i have tried making changes, pushed github. computer, fetched changes. when git status, reports this:
on branch mytestbranch nothing commit, working directory clean this strange because i'm there changes fetched. did merge changes fetched!
in fact when went on friend's computer , did git status, see this:
your branch behind 'origin/mytestbranch' 1 commit, , can fast-forwarded. but why weren't git reporting origin/mytestbranch how many commits ahead or whether branch up-to-date origin/mytestbranch?
my guess @ point (i'm still waiting git branch -vv or git rev-parse --symbolic-full-name "@{u}" results) not have origin/mytestbranch set upstream mytestbranch.
to set branch upstream current branch, use:
git branch --set-upstream-to upstream1
which in case expands to:
git branch --set-upstream-to origin/mytestbranch to remove upstream setting, use git branch --unset-upstream.
the presence or absence of upstream setting affects whether git status can tell if ahead and/or behind, , whether git merge , git rebase can job no additional parameters. it's convenience setting.
normally upstream set automatically when first check out branch having git checkout create based on remote-tracking branch. instance, on first git clone, git runs, @ end, equivalent of:
git checkout master even though have no master yet. git discovers have origin/master (and no other remote/master there no question which remote use), , equivalent of:
git checkout -b --track master origin/master which creates local master pointing same commit remote-tracking branch origin/master, , setting origin/master upstream master, in 1 big do-what-i-mean fell swoop.
when create new local branch , have not yet pushed upstream, there no origin/whatever remote-tracking branch local branch track.2 in case, have set upstream manually, or use git push -u ...: -u tells git push run git branch --set-upstream-to (although it's built in c code, @ point).
1if you're stuck ancient git (pre-1.8.0) must use git branch --set-upstream, tricky right, or git config, tricky right. if @ possible, upgrade modern git version.
2the set of words here—nouns branch, nouns adjectives local branch , remote-tracking branch, , verbs set-upstream-to , gerunds tracking—is rather unfortunate. git terminology, put in nice short memorable anglo-saxon way instead of polysyllabic neologistic phraseology, sucks rocks.3
3or other anglo-saxon kick-ass word of choice.
