From: David Aguilar Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:33:09 GMT Subject: Re: [1.8.0] Tracking empty directories Message-ID: <4928FF12-E593-4CDB-AC68-B4078CC5920E@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: On Feb 2, 2011, at 3:23 PM, Jay Soffian wrote: > On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 6:56 AM, Jakub Narebski > wrote: >> The problem with backward compatibility is twofold. First and more >> important is while git supports empty tree object (it has it >> hardcoded >> for some time, as it is necessary e.g. for initial diff, or merging >> unrelated branches without common ancestor), and there is no problem >> with entry for empty tree in a tree object >> >> 040000 tree 22d5826c087c4b9dcc72e2131c2cfb061403f7eb empty >> >> there is (supposedly) problem when checking out such tree (see email >> referenced above) with an old git. >> >> Second is that tracking empty directories would require extension >> to the >> git index (storing trees in index, like we store submodules)... but >> that >> is purely local matter. > > Instead of using an empty tree, construct a tree containing a single > sentinel file whose contents are a suitable warning not to delete/edit > said file using pre-1.8.0 git. Meanwhile git-1.8.0 never writes the > file to the filesystem. Too ugly? > > j. I don't like where this is going. Users are not always right. Touch .gitignore and be done with it. This is a big change with negligible benefits. I don't understand why this is needed.