Re: git-checkout sometimes silently fails

[Alex Riesen <raa.lkml@gmail.com>]

Andrew Morton, Tue, May 06, 2008 21:22:56 +0200:
> 
> I've had this happen before and I don't know what to do to make it stop. 
> Usually sufficient fiddling will prevent it from happening.
> 
> 
> y:/usr/src/git26> cat .git/branches/linux-next 
> git+ssh://master.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/sfr/linux-next.git
> 
> y:/usr/src/git26> git-checkout master
> Switched to branch "master"
> y:/usr/src/git26> cat kernel/*.c|sum
> 34439  2057
> y:/usr/src/git26> git-checkout linux-next
> Switched to branch "linux-next"
> y:/usr/src/git26> cat kernel/*.c|sum     
> 34439  2057

This is not a good indication of a failed checkout (they could point
to the same commit, for one). Try "gitk master...linux-next" (or "git
log master..linux-next", "git diff master linux-next")

> y:/usr/src/git26> git-checkout origin 
> Note: moving to "origin" which isn't a local branch
> If you want to create a new branch from this checkout, you may do so
> (now or later) by using -b with the checkout command again. Example:
>   git checkout -b <new_branch_name>
> HEAD is now at 5717922... Merge branch 'for_linus' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/jwessel/linux-2.6-kgdb

This is not an error. The commit was checked out (and HEAD was
"detached").

> y:/usr/src/git26> cat kernel/*.c|sum          
> 34439  2057

Again, it is no indication nothing happened. "gitk HEAD...linux-next"

> y:/usr/src/git26> git --version
> git version 1.5.5.rc1
> 
> help?

Look at "git branch -av" (it shows both local and remote branches and
commits they point to). Maybe it will give you a hint. "gitk --all" is
interesting too, seldom though (it becomes very confusing very fast if
you have many branches with complicated history each).