Re: getting git to ignore modifications to specific files

On Sep 1, 2010, at 11:57 AM, Chris Packham wrote:

We have a git repository that as some GNU build system (a.k.a.
autotools) files, my current problem is with the INSTALL file but I
suspect there may be some others. These can get modified if you are
running a different version of autotools from when the files were  
created.

I've had various arguments about which autotools files should or
shouldn't be included in our repositories. My general rule of thumb is
that if it is automatically generated then it shouldn't go into the
repository.

There are a couple of repositories that are local clones of 3rd party
repositories which have included the pesky auto-generated files so  
whle
I can remove the offending files from repositories we control I need
another solution for the 3rd part ones.

I ran into this at a previous job, except using Perforce, so the files  
were readonly and make failed.  My workaround was to comment out the  
Makefile rules for rebuilding the autotools files.

The basic issues here are self-modifying code and mixing code and  
data.  The first is why I don't use autotools; the second is why I  
don't use make.

Josh