threads / bug / 48461

Git case-sensitivity bug

Subject: Git case-sensitivity bug

## tl;dr

2 messages between May 10, 2018 and May 10, 2018.

replies: 1people: 2as markdown or json

Cliff· May 10, 2018, 19:46 UTC · lore
I believe I have discovered a bug with git tools.

If you create a git branch, you can refer to that branch with case-insensitive alterations and it will track as the same branch.

If I create branch "test" I cannot then create branch "Test" because the same name is already used.

However, git commands ARE case-sensitive, causing unspecified behavior!

If you create branch "test" and then run "git checkout Test" and then run "git branch" it will list the branches "master" and "test" and NEITHER ONE will be flagged * as the current branch! (It does not list Test and does not show any branch as being the current branch)

As far as git is concerned... you're not on a branch! But you're secretly on the "test" branch.

Also, I think this may cause further issues. Switching to "test" tells me that I am 1 commit behind master, but switching to "Test" gives no such message, and appears to want me to --set-upstream again, for the same branch.

This is really bad behavior.
I'm on MacOS so this may be unique to the Mac version of git tools.
Bryan Turner· May 10, 2018, 20:09 UTC · re: Cliff · lore

Re: Git case-sensitivity bug

Hey Cliff,
On Thu, May 10, 2018 at 12:46 PM Cliff <miliways@gmail.com> wrote:
> I believe I have discovered a bug with git tools.
> If you create a git branch, you can refer to that branch with
> case-insensitive alterations and it will track as the same branch.

This comes up on the list fairly often on the list. The most recent thread is here: https://public-inbox.org/git/d4d8d8208b6a41c380ecf20807763bcf@XCH15-05-02.nw.nos.boeing.com/

The replies to that thread explain the behavior, why it does what it does, and why it hasn't been changed yet. It happens on case-insensitive macOS filesystems and on NTFS on Windows.

Hope this helps! Bryan Turner

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