From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
Date: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 18:26:24 GMT
Subject: Re: hmm, can't we give the "root" a parent?
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0509121123280.3242@g5.osdl.org>
In-Reply-To: <20050912181101.GA22221@vrfy.org>



On Mon, 12 Sep 2005, Kay Sievers wrote:
>
> Can't we teach the git tools that a "root commit" (one without a any
> parent) is not visible as a "root", if let's say:
>   .git/parents/<root-commit-id> -> <fake-parent-id>
> 
> does connect a "fake" parent to the "root"? This way we could add any
> older Linux history to the current tree. Combined with "alternates" it
> could live in a complete different repository too.

Ehh.. That's exactly what "grafting" is about.

So just do

	echo "<root-id> <grafted-parent-id>" >> .git/info/grafts

and it should all work.

Of course, anything that parses the commits by hand won't see it, but all 
the regular tools hopefully do.

		Linus