checkout on an empty directory fails

I have a clean derectory ang the git database. Now I want check out the master. The master is the last commit. The files name are displayed but not stored out in directory.

Why can not I  check out?

René Doß

red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> ls -a . .. .git red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git checkout master D SP601_RevC_annotated_master_ucf_8-28-09.ucf D rtl/ether_speed.vhd D rtl/ether_top.vhd D rtl/ether_tx.vhd D rtl/takt.vhd D sim/makefile D sim/tb_ether_top.vhd Already on 'master' red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> ls red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a>

On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 5:09 PM, René Doß <doss@gmx.de> wrote:

try "git checkout ." but be careful because this command overwrites any changes you have in the directory.

  Thank you for your help. I can not understand what is the mistake?  
qgit displays me the tree correct.
git status says not special informations.
Only git  checkout .    works.

What means the point in checkout?

René

red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git status # On branch master # Changed but not updated: # (use "git add/rm <file>..." to update what will be committed) # (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory) # # deleted: SP601_RevC_annotated_master_ucf_8-28-09.ucf # deleted: rtl/ether_speed.vhd # deleted: rtl/ether_top.vhd # deleted: rtl/ether_tx.vhd # deleted: rtl/takt.vhd # deleted: sim/makefile # deleted: sim/tb_ether_top.vhd # no changes added to commit (use "git add" and/or "git commit -a")

ed@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> ls red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git reset --hard HEAD is now at efb7b86 Simulation ergaenzt red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git checkout master Already on 'master' red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git checkout . red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> ls rtl sim SP601_RevC_annotated_master_ucf_8-28-09.ucf <--here are the files back!!!! red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a>

On 05.01.2012 13:38, René Doß wrote:

  versus

This *is* special information: It tells you that master has those 7 files but your working directory has none of them (i.e. it is as if you had deleted them from your working directory).

"git checkout <branch>" switches between branches, *but* leaves changes you made (files you edited, added or deleted) intact! This is so you can switch branches before commiting if you suddenly realize you are in the wrong branch.

"git checkout -- <paths...>" or in your case "git checkout -- ." is different, it really overwrites the files in your working dir with the versions stored somewhere else, by default from the index.

 > What means the point in checkout?

"." is simply your current directory

Am 05.01.2012 14:59 schrieb Holger Hellmuth:

Another way of reviving the deleted files and restore the master branch is

$ git checkout -f master # or git checkout --force master

This will unconditionally checkout master and overwrite the local changes, including the deletions Holger mentioned.

For me, "checkout --force" is more intuitive than "reset --hard" or "checkout .".

    Dirk

Hi René,

René Doß wrote:

In such situations, "git status" usually has something helpful to say.
 You're already on the "master" branch, and you can reset your
worktree with `git reset --hard` (caution: please read the manpage).

-- Ram

René Doß <doss@gmx.de> writes:

Ok, but why?  What problem were you really trying to solve?

git-checkout considers this an uncommitted change compared to the current branch (HEAD). It actually ensures that you do not lose such changes.

To get your files back, you can use the file-argument form of checkout

  git checkout -- .

or the "really give me back the HEAD state, period" form of git-reset

  git reset --hard

Both of those *will* destroy uncommitted changes with no recourse or backup, so be careful.