[[!comment format=mdwn
 username="https://launchpad.net/~stephane-gourichon-lpad"
 nickname="stephane-gourichon-lpad"
 avatar="http://cdn.libravatar.org/avatar/02d4a0af59175f9123720b4481d55a769ba954e20f6dd9b2792217d9fa0c6089"
 subject="git-annex-undo removes files, possibly destroying information? Please explain."
 date="2016-10-14T07:02:42Z"
 content="""
Hello,

## Context

Thank you for git-annex. I'm progressing in learning how to use it. Seems to work as intended with only annexed files.

I actually need mixed content repository and like the idea of `annex.largefiles` deciding which files go into the annex.

While experimenting with mixed content repository, I had `git-annex-undo` destroy information twice.  Or perhaps I did something wrong?

## What happened

Here's my .gitattributes

```
*.NEF annex.largefiles=anything
*.JPG annex.largefiles=anything
*.jpg annex.largefiles=anything

```

I had a directory (say, `newdir`) with some jpg and some other files, not known by git or git-annex so far.

Based on [https://git-annex.branchable.com/tips/largefiles/](https://git-annex.branchable.com/tips/largefiles/) I expected both `git add` and `git annex add` to add NEF JPG jpg to the annex, and other files as regular git files.  

In case of problem, I expected `git annex undo` to revert state to the one just before the last command (which is: full of my regular files, not symlinks or empty).

* `git add newdir` added them *all* as *regular* files, not partly in the annex as expected.  Surprised, I wanted to undo and try another command.
* `git annex undo` emptied `newdir` completely. Wow! Fortunately these were copies, else they would have been gone forever! To be fair I have not checked at that point if files had been copied in annex, which as only copy would still be a mess because file names would have been lost anyway. 

I used `git reset <hash>` to revert state git-style, checked with `git status` that state was indeed back to pre-add (newdir empty, not known to git), then copied the files again from their source.

* `git annex add newdir` added them all as *annexed* files, replacing with links, not partly as regular files as expected.
* `git annex undo` emptied `newdir` completely. I expected my regular files back in place. 

I had the intended result by using `git add` on regular files and `git annex add` to add files to be annexed.  As if `.gitattributes` were absent.

git-annex compiled on Debian unstable as of 2016-10-13 from git source, commit 3135d35094aa5453ef7a5f12762e00e0139a6dbb.

## Questions

* Have I explained situation clearly?
* Did `git annex add` behave as intended by you? Wasn't it supposed to automatically decide which files go to the annex?
* Did `git annex undo` behave as intended by you? Wasn't it supposed to revert working directory to the state just before the wrong \"add\"?
* Have I used `.gitattributes`, `add` commands correctly?

Thank you.
"""]]