Re: [BUG] git checkout <branch> allowed with uncommitted changes

On Thu, Oct 13, 2011 at 8:53 AM, arQon [off-list ref] wrote:

quoted

git co master

error: Your local changes to the following files would be overwritten by
checkout:
       file1.txt
Please, commit your changes or stash them before you can switch branches.
Aborting

I'm sure if I thought about it enough (ie re-read Andreas's post a couple
more times) I'd be able to understand why git gets it right sometimes but
not other times, but I'm too tired right now. Even when I *am* awake and

Git gets it "right" (by your definition) when file1.txt on one branch
is different from file1.txt on the other branch.  That means that
switching branches would require changing the file, so it refuses to
overwrite your changes by doing so.  If it CAN switch branches without
losing your changes, it does.

The fundamental problem is that you're thinking of the changes to the
working tree (which aren't commited) as being "on" some branch.  Until
they're committed, changes in the working tree are only in the working
tree.  That's basically the difference between "committed" and "not
committed".

-PJ