Git filter to ignore lines in your files

git-ignore-line.sh

#!/bin/sh
# Git filter to ignore lines in your files.
#
# Copyright (c) 2017-2019,2023 Aryel Mota Góis <[email protected]>
#
# MIT License
#
#
# SETUP:
#
#     install -m 755 git-ignore-line.sh ~/bin/git-ignore-line
#
#
# USAGE:
#
# Mark single lines you want to ignore with 'GITIGNORE'. It ignores
# the whole line. It is recommended to be inside a comment in your code.
#
# Mark multiple lines surrounding them with 'GITIGNORE START' and
# 'GITIGNORE END'. It can not be nested.
#
# NOTE: Ignored lines might be lost on checkout.
#
#
# Add files to ignore:
#
#     git ignore-line <pattern>
#
# Remove patterns with:
#
#     git ignore-line -r <pattern>
#
# List configured patterns:
#
#     git ignore-line -l
#
# PATTERN can be a file or a glob pattern: '*.html'. Remember to
# escape the `*`.
#
#
# TODO:
#
# - Stash the lines ignored by this filter before a git checkout.


set -eu


# Check if stdin is not tty and remove ignored lines from it.

[ -t 0 ] || exec sed \
    '/GITIGNORE START/,/GITIGNORE END/d; /GITIGNORE/d' \
    /dev/stdin


# Running from tty.

program=$(basename "$0")

# Find git repository.
git_dir=$(git rev-parse --git-dir)

# Path to attributes file.
attr_file=$git_dir/info/attributes

# Check arguments.
if [ $# -eq 2 ] && [ "$1" = '-r' ]; then
    # Remove filter for pattern.
    sed "s|^$2 filter=$program||" "$attr_file" > "$attr_file.tmp"
    mv -- "$attr_file.tmp" "$attr_file"
elif [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
    if [ "$1" = '-l' ]; then
        # List patterns.
        grep "filter=$program" "$attr_file" || true
    else
        # Add filter for pattern.
        echo "$1 filter=$program" >> "$attr_file"
        # Configure filter.
        git config --global "filter.$program.clean" "$program"
        git config --global "filter.$program.smudge" cat
    fi
else
    # Show help.
    >&2 echo "Usage: $program [-r] <pattern>"
    >&2 echo "  or:  $program -l"
    exit 1
fi

hi Aryelgois,
@aryelgois can give an example to ignore an line on file using above script
Because i have try this script but it's not working for me
thanks

Hello @SureshKumar311

First you need to add the file to your PATH and it needs to be executable. I updated the Setup step to use a command that does that..

Now, for an example:

mkdir example
cd example
git init

# Example 1 : enable the filter in specific file
git-ignore-line my_file.md

# Example 2 : enable the filter in JavaScript files
# NOTE: if the script file starts with 'git-' the Git command detects it as a sub command
git ignore-line '*.js'

# Example 3 : enable the filter in all files
# NOTE: it can be very slow in big repos
git-ignore-line '*'

# Example 4 : enable the filter in all files of a directory
# NOTE: useful to skip for example node_modules
git-ignore-line 'src/*'

# Add test file:
echo Hello > my_file.md
git add my_file.md

# See it working:
cat >> my_file.md <<EOF
hidden <!-- GITIGNORE -->
visible
you cannot see: GITIGNORE START
HIDDEN
that's it.. GITIGNORE END now you will see:
ok bye :)
EOF

git diff

The filter script settings are stored in the global Git config and it's written automatically when adding a filter pattern

and the filter patterns are stored in the repository settings at .git/info/attributes

⚠️ You can lose ignored lines when changing branches and the file is replaced because it's different in the new branch

@aryelgois Thanks❤️

no problem 😃