation $svn/$module/imports/before-$next)
+run_prompt $prompt "Creating snapshot of current status" \
+   svn copy $svn/$module/trunk $svn/$module/imports/before-$next
+
+# init import dir from previous import
+prompt=$(svn_url_needs_creation $svn/$module/imports/import-$next)
+run_prompt $prompt "Preparing import-$next from import-$previous" \
+   svn copy $svn/$module/imports/import-$previous $svn/$module/imports/import-$next
+
+####
+run_prompt $(dir_needs_creation $import/$module/imports) "Creating working dir " \
+    mkdir -p $import/$module/imports
+
+###
+run_prompt $(dir_needs_creation $import/$module/imports/import-$next) "Checking out import-$next for applying changes" \
+    svn co $svn/$module/imports/import-$next $import/$module/imports/import-$next
+
+run "Going there" \
+    cd $import/$module/imports
+
+message 'NOTE: the way we merge changes right below might need to be tested/improved'
+
+run_prompt n "Incorporating changes since import-$previous in import-$next" \
+    cvs -d $cvs export -r $cvstag -d import-$next $module
+
+run "Going to import-$next" \
+    cd $import/$module/imports/import-$next
+
+run_loop "Check the changes in import-$next -- no conflict expected" svn status $import/$module/imports/import-$next
+
+run_prompt n "CHECKING IN changes in import-$next" \
+    svn ci -m "Changes since $previous"
+
+###
+run "Going to $import/$module" \
+    cd $import/$module
+
+run_prompt $(dir_needs_creation $svn/$module/trunk) "Checking out trunk for applying changes" \
+    svn co $svn/$module/trunk 
+
+run_prompt n "Merging changes from import-$previous to import-$next into trunk" \
+    svn merge $svn/$module/imports/import-$previous $svn/$module/imports/import-$next trunk
+
+run_loop "Check the changes in trunk -- conflicts should get resolved" svn status trunk
+
+run_prompt n "CHECKING IN changes in trunk" \
+    svn ci -m "Merged changes from import-$previous to import-$next"
+
+prompt=$(svn_url_needs_creation $svn/$module/imports/after-$next)
+run_prompt $prompt "Backing up into after-$next" \
+    svn copy $svn/$module/$trunk $svn/$module/imports/after-$next
+
+run_prompt n "Want to rename $import as $import-to-trash" \
+    mv $import $import-totrash
+
+echo 'Done'
+exit 0