From: Dan Loewenherz Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 13:36:52 GMT Subject: Re: can anybody explain the following to a git noob? Message-ID: <20090522133652.GA8689@andros.its.yale.edu> In-Reply-To: <855e4dcf0905212046o3e1d6ec6l487829a0a411dcaf@mail.gmail.com> It would be nice if instead of a transcript, you provided us with a script that duplicated your problem instead of having everyone on the git-list play 20 questions. In any case, I'm going to try and explain what's going on. On 22/05/09 15:46 +1200, Tim Uckun wrote: >git mv vendor vendor_new >fatal: source directory is empty, source=vendor/plugins/acts_as_audited, >destination=vendor_new/plugins/acts_as_audited Try reading `man git-mv`. "...it renames , which must exist...". >ls vendor/plugins/acts_as_audited/ >CHANGELOG generators init.rb lib LICENSE Rakefile README spec tasks >test.txt What was this `ls` for? Also, next time try doing `ls -a` so people know what hidden files exist. >ls test >fixtures functional integration mocks test_helper.rb unit watir Again, `ls -a`. >git mv test test_new >git commit -m 'renamed the test directory' Where is `git add .`?? Additionally, you must specific the `-a` flag on `git commit` to apply the commit to files you removed. >********Checkout master. WTF?: Both the test and the test_new directories >exist. Why does the test_new exist in this branch? >git checkout master >ls >app Capfile config db doc lib MyProject.kpf public Rakefile README >script test test_new tmp vendor This is because you didn't commit the deletion of test. I can't speak to anything else. It's like telling you to change your tires when the engine has disintegrated. Best, Dan