Re: git fetch documentation problem or bug

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Oct 8, 2012, 19:16 UTC
Message-ID: <7vfw5olqp9.fsf@alter.siamese.dyndns.org>
In-Reply-To: <CAB9Jk9Ac06sfFMGizRq6Ztqd2tKS7BBqGOC891=z4615J3f4hA@mail.gmail.com>

Angelo Borsotti <angelo.borsotti@gmail.com> writes:

> git fetch <repository> <refspec> does not create the remote refs in
> the current (local)
> repository...
> However, if a git fetch origin is executed, the refs are properly created:

Working as designed and documented.

 $ git fetch origin master

is giving the refspec "master" from the command line which is a short-hand for "refs/heads/master".

When you run

 $ git fetch origin

configured refspec is looked up from your config (because you didn't give any from the command line). The default refspec in your config is likely to be "refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*".

The former, "refs/heads/master" refspec, tells Git not to update the remote tracking branch. The latter has colon and right-hand-side of the colon tells Git what to update with what was fetched.

It would hlep to read up on refspec by running "git fetch --help" and looking for a string "colon".