# weird rename

3 messages from 2011-05-31 to 2011-05-31. Participants: Fabian Zeindl, Reece Dunn.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/27512

## Fabian Zeindl, 2011-05-31 19:12

Subject: weird rename
Message-ID: <7760D048-5534-42A2-82D2-D5BB9C75739C@gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/7760D048-5534-42A2-82D2-D5BB9C75739C%40gmail.com

```
Hi,

 i use a GUI for git and discovered that it showed me a rename in a commit where i actually replaced a file.
So i looked at the commit via git show, and found the following:

Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/swt-3.7M7-win32.jar differ
diff --git a/lib/swt-3.7M7-win64.jar b/lib/swt-3.7M7-win64.jar

Where is the /dev/null coming from?

Regards
Fabian Zeindl
```

## Reece Dunn, 2011-05-31 19:18

Subject: Re: weird rename
Message-ID: <BANLkTikuZ-ig0einn+GhMh9EJp4jp2TCxg@mail.gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/BANLkTikuZ-ig0einn%2BGhMh9EJp4jp2TCxg%40mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To: <7760D048-5534-42A2-82D2-D5BB9C75739C@gmail.com>

```
On 31 May 2011 20:12, Fabian Zeindl <fabian.zeindl@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
>  i use a GUI for git and discovered that it showed me a rename in a commit where i actually replaced a file.
> So i looked at the commit via git show, and found the following:
>
> Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/swt-3.7M7-win32.jar differ
> diff --git a/lib/swt-3.7M7-win64.jar b/lib/swt-3.7M7-win64.jar
>
> Where is the /dev/null coming from?

/dev/null is used to indicate "does not exist" -- it is a file device
on Unix boxes that emits null characters or consumes output sending it
to oblivion :)!

Comparing /dev/null with A -- A is a new (added) file.

Comparing A with /dev/null -- A is deleted.

HTH,
- Reece

```

## Fabian Zeindl, 2011-05-31 19:19

Subject: Re: weird rename
Message-ID: <9FA9D80A-F970-4B3F-95DD-2B5DE73D27EB@gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/9FA9D80A-F970-4B3F-95DD-2B5DE73D27EB%40gmail.com
In-Reply-To: <BANLkTikuZ-ig0einn+GhMh9EJp4jp2TCxg@mail.gmail.com>

```
On May 31, 2011, at 9:18 PM, Reece Dunn wrote:
> /dev/null is used to indicate "does not exist" 

yeah i know that :)

> Comparing /dev/null with A -- A is a new (added) file.
> Comparing A with /dev/null -- A is deleted.

ok, i deleted a similar sounding file (3.7M3 instead of 3.7M7), i just wonder
why git got that as a rename. or the GUI (GitX) at least.

fabian

```