NAME
----
-git-fast-import - Backend for fast Git data importers.
+git-fast-import - Backend for fast Git data importers
SYNOPSIS
Dumps the internal marks table to <file> when complete.
Marks are written one per line as `:markid SHA-1`.
Frontends can use this file to validate imports after they
- have been completed.
+ have been completed, or to save the marks table across
+ incremental runs. As <file> is only opened and truncated
+ at checkpoint (or completion) the same path can also be
+ safely given to \--import-marks.
+
+--import-marks=<file>::
+ Before processing any input, load the marks specified in
+ <file>. The input file must exist, must be readable, and
+ must use the same format as produced by \--export-marks.
+ Multiple options may be supplied to import more than one
+ set of marks. If a mark is defined to different values,
+ the last file wins.
--export-pack-edges=<file>::
After creating a packfile, print a line of data to
`from`
^^^^^^
-Only valid for the first commit made on this branch by this
-fast-import process. The `from` command is used to specify the commit
-to initialize this branch from. This revision will be the first
-ancestor of the new commit.
-
-Omitting the `from` command in the first commit of a new branch will
-cause fast-import to create that commit with no ancestor. This tends to be
-desired only for the initial commit of a project. Omitting the
-`from` command on existing branches is required, as the current
-commit on that branch is automatically assumed to be the first
-ancestor of the new commit.
+The `from` command is used to specify the commit to initialize
+this branch from. This revision will be the first ancestor of the
+new commit.
+
+Omitting the `from` command in the first commit of a new branch
+will cause fast-import to create that commit with no ancestor. This
+tends to be desired only for the initial commit of a project.
+Omitting the `from` command on existing branches is usually desired,
+as the current commit on that branch is automatically assumed to
+be the first ancestor of the new commit.
As `LF` is not valid in a Git refname or SHA-1 expression, no
quoting or escaping syntax is supported within `<committish>`.
In both formats `<path>` is the complete path of the file to be added
(if not already existing) or modified (if already existing).
-A `<path>` string must use UNIX-style directory seperators (forward
+A `<path>` string must use UNIX-style directory separators (forward
slash `/`), may contain any byte other than `LF`, and must not
start with double quote (`"`).
The value of `<path>` must be in canoncial form. That is it must not:
* contain an empty directory component (e.g. `foo//bar` is invalid),
-* end with a directory seperator (e.g. `foo/` is invalid),
-* start with a directory seperator (e.g. `/foo` is invalid),
+* end with a directory separator (e.g. `foo/` is invalid),
+* start with a directory separator (e.g. `/foo` is invalid),
* contain the special component `.` or `..` (e.g. `foo/./bar` and
`foo/../bar` are invalid).
'from' SP <committish> LF
'tagger' SP <name> SP LT <email> GT SP <when> LF
data
- LF
....
where `<name>` is the name of the tag to create.
cost of activating an inactive branch is so low that bouncing around
between branches has virtually no impact on import performance.
+Handling Renames
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+When importing a renamed file or directory, simply delete the old
+name(s) and modify the new name(s) during the corresponding commit.
+Git performs rename detection after-the-fact, rather than explicitly
+during a commit.
+
Use Tag Fixup Branches
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some other SCM systems let the user create a tag from multiple