I tried this: mkdir xyz cd xyz git --git-dir=../xyz.git # Initialized empty Git repository in ../xyz.git/ echo Junk > file-a git --git-dir=../xyz.git add . # fatal: add cannot be used in a bare git directory I expected that "GIT_DIR is bare, over there, stuff is here" works the same as "GIT_DIR is .git, right here among stuff". -- Dr. Horst H. von Brand User #22616 counter.li.org Departamento de Informatica Fono: +56 32 2654431 Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria +56 32 2654239 Casilla 110-V, Valparaiso, Chile Fax: +56 32 2797513 - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe git" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html