将Git远程存储库连接到空的本地文件夹

Question

Every tutorial and book I've read on Git always address "new and clean" repositories and conditions. Mine does not fit this mold.

I have a folder holding Eclipse project files (Android app, specifically) called Research. I also have a GitHub repository, also called Research. It has files in its master branch...the very same as the ones I have in my local Research folder. It also has 2 additional branches, with more files in them.

1. How do I connect my local Research folder to the remote Research repository?

2. How do I retrieve files within the other branches of this remote repository into my local repository?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Okay, I've now tested this and it worked for me, but do make a backup copy of your local Research folder, just in case. (Or make a copy and try the steps with that copy first.)

Based on your comments I'm assuming your local files in Research are exact copies of the ones on the remote. You also said your local Research folder was not a git repository yet/anymore/again, but make sure it really isn't by checking there is no (hidden) .git folder in Research. If there is, remove it.

Now:

(Re)initialise Research with
git init

next, add your remote (the URL will look different if you use https;
'origin' is the name we pick to refer to the remote)
git remote add origin git@github.com:youruser/yourrepo.git

do a fetch of the remote
git fetch origin

Assuming the main branch of your remote is called 'master' (which is the default), do
git reset --hard origin/master
which will (re)set all tracking info of your local repo to that of your remote.

Now if you check which branches you have locally with
git branch
you should only see your master listed.

With
git branch -r
you will see all your remote branches.

Fetch them as needed (lbranchname is the name you give the new local branch;
it might make sense to use the same as the remote branch name rbranchname)
git fetch git@github.com:youruser/yourrepo.git lbranchname:rbranchname

If you check
git branch
now, it should list master and lbranchname, to which you can switch with
git checkout lbranchname

... Now work on branches or merge with master as needed.

Answer 2

Git doesn't really care about whether your repository is new or not when you add a remote.

You just use normal git remote add syntax.

Now, when you go to fetch from the remote, you may get some warning about 'no common commits' if the remote history is completely separate from yours. How you would proceed depends on whether or not you have local history you want to preserve and a number of other factors.