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Workflow for using git subtree on Windows
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To include a library as a subtree, follow these steps: | |
1. Add the project as a remote | |
git remote add <remote-name> <source-repo> | |
2. Fetch the remote | |
git fetch <remote-name> | |
3. Add the project | |
git subtree add --prefix "path/to/project" <remote-name> <remote-branch-name> --squash | |
Notes about this process: | |
* Path separators must be forward-slash as Windows git breaks otherwise. To allow this, quote paths. | |
* Using SourceTree to achieve this currently doesn't work because it will pass back-slashes. | |
* Afterwards, SourceTree won't list the subtree until you try to "Add/Link" it from its UI. | |
* Squashing the commits (--squash) reduces all source repo commits to one simple commit (doesn't spam your main list). | |
To push changes made in the subtree upstream to the source repo, use: | |
git subtree push --prefix "path/to/project" <remote-name> <remote-branch-name> | |
If the upstream repo currently has <remote-branch-name> checked out, THIS WILL FAIL. So instead, make sure the source | |
repo has an extra branch to receive any pushes. | |
Suggested pattern: | |
* Have "develop" and "master" branches. | |
* In the upstream/source repo, always work on "develop". | |
* In downstream/dependent repo, always push to "master". | |
Assuming you have "master" in the upstream/source repo checked out, it's a simple case of merging back to "develop" to | |
have everything synced up again: | |
git checkout develop | |
git merge master | |
Pulling remote changes is a little simpler: | |
git subtree pull --prefix "path/to/project" <remote-name> <remote-branch-name> --squash | |
Again, the commits are squashed. |
Yeah, if you baby-feed the SourceTree dialogue it all works. But by that point its use becomes pretty pointless :) I find it easier to work from the CLI and then select Add/Link once the subtree is setup. At that point, at least, forward/back & absolute/relative seem to all work.
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RE: SourceTree
I've discovered that SourceTree does work if you type the folder in manually and use relative paths rather than the full path, and use forward rather than backslashes.