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we are using git at work. we want to move a directory called "Workflows" from under Source/Workflows

to a new location Source/Sites/CompanySite/Workflows

my colleague did a copy of that directory to the new location "Source/Sites/CompanySite/Workflows" and checked-in before doing a "git mv" command or even doing a move.

So, we have new copies of the files in that location with no history.

But because we want to just move files keeping their history, so I deleted the new copy and tried to do "git mv" to move the source files, while keeping the history. And I know that git will recognize that we are renaming even without "git mv"

But because my colleague copy has already a history there (which is an empty one), so even when I delete it it keep that "new history".

Then no matter what I do, I am not able to move those files with their "original history".

because it always keeping the "new history" that was there.

I hope my question is clear

How can I move these files keeping their history. maybe "purging" that old copy????

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    How far back in the history did your co-worker do this and how big is the team (IE, how practical is rebasing to throw away your co-worker's commit and try again)? Commented Jun 10, 2014 at 19:04
  • I recommend the solution posted in stackoverflow.com/a/13590229/1579915. Commented Jan 25, 2016 at 14:43

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git mv doesn't actually ensure that Git will see it as a move; it may still treat it as a delete + addition, anyway. Git infers moves, but doesn't record them.

If you want the history, try passing the --follow flag to git log—it may be able to recognize the connection to the original and show the history for it.

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it depends on your requirements: there is a possibility to use git-filter-branch

this allows you to apply a shellscript on every commit like: git filter-branch --tree-filter 'rm filename' HEAD

be aware though that it will create new commit-ids for each commit. See also this SO Question on moving files with filter-tree.

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