Question

Ok, so here’s the story. We’ve got git repository with 20-30k lines of code. My workmate copied (copied, not moved) few files in repo to create another module. Content of these files was just slightly modified. Then he made a commit. Meanwhile I worked with some of the files that he copied (the originals) and commited my work. When I was pulling I realized that I’ve got conflicts in files that I didn’t have, since he just created them (copied them). After resolving the conflicts I checked my local repo and I don’t have half of the files I suppose to have. I know git tracks the content of the files, not the file names, but right now it’s not very helpful.

git log remote_repo --stat --diff-filter=D

shows that few files was deleted, and

git log remote_repo --stat -C --diff-filter=D

shows that fewer files was deleted (but still some)

We need both copies of files so what should we do?

Answer 1

You’ll need to rebase and try resolving the conflicts again. This may be simple or slightly more complex. If it is simple you will only nee to rebase the merge and fix the files that were deleted. Try this:

git rebase -i HEAD~1

You will be presented with a screen asking what you want to do to each commit.
It will be something like:

pick bb009b7 merge commit

# Rebase 9775146..bb009b7 onto 9775146
#
# Commands:
#  p, pick = use commit
#  r, reword = use commit, but edit the commit message
#  e, edit = use commit, but stop for amending
#  s, squash = use commit, but meld into previous commit
#  f, fixup = like "squash", but discard this commit's log message
#
# If you remove a line here THAT COMMIT WILL BE LOST.
# However, if you remove everything, the rebase will be aborted.
#

Change pick to edit, save and quit the editor. You are now back in the merge commit. Run:

git checkout <id of the previous commit> <filename>
git commit --amend
git rebase --continue

That should fix it. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to go back further and it may be more complex.

I would guess that it would go something like this:

# rebase the last three commits, assuming:
#  the oldest is your most recent changes
#  the next is your co-worker's
#  the last is the merge
# You can probably go back only two but I generally
# go back one extra just to see that things are as I 
# expect.

git rebase -i HEAD~3

You will be presented with a screen asking what you want to do to each commit.
It will be something like:

pick 8d25cf0 Your changes
pick e9ddd29 His changes
pick bb009b7 merge

# Rebase 9775146..bb009b7 onto 9775146
#
# Commands:
#  p, pick = use commit
#  r, reword = use commit, but edit the commit message
#  e, edit = use commit, but stop for amending
#  s, squash = use commit, but meld into previous commit
#  f, fixup = like "squash", but discard this commit's log message
#
# If you remove a line here THAT COMMIT WILL BE LOST.
# However, if you remove everything, the rebase will be aborted.
#

Leave the first line as is. Change pick in the second to edit. The last I think you want to edit as well.

Write and save this and the rebase will begin. It will run through the first commit and stop at the second. Your files should be missing. You now want to run:

git checkout <id of the previous commit> <filename>

And that will restore files deleted by your coworker.

Then run:

git commit --amend
git rebase --continue

When you get to the merge commit just check to make sure that things are as you expect. If files are missing try checking them out again. Then amend and continue. You should now have everything you need.

If you feel things are going wrong at any point

git rebase --abort

This will put you back to where you started and you can try again.