# changing files and large files 2 messages from 2010-05-07 to 2010-05-07. Participants: Peng Yu, Chris Packham. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/23733 ## Peng Yu, 2010-05-07 19:07 Subject: changing files and large files Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/j2v366c6f341005071207x7cba4b50jcb9dd3f2c2872a62%40mail.gmail.com ``` I'm considering using file control systems. I'm wondering if git could handle the following situations. Would you please let me? 1. Change file names: whether it records the lineage of files that undergoes name changes? 2. Files are extremely large (of hundred of MB or even GB). -- Regards, Peng ``` ## Chris Packham, 2010-05-07 21:08 Subject: Re: changing files and large files Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/r2ha038bef51005071408z38f7845bwfca893cafe268ec3%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` Hi, On Fri, May 7, 2010 at 12:07 PM, Peng Yu wrote: > I'm considering using file control systems. I'm wondering if git could > handle the following situations. Would you please let me? > > 1. Change file names: whether it records the lineage of files that > undergoes name changes? > Technically it detects renames rather than tracking them explicitly. Other tools (like bazaar or mercurial) track renames explicitly. > 2. Files are extremely large (of hundred of MB or even GB). > Search this list for a more concrete description of where git is at with handling large files. Generally speaking the git tools need to read all of the file into memory to operate so the limit is really the amount of RAM/swap space you have. I think some people on this list do have modified version which handle files that are > than available swap space. Git was designed around tracking source code, which it does really well. If you're wanting to store/track media you may have better luck with a system designed for that. ```