Subject: Re: Big Mess--How to use Git to resolve

From: Neal Kreitzinger <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:44:59 -0600

On 12/17/2011 12:40 PM, hs_glw wrote:
> Randal, thank you for the comprehensive answer.

Note that Randal's solution leaves with a branch named Release that has 
the history of the generic version of your software, and various 
custom(er) branches that fork from the Release branch...

On 12/17/2011 6:32 AM, hs_glw wrote:
> Some clients have customizations of the code, some have version 5 of
> the software others have 5.2, 5.5 etc.
>
> My goal is to pull all the different versions in, put them all
 > together, and create a master version of the software that runs for
 > all clients.

Note that you don't have to make everyone run the same version. At my 
shop we maintain dozens of concurrent divergent versions and that is the 
main reason we chose git.  We can maintain a generic version (which most 
clients run) and also custom branches (for clients wanting to pay for 
customizations) forked off of the generic branch.  The custom branches 
can periodically have the generic branch merged in to obtain the generic 
fixes/enhancements.  You can also merge the custom branches into the 
generic branch if you want those custom features included in a new 
release of the generic branch.

> There will still be some files that are completely unique to each
> client (style sheets and logos for instance).

If your logos are graphical files they are likely considered 'large 
files' and are likely binary files in the context of git.  It is 
recommended you maintain these in a separate repository to keep them 
from bogging down your main repo (performance and storage).  You can 
make the logo repo a submodule of the main repo (source repo).  This 
would then make your main repo a 'super project' (contains submodules) 
in git terminology.  Alternatively, I think your source repo and logo 
repo can just both be submodules of a super project.

We are working on implementing this so some of what I said is 
theoretical.  Custom branches in combination with submodules seems like 
it could get pretty unwieldy if not managed properly.

Some things to look into.

v/r,
neal