Random Code

Since updating msysgit to 1.6.5.1, I have been able to drop the custom cherrypick script I was using to commit back to my subversion repository and finally use the “proper” git – svn workflow. I’m writing it up here because every so often I forget bits of it.

My usual development workflow is based around doing all development in a topic branch.

1.  Ensure master is up to date
      -  git svn rebase
2.  Create a topic branch and switch to it
      -  git checkout -b [topic branch]
3.  ... write some code ...
4.  Commit to local git topic branch ( I use git extensions usually )
      -  git add .
      -  git commit -a -m [commit message]

When I have completed developing a feature and need to check it in to the subversion repository, I use the following workflow:

1.  Ensure master is up to date
      - git checkout master
      -  git svn rebase
2.  Rebase the topic branch to master - this ensures your topic branch is a
 continuation of the current master branch and will fit better with subversions
 linear "view" of the world
      -  git checkout [topic branch]
      -  git rebase master
3.  Merge the topic branch onto the master - because of the rebase in the
 previous step creating a common ancestor, this will be a fast forward merge
      -  git checkout master
      -  git merge [topic branch]
4.  Commit to the subversion repository
      -  git svn dcommit
5.  Delete the topic branch ( assuming that the dcommit was successful,
if the dcommit failed DO NOT delete the topic branch )
      - git branch -D [topic branch]

Sometimes msysgit barfs, usually when committing a large number of local commits to subversion. To fix a broken dcommit, resync the subversion master and topic branch repositories and continue with the dcommit as shown below.

1.  Clean up any staged / unstaged files left by the broken dcommit
      -  git checkout master
      -  git reset head --hard
      -  git clean -d -f
2.  Ensure the master is up to date with the subversion repository
      -  git svn rebase
3.  Resync the master and topic branch
      -  git checkout [topic branch]
      -  git rebase master
4.  Merge any remaining changes onto master
      -  git checkout master
      -  git merge [topic branch]
5.  Resume committing changes to the subversion repository
      -  git svn dcommit