Hi Phillip, besides dependency on tar, I do not want to use git-archive because it's influenced by export-ignore and export-subst attributes, too (as I have mentioned). Thanks for git read-tree, seems it's exactly what I need. Just git read-tree has complained that -u switch needs -m or --reset switches. And I have simplified it to git --work-tree="$destdir" read-tree --index-output="$destdir".git -u --reset "$commit" rm -f "$destdir"/.git May I post this solution to the SO thread I have mentioned? Thanks very much Ondra On Mon, 13 May 2024 at 17:28, Phillip Wood <phillip.wood123@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Hi Ondra > > On 13/05/2024 08:26, Ondra Medek wrote: > > Hello, > > I need a simple script for unskilled users to do a fast checkout (LFS > > friendly) of the current local Git clone at a certain commit to a > > different directory I.e. something like "copy at a point in history". > > I think using > > git archive "$commit" --format=tar | > { cd "$output_directory" && tar -xf -; } > > is probably the simplest solution. If you don't want to rely on tar then > something like > > GIT_DIR="$(git rev-parse --path-format=absolute --git-dir)" && > GIT_COMMON_DIR="$(git rev-parse --path-format=absolute > --git-common-dir)" || exit > GIT_INDEX_FILE="$GIT_DIR/tmp-index-$$" > export GIT_DIR GIT_COMMON_DIR GIT_INDEX_FILE > unset GIT_WORK_TREE > mkdir "$output_directory" && cd "$output_directory" && > git read-tree -u "$commit" > status=$? > rm "$GIT_INDEX_FILE" > exit $status > > Which uses a temporary index file should work (note I haven't tested > it). You may want to add "--recurse-submodules" and/or > "--no-sparse-checkout" to the "git read-tree" commandline. > > Best Wishes > > Phillip > > > IMO all possible solutions are summarized in this thread > > https://stackoverflow.com/questions/160608/do-a-git-export-like-svn-export > > I describe some of them with my remarks: > > > > - git checkout-index : works with HEAD only. > > - git archive: influenced by export-ignore and export-subst > > attributes, so may not produce exact copy of sources. (And needs tar). > > - git worktree add -d : needs cleanup: git prune or git remove. > > - git clone: Unfortunately, -b param cannot work with commit hash and > > does not respect local worktree settings (e.g. autocrlf). So, a > > solution may be a bit complicated: git clone -s -n . dest/path ; cp > > .git/config dest/path/.git ; cd dest/path ; git co -q <commit-ish> ; > > rm -rf .git > > - git checkout: Unfortunately, modifies Git index, so some action to > > revert index is necessary after: git --work-tree=/path/to/checkout/ > > checkout -f -q <tree-ish> -- ./ > > > > For me, the best solution is with git clone, because it does not > > modify Git index nor any source working tree settings, so no cleanup > > is necessary. But it's a bit complicated, though. It seems to me that > > "git checkout" could do this better and simpler if it would have some > > param to not modify the Git index. Is it possible to enhance git > > checkout? Or is there any other simple solution not mentioned in the > > SO thread? > > > > Thank you > > Ondra Medek > >