# [PATCH] Documentation/gitignore.txt: Clarify gitignore vs tracked files 4 messages from 2008-07-17 to 2008-07-18. Participants: Petr Baudis, Junio C Hamano. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/14507 ## Petr Baudis, 2008-07-17 16:36 Subject: [PATCH] Documentation/gitignore.txt: Clarify gitignore vs tracked files Message-ID: <20080717163622.12592.29919.stgit@localhost> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20080717163622.12592.29919.stgit%40localhost ``` Explain more carefully that `.gitignore` concerns only untracked files and there is no way to make git ignore local changes in already tracked files. This is currently probably one of the top FAQs at #git and the documentation could be more explicit about this. Signed-off-by: Petr Baudis --- Documentation/gitignore.txt | 7 +++++-- 1 files changed, 5 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/gitignore.txt b/Documentation/gitignore.txt index fc0efd8..ac3c776 100644 --- a/Documentation/gitignore.txt +++ b/Documentation/gitignore.txt @@ -13,9 +13,12 @@ DESCRIPTION ----------- A `gitignore` file specifies intentionally untracked files that -git should ignore. Each line in a `gitignore` file specifies a -pattern. +git should ignore. +Note that all the `gitignore` files really concern only files +that are not already tracked by git; there is no direct mechanism +to make git ignore your local modifications in already tracked files. +Each line in a `gitignore` file specifies a pattern. When deciding whether to ignore a path, git normally checks `gitignore` patterns from multiple sources, with the following order of precedence, from highest to lowest (within one level of ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2008-07-17 18:16 Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/gitignore.txt: Clarify gitignore vs tracked files Message-ID: <7vabgggyuc.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/7vabgggyuc.fsf%40gitster.siamese.dyndns.org In-Reply-To: <20080717163622.12592.29919.stgit@localhost> ``` Petr Baudis writes: > -git should ignore. Each line in a `gitignore` file specifies a > -pattern. > +git should ignore. > +Note that all the `gitignore` files really concern only files > +that are not already tracked by git; there is no direct mechanism > +to make git ignore your local modifications in already tracked files. Thanks. I'd suggest dropping everything after ';'. - If you want to keep local changes without ever checking in, you can do so by making partial commits. - You could mark these paths "assume unchanged". ``` ## Petr Baudis, 2008-07-17 18:26 Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation/gitignore.txt: Clarify gitignore vs tracked files Message-ID: <20080717182619.GG10151@machine.or.cz> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20080717182619.GG10151%40machine.or.cz In-Reply-To: <7vabgggyuc.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org> ``` Hi, On Thu, Jul 17, 2008 at 11:16:59AM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote: > I'd suggest dropping everything after ';'. I think the part after ';' is the main benefit of this patch, actually. Without suggesting an alternative, the users are left puzzled "so how do I do that?" > - If you want to keep local changes without ever checking in, you can do > so by making partial commits. Yes, that's a rather obvious solution but the user probably wants something nicer than that if he starts looking already. > - You could mark these paths "assume unchanged". I really think this is worth mentioning in the gitignore manpage; it is not _directly_ on-topic, but there is no other obvious place where to teach users about it and all the interested people will check the gitignore manpage first. Perhaps a small section at the end might be acceptable? ;-) -- Petr "Pasky" Baudis GNU, n. An animal of South Africa, which in its domesticated state resembles a horse, a buffalo and a stag. In its wild condition it is something like a thunderbolt, an earthquake and a cyclone. -- A. Pierce ``` ## Petr Baudis, 2008-07-18 14:11 Subject: [PATCH] Documentation: How to ignore local changes in tracked files Message-ID: <20080718141038.28693.4887.stgit@localhost> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20080718141038.28693.4887.stgit%40localhost In-Reply-To: <20080717182619.GG10151@machine.or.cz> ``` This patch explains more carefully that `.gitignore` concerns only untracked files and refers the reader to git update-index --assume-unchanged in the need of ignoring uncommitted changes in already tracked files. The description of this option is lifted to a more "porcelainish" level and explains the caveats of this usecase. Whether feasible or not, I believe adding this functionality to the porcelain is out of the scope of this patch. (And I personally think that referring to the plumbing in the case of such a special usage is fine.) This is currently probably one of the top FAQs at #git and the --assume-unchanged switch is not widely known; gitignore(5) is the first place where people are likely to look for it. Signed-off-by: Petr Baudis --- Documentation/git-update-index.txt | 10 ++++++++++ Documentation/gitignore.txt | 11 ++++++++--- 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-update-index.txt b/Documentation/git-update-index.txt index a91fd21..6b930bc 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-update-index.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-update-index.txt @@ -88,6 +88,16 @@ OPTIONS sometimes helpful when working with a big project on a filesystem that has very slow lstat(2) system call (e.g. cifs). ++ +This option can be also used as a coarse file-level mechanism +to ignore uncommitted changes in tracked files (akin to what +`.gitignore` does for untracked files). +You should remember that an explicit 'git add' operation will +still cause the file to be refreshed from the working tree. +Git will fail (gracefully) in case it needs to modify this file +in the index e.g. when merging in a commit; +thus, in case the assumed-untracked file is changed upstream, +you will need to handle the situation manually. -g:: --again:: diff --git a/Documentation/gitignore.txt b/Documentation/gitignore.txt index fc0efd8..59321a2 100644 --- a/Documentation/gitignore.txt +++ b/Documentation/gitignore.txt @@ -13,9 +13,14 @@ DESCRIPTION ----------- A `gitignore` file specifies intentionally untracked files that -git should ignore. Each line in a `gitignore` file specifies a -pattern. - +git should ignore. +Note that all the `gitignore` files really concern only files +that are not already tracked by git; +in order to ignore uncommitted changes in already tracked files, +please refer to the 'git update-index --assume-unchanged' +documentation. + +Each line in a `gitignore` file specifies a pattern. When deciding whether to ignore a path, git normally checks `gitignore` patterns from multiple sources, with the following order of precedence, from highest to lowest (within one level of ```