# Adding History 3 messages from 2009-03-19 to 2009-03-20. Participants: Roger Garvin, Shawn O. Pearce, John Tapsell. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/18414 ## Roger Garvin, 2009-03-19 17:38 Subject: Adding History Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/loom.20090319T173541-173%40post.gmane.org ``` Is there a way to add history to a repository? We have just started using git, where before we had nothing but backup directories all over the place. We created the git repository using our existing source directory. Is there a way to now go and add some of the backup source directories to the history? Or would this break all the SHA1 of the current objects? I am not sure it would be worth it at this point. But we are still pretty early in our use of git so now would be the easiest time. Roger ``` ## Shawn O. Pearce, 2009-03-19 17:47 Subject: Re: Adding History Message-ID: <20090319174732.GS23521@spearce.org> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20090319174732.GS23521%40spearce.org In-Reply-To: ``` Roger Garvin wrote: > Is there a way to add history to a repository? > We have just started using git, where before we had nothing but backup > directories all over the place. We created the git repository using our > existing source directory. Is there a way to now go and add some of the backup > source directories to the history? Or would this break all the SHA1 of the > current objects? Right, you need to change the SHA-1 of all of the commits in order to insert history in the past. > I am not sure it would be worth it at this point. But we are > still pretty early in our use of git so now would be the easiest time. You have two options: - Use git-filter-branch now to rewrite your commits with the history added. Its a one-time pain that you need to go through to discard all of your current objects, and move to the new ones that have the history. - Keep the current objects, but if you need the history, add it to the local repository by editing the grafts file. This is how the Linux kernel team can insert history that predates Git, if they absolutely must have it. It depends on how often you need to look at that history. If its "almost never", I would probably go with the graft. If its "often", I would consider the filter-branch now. -- Shawn. ``` ## John Tapsell, 2009-03-20 05:25 Subject: Re: Adding History Message-ID: <43d8ce650903192225wdd2c46ai7954afbb0034ba53@mail.gmail.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/43d8ce650903192225wdd2c46ai7954afbb0034ba53%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: <20090319174732.GS23521@spearce.org> ``` 2009/3/19 Shawn O. Pearce : > Roger Garvin wrote: >> Is there a way to add history to a repository? >> We have just started using git, where before we had nothing but backup >> directories all over the place.  We created the git repository using our >> existing source directory.  Is there a way to now go and add some of the backup >> source directories to the history?  Or would this break all the SHA1 of the >> current objects? > > Right, you need to change the SHA-1 of all of the commits in order > to insert history in the past. > >> I am not sure it would be worth it at this point.  But we are >> still pretty early in our use of git so now would be the easiest time. > > You have two options: Couldn't you just create import the whole tree and then rebase on top of it? ```