# checkout on an empty directory fails 7 messages from 2012-01-05 to 2012-01-05. Participants: René Doß, Nguyen Thai Ngoc Duy, Ramkumar Ramachandra, Thomas Rast, Holger Hellmuth, Dirk Süsserott. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/29296 ## René Doß, 2012-01-05 10:09 Subject: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: <4F0576D9.4030207@gmx.de> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4F0576D9.4030207%40gmx.de ``` 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> ``` ## Nguyen Thai Ngoc Duy, 2012-01-05 11:06 Subject: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CACsJy8A42n4t%2BWqGaTx7vDQ3jP_YkD1bB0WL9amrrg1B4eOx7w%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: <4F0576D9.4030207@gmx.de> ``` On Thu, Jan 5, 2012 at 5:09 PM, René Doß wrote: > 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? try "git checkout ." but be careful because this command overwrites any changes you have in the directory. > > 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> -- Duy ``` ## Ramkumar Ramachandra, 2012-01-05 11:07 Subject: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CALkWK0knVa3V9mX86WhmXmC3_SBPitgAzh_9RAXmWeQcgf%3DhRw%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: <4F0576D9.4030207@gmx.de> ``` Hi René, René Doß wrote: > I have a clean derectory ang the git database. Now I want check out the > master. > [...] > > 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 > [...] 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 ``` ## Thomas Rast, 2012-01-05 11:13 Subject: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: <87d3ayz9k3.fsf@thomas.inf.ethz.ch> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/87d3ayz9k3.fsf%40thomas.inf.ethz.ch In-Reply-To: <4F0576D9.4030207@gmx.de> ``` René Doß writes: > I have a clean derectory ang the git database. Now I want check out > the master. Ok, but why? What problem were you really trying to solve? > 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' 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. -- Thomas Rast trast@{inf,student}.ethz.ch ``` ## René Doß, 2012-01-05 12:38 Subject: RE: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: <4F0599E0.7090902@gmx.de> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4F0599E0.7090902%40gmx.de In-Reply-To: ``` 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 ..." to update what will be committed) # (use "git checkout -- ..." 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> ``` ## Holger Hellmuth, 2012-01-05 13:59 Subject: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: <4F05ACD6.6040603@ira.uka.de> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4F05ACD6.6040603%40ira.uka.de In-Reply-To: <4F0599E0.7090902@gmx.de> ``` On 05.01.2012 13:38, René Doß wrote: > git status says not special informations. versus > red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git status > # On branch master > # Changed but not updated: > # (use "git add/rm ..." to update what will be committed) > # (use "git checkout -- ..." 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 > # 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 " 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 -- " 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 ``` ## Dirk Süsserott, 2012-01-05 19:33 Subject: Re: checkout on an empty directory fails Message-ID: <4F05FB05.3090706@dirk.my1.cc> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4F05FB05.3090706%40dirk.my1.cc In-Reply-To: <4F05ACD6.6040603@ira.uka.de> ``` Am 05.01.2012 14:59 schrieb Holger Hellmuth: > On 05.01.2012 13:38, René Doß wrote: >> git status says not special informations. > > versus > >> red@linux-nrd1:~/iso/a> git status >> # On branch master >> # Changed but not updated: >> # (use "git add/rm ..." to update what will be committed) >> # (use "git checkout -- ..." 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 >> # > > 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 " 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 -- " 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 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 ```