# How do I get the correct modification status after running git diff? 4 messages from 2010-03-04 to 2010-03-04. Participants: jateeq, Michael J Gruber, Andreas Schwab. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/22909 ## jateeq, 2010-03-04 15:40 Subject: How do I get the correct modification status after running git diff? Message-ID: <27782430.post@talk.nabble.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/27782430.post%40talk.nabble.com ``` Hello, I have added a new file to a working repository, and would like to run a diff between the last commit and whatever is int he working tree, along with an identification of what kind of a modification it was. Currently, I am adding all files to the index with the -N option, and then running a git diff --name-status. This works well for existing files that have been modified or deleted, but fails if a file is rename or is added. Does anyone know of the right way to do this? The commands I am using to add and diff newly added files are as follows in the sequence shown. Commands: echo "this is a new file" > file1.xml git add -N . git diff --name-status The output is : M file1.xml I want the status to show A for the newly added file (and R for renamed files but I don't know if that's possible). Thank You, Jawad. -- View this message in context: http://old.nabble.com/How-do-I-get-the-correct-modification-status-after-running-git-diff--tp27782430p27782430.html Sent from the git mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ``` ## jateeq, 2010-03-04 16:11 Subject: Re: How do I get the correct modification status after running git diff? Message-ID: <27782895.post@talk.nabble.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/27782895.post%40talk.nabble.com In-Reply-To: <27782430.post@talk.nabble.com> ``` Ok, so I think I know what I was doing wrong... i wasn't comparing the working tree with the last commit (HEAD), although I still don't know what exactly I was comparing the working tree with. On reading the manual a little more carefully, I realised the command should have been: git diff -M --name-status HEAD This solves the problem of newly added files, but doesn't show 'R' for renamed files even after I ask git to detect renamed files - just shows that the renamed file was deleted (doesn't detect that the new renamed file was added). So I would still appreciate some input here. Renaming flie: mv randomfile.xml random.xml Diffing: git diff -M --name-status HEAD Output: D randomfile.xml Thanks, jawad -- View this message in context: http://old.nabble.com/How-do-I-get-the-correct-modification-status-after-running-git-diff--tp27782430p27782895.html Sent from the git mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ``` ## Michael J Gruber, 2010-03-04 16:34 Subject: Re: How do I get the correct modification status after running git diff? Message-ID: <4B8FE121.6040807@drmicha.warpmail.net> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4B8FE121.6040807%40drmicha.warpmail.net In-Reply-To: <27782895.post@talk.nabble.com> ``` jateeq venit, vidit, dixit 04.03.2010 17:11: > > Ok, so I think I know what I was doing wrong... i wasn't comparing the > working tree with the last commit (HEAD), although I still don't know what > exactly I was comparing the working tree with. On reading the manual a You were comparing the working tree with the index (staging area). > little more carefully, I realised the command should have been: > > git diff -M --name-status HEAD > > This solves the problem of newly added files, but doesn't show 'R' for > renamed files even after I ask git to detect renamed files - just shows that > the renamed file was deleted (doesn't detect that the new renamed file was > added). So I would still appreciate some input here. > > Renaming flie: > mv randomfile.xml random.xml > > Diffing: > git diff -M --name-status HEAD > > Output: > D randomfile.xml git doesn't know about random.xml here, which you can change like so: git add -N random.xml Then git diff -M --name-status HEAD will show the rename. Alternatively, you could have used "git mv randomfile.xml random.xml" which would have staged that move in the index already. (More exactly: the content changes, not the move as such) Michael ``` ## Andreas Schwab, 2010-03-04 16:39 Subject: Re: How do I get the correct modification status after running git diff? Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/m2lje8avob.fsf%40igel.home In-Reply-To: <27782895.post@talk.nabble.com> ``` jateeq writes: > Renaming flie: > mv randomfile.xml random.xml > > Diffing: > git diff -M --name-status HEAD > > Output: > D randomfile.xml random.xml is an untracked file, thus ignored. You need to add -N it first. Andreas. -- Andreas Schwab, schwab@linux-m68k.org GPG Key fingerprint = 58CA 54C7 6D53 942B 1756 01D3 44D5 214B 8276 4ED5 "And now for something completely different." ```