Subject: Re: Bug report: .gitattributes: -diff Unset causes files to be reported as binaries

From: René Scharfe <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:29:07 +0200

Frans Englich schrieb:
> Hi,
> 
> Applying -diff Unset to a file using .gittattributes causes "git diff" to 
> state that the file is a binary even though it isn't, or have been instructed 
> to be treated as one. See attached script for reproducing.
> 
> This causes confusion since the file isn't a binary, it's only the diff output 
> that has been suppressed. For instance, an auto generated cpp file has -diff 
> Unset applied to it to suppress the meaningless output, but people contact 
> you to point out the file is binary.

Generated files normally don't need to be tracked, as long as all their
sources are tracked and the tools to generate them are readily available
to your target audience.  So perhaps ceasing to track the files and
adding them to the file .gitignore instead is an option?

René