===Re:=== > There was patch series adding support --ff=only, but I think it didn't > made into git... Hmmm... I do not think it has much to do with the main point of what John wants to do which is to muck with local branch without checking it out, which is only possible when it happens to fast forward to the new tip of the corresponding branch obtained from the the remote. ===end=== It occurs to me that maybe my concept is off, if it is being so difficult. Here is what I'm "cooking": ======excerpt====== To keep apprised of other people's work, including updates to the main dev branch, start the day with: git fetch This will update your "remote tracking branches", letting you see what everyone else is working on, and letting you see the central repository's dev (as remotes/origin/dev) compared to your own local dev, so you can see what has been added. This does not change your local dev, or any other branches you are using. As for your own topic branches, you are the only one who changes them. This is a perfectly safe command and can be performed any time to update your view of what's happening throughout the team. You will, in particular, see your local dev where you last left it, and the current remotes/origin/dev pointing ahead of it. E.g. A <== dev \ B--C--D <== remotes/origin/dev In this example, you see plain "dev" still pointing to A, and "remotes/origin/dev" pointing to D. So, you can tell that B, C, D were added. Review the nodes B, C, and D, by reading the comments and seeing which files were affected, and look deeper if it seems to affect what you are doing. Finally, issue the command ??? And this will update your local dev to match the origin. ====== Basically, instead of mysterious "can't push" messages, the idea is that people can feel good about 'fetch' as refreshing their view of the central repo, so gitk can show them how the central dev (and other branches) differs from their own. TradeStation Group, Inc. is a publicly-traded holding company (NASDAQ GS: TRAD) of three operating subsidiaries, TradeStation Securities, Inc. (Member NYSE, FINRA, SIPC and NFA), TradeStation Technologies, Inc., a trading software and subscription company, and TradeStation Europe Limited, a United Kingdom, FSA-authorized introducing brokerage firm. None of these companies provides trading or investment advice, recommendations or endorsements of any kind. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. -- 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