Switching branches of freebsd-base-graphics with git

[Thomas Mueller]

from Doug Kirk:

> I wouldn't `rm -R *`, that seems dangerous. :O

> Try `git checkout drm-next` followed by `git pull origin drm-next`. The
> latter command needs internet access while the former doesn't. (Because of
> your fetch, one of those may complain...I can't remember. If so, `git reset
> --hard` will get you back to the last-committed state of the current
> branch, after which you can checkout and/or pull.)

> `git clone $url [$name]`:
>     Copy the git *repository* at $url into a new subdirectory of the same
> base-name [or $name]. You see the working tree; the repo is in its .git/
> subdirectory, including all branches and the entire version history.

> `git checkout $branch`:
>     Make your working tree look like the committed state of $branch.
> Usually to switch branches. A branch in git is just a type of "ref", and
> you can check out any $ref. Other types are tags and revisions.
 
> `git pull`:
>     `git fetch`, and then `git merge`, upstream changes into your current
> working tree, and then commit those changes to your local repository if
> there are no conflicts. (not technically 100% accurate, but the effect is
> the same).

> `git status`:
>     Show the current checked-out branch and the state of working tree
> modifications.

> `git fetch`:
>     Fetches new commits from a remote, but doesn't merge those into your
> working tree or commit them to your current branch.

> `git reset`:
>     If you've made uncommitted changes that you want to undo, this will
> undo them. (see man page about --hard, --soft, and --mixed variants).
 
> All the git commands have man pages, accessible either by `git help
> {command}` or by `man git-{command}`. (e.g., either `man git-pull` or `git
> help pull`)
 
> Notes:

> I don't know what the "remote" repo names (in your command `git fetch
> remote`). With git-fetch (or pull), that is a repo name (which is just some
> string you assign as a name for a repo, whether it's local or remote).
> Usually we use "origin" there...which identifies the repo that yours was
> cloned from unless you've edited the configuration.

> A "remote" is "some other repository that's not the one in your current
> project's .git/ subdirectory". Meaning that, even though it's called a
> remote, it could just be another directory on the local filesystem (outside
> your project dir). In `git pull origin drm-next`, the remote name is
> "origin" as explained above, and "drm-next" is the *remote's* branch name
> to fetch/merge into *your current branch*.

> If you're not making changes, you really only need to know `git clone`,
> `git checkout`, followed by periodic `git pull` to get the latest changes.

> The `git reset` command has variants to reset the working tree and/or the
> "index". The index is just the place where git stores to-be-committed
> changes (usually a subset of the working tree changes).

> Good luck with your taxes!

> P.S., Per is correct, `git clone $url -b $branch` clones the entire
> repository but checks out the named branch.
    
Thanks for the help.

I tried most of the git commands you show, but not reset.

On that rm -R *
I was in /freebsd-base-graphics
so I couldn't lose anything outside.

But, from root directory,
rm -R /freebsd-base-graphics
leaves room for a finger slip, like making an inadvertent space between / and freebsd-base-graphics.

Now I see where I might need Midnight Commander or something like that.

Git documentation helps but is not all clear.

Keeping two source trees (regular and freebsd-base-graphics) and two ports trees (if I use freebsd-ports-graphics) imposes an extra load on my mind and my time, especially if I also track NetBSD (current only), Linux and try to cross-compile Haiku.

I also think freebsd-base-graphics might be somewhat behind regular source tree on non-X ports, and freebsd-ports-graphics might be somewhat behind regular ports tree on non-X ports.


Tom