# git fetch doesn't ignore funny refs

2 messages from 2013-12-17 to 2014-01-05. Participants: Lorenzo Keller, Heiko Voigt.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/35538

## Lorenzo Keller, 2013-12-17 12:35

Subject: git fetch doesn't ignore funny refs
Message-ID: <52B04515.8020609@marvell.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/52B04515.8020609%40marvell.com

```
Hello,

I'm trying to maintain a mirror of a repo that is published with gerrit.
The repo contains
a "funny ref" with name 'refs/tags/xyz/...' .

When I clone the repo the ref is correctly ignored:

> git clone --mirror ssh://server:29418/repo

Cloning into bare repository 'repo.git'...
error: * Ignoring funny ref 'refs/tags/xyz/...' locally
remote: Counting objects: 58263, done
remote: Finding sources: 100% (58263/58263)
remote: Total 58263 (delta 40882), reused 58131 (delta 40882)
Receiving objects: 100% (58263/58263), 16.10 MiB | 163.00 KiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (40882/40882), done.
Checking connectivity... done.

When I try to update the mirror, however, the command fails:

> git remote update

Fetching origin
error: * Ignoring funny ref refs/tags/xyz/...' locally
From ssh://server:29418/repo
 ! [new tag]         xyz/... -> xyz/...  (unable to update local ref)
error: Could not fetch origin

Doing a fetch also fails:

> git fetch --all

Fetching origin
error: * Ignoring funny ref 'refs/tags/xyz/...' locally
From ssh://server:29418/repo
 ! [new tag]         xyz/... -> xyz/...  (unable to update local ref)
error: Could not fetch origin

If I force not to update the tags, then the command is successful:

> git fetch --all -n

Fetching origin
error: * Ignoring funny ref 'refs/tags/xyz/...' locally

I believe the problem is due to the fact that in function
find_non_local_tags() in file builtins/fetch.c
the refs are directly obtained from the transport and not filtered for
funny entries.

A check as this one:

if (check_refname_format(ref->name, 0))
   continue;

fixes the problem for me.

I report here bug and fix in the hope it can be reviewed and integrated
in future git releases.

Best regards,
Lorenzo Keller

```

## Heiko Voigt, 2014-01-05 01:22

Subject: Re: git fetch doesn't ignore funny refs
Message-ID: <20140105012251.GA12969@book-mint>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20140105012251.GA12969%40book-mint
In-Reply-To: <52B04515.8020609@marvell.com>

```
On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 01:35:33PM +0100, Lorenzo Keller wrote:
> A check as this one:
> 
> if (check_refname_format(ref->name, 0))
>    continue;
> 
> fixes the problem for me.
> 
> I report here bug and fix in the hope it can be reviewed and integrated
> in future git releases.

Since it seems you already have a fix: How about sending a proper patch
(possibly you want to extend this with a warning message) so people can
discuss and integrate your fix here? See Documentation/SubmittingPatches
for further information.

Cheers Heiko

```