refactoring in GIT

Hi,
 I'm new to GIT and have two questions about code refactoring. 

#1. I want to refactor class A into few classes B,C,D. How should I check them in and mark class A inactive so that development on A stops? Note, I do need A stay in repository for backward compt. with prior code releases.

#2. [related question] What if another developer already had A in his local repository, made changes and wants to commit after me. I just made A obsolete. Does he have drop his changes and take B,C,D from me and/or merge?

Sorry if this question was already answered, pls point me.

Thanks, Eugene

Il 28/06/2011 15.19, eugene ha scritto:

Hi,
 I'm new to GIT and have two questions about code refactoring. 

#1. I want to refactor class A into few classes B,C,D. How should I check them in and mark class A inactive so that development on A stops?

You can't. If you are working on a shared repository you have to modify the code in your private repository (or working directory), then verify if in the mean time another developer changed something, eventually apply other modification to your code (merge) and solve conflicts manually (if there are) in your working directory/private repository. After this you can push your code to the shared repository.

 Note, I do need A 
stay in repository for backward compt. with prior code releases.

#2. [related question] What if another developer already had A in his local repository, made changes and wants to commit after me. I just made A obsolete. Does he have drop his changes and take B,C,D from me and/or merge?

Same as for #1. The last developer that modifies module A has to update other modifications BEFORE and then apply her modifications.

Shortly: git doesn't block anything unstead git permits to merge changes coming from more the one developer.

It is my opinion that 2 developers haven't to work on the same module at the same time, but this for me is an organization matter it isn't related to git.

Sorry if this question was already answered, pls point me.

Thanks, Eugene

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Hi Eugene

Well, if you really need to keep that file, how about a huge comment at the beginning of the file? Or move its content somewhere else and #include it from the original file. Git really can't help you here. This is a communication issue within your project. Resulting from its distributed design git does not have a global "lock" feature that could be misused for that matter.

Git can't help you here either. If your changes don't conflict with their changes, they won't notice if they do not examine your changes. This again is a communication/coordination issue, not a git one. However, if you had moved "A" away or changed every line, the other developers would get a conflict when trying to pull your stuff.

Further, git obviously won't automatically refactor other developers code to match your changes. Depending on the complexity of your refactoring, you might be able to play around with patches manually.

The least thing you can do is to inform the other developers about your changes and apologize for not telling them that you planned to make A obsolete in advance ;)

On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 01:19:23PM +0000, eugene wrote:

The only way I can imagine that you do that is by using submodules together with a repository permission management tool lite gitolite. Or Maybe just using gitolite with different branches. If I recall correctly gitolite has per branch rw permissions.

However, I doubt that this issue should be solved technically.