Question

git rebase does not appear to work properly in certain cases where a file is added to the repository, then removed from the repository, then added to the working directory (but not the repository).

Here’s a more specific description of my problem:

• if a branch is created and switched to from some
  trunk,

• and a file X is added and committed
  in the branch,

• and subsequently X is removed and
  committed in the branch,

• and X is again created in the working
  directory, but not added or
  committed,

• and the trunk branch advances,

• then

• a rebase performed using the advanced
  trunk as the base will fail because
  it will refuse to overwrite X,

• and the rebase cannot be continued
  even if the working directory X is
  removed or moved out of the way.

Here’s a script to reproduce my problem on the command line:

git init
echo foo > foo.txt
git add .
git commit -m 'foo'
echo foo >> foo.txt
git add .
git commit -m 'foo foo'
git checkout -b topic HEAD^
git log
echo bar > bar.txt
echo baz > baz.txt
git add .
git commit -m 'bar baz'
git rm bar.txt
git commit -m '-bar' 
echo bar > bar.txt
git rebase master 
# the following output is emitted:
# First, rewinding head to replay your work on top of it...
# Applying: bar baz
# Using index info to reconstruct a base tree...
# Falling back to patching base and 3-way merge...
# error: Untracked working tree file 'bar.txt' would be overwritten by merge.  Aborting
# Failed to merge in the changes.
# Patch failed at 0001 bar baz
# 
# When you have resolved this problem run "git rebase --continue".
rm bar.txt
git rebase --continue
# the following output is emitted:
# Applying: bar baz
# No changes - did you forget to use 'git add'?
# 
# When you have resolved this problem run "git rebase --continue".
# If you would prefer to skip this patch, instead run "git rebase --skip".
# To restore the original branch and stop rebasing run "git rebase --abort".

I know I can abort the rebase using git rebase --abort, remove bar.txt, and then git rebase master again. But how can I continue the rebase without aborting it first?

Answer 1

I found a solution: apply the troubled commit’s patch manually and add it to the index.

$ patch -p1 < .git/rebase-apply/patch 
patching file bar.txt
patching file baz.txt
$ git add bar.txt baz.txt
$ git rebase --continue
Applying: bar baz
Applying: -bar