From: Tim Uckun Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 10:35:57 GMT Subject: Re: can anybody explain the following to a git noob? Message-ID: <855e4dcf0905220335n367a065fidc65567119c0a5a3@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <4A1671E5.4030400@op5.se> >> It just worked out that way.  I am experimenting with a rails app and >> those plugins were pulled from github. >> > > But not, I take it, as submodules? > That's right. > > Because from git's point of view, they were already managed in a > separate repository as a submodule. When you have submodules in a > repository, the parent repository can't (well, won't anyways) track > files inside the submodule directory, so git ignores everything under > a worktree subdirectory that contains a .git folder. I deleted the .git directory in that subfolder but I got the exact same message. There was a .gitignore file in there so I deleted that too and still got the same message. I think since the initial checkin has the .git folder in it git has already decided it's not going to track it. Anyway as you can see from my original post I decided to mv the 'test' directory instead because it has no .git directory in it. > >> >> I'll have to clean up all those and see if the problem remains. > > A better way is probably to import those projects as proper > submodules so you can update them without hassle later. "git help > submodule" should get you a long way, but be prepared to study the > docs a little so you understand the caveats with submodules before > you use them. For instance, you *will* run into problems if you > later replace a worktree subdirectory belonging to the parent git > repository with a submodule, so it's really better to have them as > submodules from the start. > To be honest I am just trying to learn the basics now and would rather get comfortable with those before I mess around with submodules. I still don't have an answer as to why the renamed test_new directory exists master branch and why both the original 'test' directory and the renamed 'test_new' directory are missing subdirectories. Until I understand that I won't feel comfortable using git.