Re: [PATCH] git-submodule add: Record branch name in .gitmodules

From: W. Trevor King <wking@tremily.us>
Date: Oct 23, 2012, 19:44 UTC
Message-ID: <20121023194436.GD28592@odin.tremily.us>
In-Reply-To: <5086ED06.5020406@gmail.com>

On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 12:16:22PM -0700, Nahor wrote:

> On 2012-10-22 09:34, W. Trevor King wrote:
> For instance, the module may later be updated to a commit in branch B 
> instead of branch A. Unless you remember to also update .gitmodule, you 
> have then inconsistent information.

But you're explicitly *using* the configured setting in

  git config --file $toplevel/.gitmodules submodule.$name.branch

That should be a reminder that the configuration is important, and you'll remember to change it. Plus, the text from git-pull should clearly display the branch you are pulling, which gives you a second change to notice if something is going wrong.

> A similar issue arises if branch A is deleted from the module later (for 
> instance because it has been merged in the master branch and is not 
> useful anymore). Then .gitmodule points to a non-existant branch.
> Same thing if a branch is renamed.

All of these are possible, and all would reqire manual intervention to pick out a new branch to follow. Plus, this patch is not even about the auto-pull application, it's about storing the initially cloned branch name. What you do with that name afterwards is up to you ;).

> I think a better place to store that kind of information is using 
> git-notes. That way, if the branch is renamed or deleted, you can easily 
> update the old notes to use the new name instead.

Interesting.  What would you attach the note too?

Trevor

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