Merging from branch deletes files added to master

Question

New to SourceTree and GIT branching...

We have a git repro where all the main development happens along the master trunk, but some time ago a separate branch was created for some experimental work. I'm now trying to merge that branch back into master with SourceTree but having a major problem where all the files that have been added to master since the other branch was created (and don't exist in that branch) are being flagged as deleted from master.

Here's what I'm doing

* Make sure master is checked out
* Select the latest commit on master
* Click Merge
* Select the most recent commit of the other branch
* Click OK

The result is a bunch of conflicts as expected, but also a mass of "deleted" files that really should not be!

What's going on??

Thanks

Peter Schueffler · Answer

I think you can avoid that issue by following practice:

before you merge the branch into the master, you go to your branch and pull from the master (applying the latest changes, new files etc). Then you resolve conflicts on your branch, then you merge to the master.

Even if your branch has a wired past, it will then know what the master should be and just apply the current differences, instead of wired past differences.

Anthony Hughes · Answer

There was a commit (some changes) then a merge with master, then the commit was reverted, which also removed all of the files added by the merge because it happened after the commit that was being reverted. As well as removing new files, this revert also undoes the changes in master that had happened up to the point of the revert.

sreekumar_menon · Answer

so you are saying there is a commit that reverts the newly added files ,which is removing the newly added files.

you could revert that commit again*(commit that is reverting ),which will put all the files back.