How to create local git branch with remote tracking in VS Code

Question

When pulling from a private git server, whenever I make a branch in VS Code it doesn't track the upstream branch. The git output shows that it's running

git checkout -q -b NewBranchLocal --no-track origin/NewBranch

if I use ">Git: Checkout to..." or ">Git: Create branch from..." command.

Is there a best practive for pulling these from a git server? How can I use the git extension in VS Code to create local versions of origin branches and tie it to that upstream branch?

From what I can see in the source code for VS Code, it looks like the --no-track should only show up if the branch you're creating is being checked out, but I don't see an option where you can create a branch and not check it out. Looking in the vscode-master/extensions/git/src folder, git.ts (line 1238) says

    async branch(name: string, checkout: boolean, ref?: string): Promise<void> {
        const args = checkout ? ['checkout', '-q', '-b', name, '--no-track'] : ['branch', '-q', name];

        if (ref) {
            args.push(ref);
        }

        await this.run(args);
    }

The only reference is in repository.ts (line 979):

    async branch(name: string, _checkout: boolean, _ref?: string): Promise<void> {
        await this.run(Operation.Branch, () => this.repository.branch(name, _checkout, _ref));
    }

This is called in the commands.ts file (line 1563)

    private async _branch(repository: Repository, defaultName?: string, from = false): Promise<void> {
        const branchName = await this.promptForBranchName(defaultName);

        if (!branchName) {
            return;
        }

        let target = 'HEAD';

        if (from) {
            const picks = [new HEADItem(repository), ...createCheckoutItems(repository)];
            const placeHolder = localize('select a ref to create a new branch from', 'Select a ref to create the \'{0}\' branch from', branchName);
            const choice = await window.showQuickPick(picks, { placeHolder });

            if (!choice) {
                return;
            }

            target = choice.label;
        }

        await repository.branch(branchName, true, target);
    }

so there's no ability to not check out that branch, and no chance to have the new, local branch linked to the origin.

I couldn't find any other references in the vscode-master project, so I'm stumped as to where to look next.

Answer 1

According to this VS Code issue , the Git: Checkout to... command will show you a list of branches. If you pick a remote branch, it will create a local branch and set it to track the remote one. I just tested this with VS Code 1.47.3 and it created the local branch with tracking. Perhaps they fixed this after you posted the question here?