Question

I didn’t realize that “replace” meant the log messages from the previous file will be gone, now the log messages start with when I replaced the file and so on.

I need a way to revert it back to the previous file (before I replaced it). Is there a way to do that?

Answer 1

In essence, you’ve deleted the old file, so the advice on Resurrecting Deleted Items will link the log trail back to where it was before your replace.

You could then apply the differences between the old and new files in-place, instead of either deleting the old file and adding a new one or copying another file on top, however you “replace”d the file the first time, to preserve history.

Of course, whether the discontinuity in the log is a problem is really a matter of judgment. You could simply note in the log for a new revision which old revision in which to find the previous file of that name.