Importing an existing repository into Stash

[Martin Ehrnhoefer]

Hi,

I have my brand new Stash server installed, and now I am trying to migrate my Git repositories (which are currently hosted on some remote site). I already created a local copy using "git clone --mirror"(which includes all branches).

My question is:

What is the preferred way to import such a bare repository - including all branches and tags - to Stash?

My ideas so far:

- use a local script that pushes all branches and tags - one by one - to the Stash server

- got to the Stash "data/repositories" directory and execute a "git clone --mirror" there

Thanks!

Martin

[Semyon Vadishev · Accepted solution]

One has to be very careful using

git clone --mirror

This command sets force update for all the references of remote origin:

[remote "origin"]
	url = ...
	fetch = +refs/*:refs/*
	mirror = true

As result one may accidentaly rewrite the whole history of mirrored repository just by running:

git fetch origin

That's why one should remove the remote right after the clone is completed:

git remote rm origin

So the whole sequence should be as follows:

git clone --mirror $ORIGINAL_URL
git remote rm origin
git remote add stash $STASH_URL
git push --all stash
git push --tags stash

Another important note: if you're importing Subversion repository into Stash with git-svn, I'd highly recommend you to use SVN Importer Plugin instead, here are the reasons:

1. It doesn't use git-svn, git-svn is slow and terrible;
2. It uses SubGit instead, SubGit is fast and awesome;
3. SVN Importer Plugin uses Stash users to map SVN authors into Git committers;
4. SVN Importer Plugin properly handles branches, tags, merge-tracking information, EOLs, MIME types, etc;

Hope that helps.

[Sven [Dione Technology]]

On clone and remote rm orgin, do we still keep link to the origin one or the old and new report are strictly seperate ?

[Martin Gregory]

I'm astonished how convoluted it is to get set up to use Stash with an existing git repo.

Why on earth doesn't Stash handle this for us?    I should just have to tell stash where my existing repo is and it should take care of the rest!

[Jens Schumacher [Atlassian]]

Hi Martin,

You should be able to push all Branches and Tags to Stash by changing the origin (or adding Stash as another remote) and run "git push --all" and "git push --tags". Note that "all" includes all Branches, but not the Tags.

See the documentation for details: http://git-scm.com/docs/git-push

Cheers,
Jens

[Martin Ehrnhoefer]

thx! i missed the "--all" option...

[Ellen Feaheny [AppFusions]]

For future reference, AppFusions just released a "Source Code Importer for Atlassian Stash" plugin to help reduce the headaches in this.

Initial release supports code from SVN SCM. More SCM support coming!

Questions - don't hesitate to let us know - happy to help!

Ellen

info@appfusions.com

[GarethB]

That plugin doesn't seem to be available any more - the link points to a generic AppFusions page.

[Jens Schumacher [Atlassian]]

On another note... I would suggest to never edit the data directory manually.

[BenW]

Maybe you guys should update the docs then?

[seb]

Thanks Ben, I've done that now. Sorry for the oversight!

[AdamP]

When I follow those instructions, I get to the final step (the push --all) and get:

$ git push --all origin
error: --all and --mirror are incompatible

[seb]

If you clone a repository with --mirror, you cannot use --all. The mirror option will push all refs to origin.

[Jens Schumacher [Atlassian]]

Importing external projects into Stash is now documented:

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/STASH/Importing+code+from+an+existing+project