Git is deleting an ignored file when i switch branches

by

Since the only viable solution is to track the file ‘f‘ at all times, you could add, only in branch B, a smudge/clean process with a gitattributes filter driver:

https://raw.github.com/adisp007/ProGit/master/figures/18333fig0702-tn.png

When checkouting branch B:

  • the smudge process would change:

    • save the content of f in a temp file
    • replace the content of f with one fbis file (a tracked file which would contain, for branch B, the “B content of f“)

  • the clean process would:

    • save f content (as modified in B) in fbis (fbis gets committed with f modifications in branch B)
    • restore f content (with the temp file), meaning f is not committed (ignored in B)

You can add, still in branch B, a custom merge driver which will protect fbis in case of merges from other branches to B:
the merge driver will always keep B version of fbis content, making sure the ignored file f gets back its content whenever branch B is checked-out.

Since those drivers (filter and merge) are not committed in other branches, the file ‘f’ is committed in other branches with all its modifications.
In branch B, its content will never change, and yet the “local modifications” made to f are still restored whenever B is checked-out.

If that content restoration is not needed, you don’t need to manage fbis.
Just keep the filter driver and you will be sure that whatever modification you do to f in branch B, those changes will never be committed, effectively ignoring f content.

More Related Contents:

  1. Break a previous commit into multiple commits
  2. git status shows modifications, git checkout — doesn’t remove them
  3. How to configure Git for using it with Dropbox?
  4. Git merge reports “Already up-to-date” though there is a difference
  5. How do I diff the same file between two different commits on the same branch?
  6. How can I get Git to follow symlinks?
  7. Prevent commits in master branch
  8. Install npm module from gitlab private repository
  9. git: Apply changes introduced by commit in one repo to another repo
  10. How to disable osxkeychain as credential helper in git config?
  11. Having Trouble Switching Github accounts on terminal
  12. How to compare two different commits on the same branch in github?
  13. Differences between “git pull” commands when pulling from origin?
  14. Switch Git branch without files checkout
  15. git commit signing failed: secret key not available
  16. How do negated patterns work in .gitignore?
  17. How to merge specific files from Git branches
  18. Error: Cannot pull with rebase: You have unstaged changes
  19. Git refuses to reset/discard files
  20. How to resolve git’s “not something we can merge” error
  21. List Git commits not pushed to the origin yet [duplicate]
  22. git – pulling from specific branch
  23. How to apply `git diff` patch without Git installed?
  24. Can a project have multiple origins?
  25. Error “Your push would publish a private email address”
  26. Jenkins Git plugin detached HEAD
  27. git merging branches in a bare repository
  28. GnuTLS recv error (-110): The TLS connection was non-properly terminated
  29. How to manage multiple ssh keys in the ~/.ssh directory
  30. Can tags be automatically moved after a git filter-branch and rebase?

Leave a Comment