Change working copy location

[Len Crockett]

Is there a way to easily change the location of the working copy after a repo is cloned?

[stevestreeting · Accepted solution]

You can just move the folder in Finder and SourceTree will detect that it's disappeared, then prompt you to specify its new location when you next open it.

[Len Crockett]

Thanks. I did discover this eventually. Could it be a configurable option in repo settings? Just a thought.

[stevestreeting]

Actually the plan is to make this just more seamless in the future, so that you can move the folder using any tool you like and SourceTree will continue to track it.

[Len Crockett]

Thats awesome Steve. I'm excited to see where Atlassian takes this app!

[VishwasGagrani]

Just wanted to add, as what i found, it is not straight forward sometimes, especially when you are changing the "folder name" as well as it's "location". If you are doing both, you have to go step by step: 1) Change only the location first ( not the folder name), and relocate it in source tree app. 2) Now change the name and again relocate it in source tree app. It sounds strange, but i found that you cannot do both at the same time. Otherwise it won't be able to relocate.

[Thomas Kekeisen]

Changing the location manually would be still nice since I use multiple copies of single repositories in different projects.

[mishterk]

+1 to being able to change the location manually. Automation is great, but it doesn't cover all of us in all situations.

[eschnett]

I moved many repositories from /dir/A to /dir/B. Is there a way to automate this, e.g. by editing a plist file or so? Manually clicking through hundreds of directories is too tiresome. I'd be happy to write a one-off script or so...

[Dante Hernandez]

Steve, under Windows 7, would it behave just the same moving folder using file explorer? Also, I'm not sure this is the same I want to do. Because of the way I'm organizing my data, I'd like to have the local repository (.git folder) in one place and the working copy in another. Is that possible?

[Kelly Nall]

So, forgive a ST novice but can anyone elaborate on "Finder"?  I'm using version 1.9.9.20 and there is nothing showing in the main application page that says "Finder" and also no item in the File, Edit, View, Repository, Actions, Tools, and Help menu that is called "Finder".

[Ivan Golovic]

@Kelly Nall - I turns out that "Finder" is some kind of a file system explorer for Mac OS, same thing can be achieved on Windows by using windows explorer.

[Deleted user]

Another +1 for the ability to manually force the location change. Sometimes I make a mistake choosing the new folder, and I'd like to be able to rectify that mistake without jumping through goofy hoops.

[AH]

What does "just move the folder in Finder" mean? Where is this Finder?

[Adam Buckner]

a h: The Finder is the Mac version of the Explorer. This is the view where you view and manipulate your file structure.

[meil]

In Windows, I tried to rename the folder in File Explorer or move the folder.  Neither works and it seems that it was locked.

[Sam Hayden]

Thanks! worked for me

[Thomas Pendergrass]

If you are experiencing the loop bug where SourceTree repeatedly shows you a pop up prompting you to select the new location of a repository that you moved:

I was also experiencing this issue recently. no change to folder name, I simply moved all of my repositories into a subfolder called Scripts. It was frustrating, but the work-around is simple.

1.)Double click the broken bookmark to select the correct path. Make sure you select the correct folder for your repository. It will loop; simply press cancel. Now your bookmark has the proper path associated, even though it doesn't know it yet.

2.) In SourceTree, go to File -> Open... or simply press Ctrl + O.

3.) Select the repository folder and click Open

4.) Because the bookmark and the path you just opened are the same, SourceTree remembers how cool it is and everything is back to normal.

[Mathias N]

+1 Worked like a charm where the other methods failed.

[Munchicken]

Thank you!

[windperson]

2016-05-04 14_31_46-Repository Missing.png

I always get this prompt even if I've already selected the correct working repository in popup dialog when click "Change Folder"....

[Munchicken]

Be sure to do step #2 & #3 after selecting the correct folder, that worked for me.

[ghen_san]

OMG you are a life saver!, thanks!

[lindsayannb]

I have found myself in an "update loop" whenever I try to rename or relocate no matter what I do I just keep getting the popup to change the folder. When I select the changed folder it seems to not take and just keeps asking me to choose my new folder; 

Screenshot: http://cl.ly/3O1f2D1i1T3g 

[Robert Johnson]

I'm seeing the same issue.

[VishwasGagrani]

I faced this problem on Mac ( but not on Windows ). You need to make sure, you don't rename the folder in the 1st step after moving it into the new location. Once you have moved your source folder to new location, link it to the source tree. It will accept. After then, you can rename the folder if you want.

If you are moving the content instead of folder, then make sure, you also select the .git file ( hidden on mac ). For this reason,  it's better you move the source folder instead of content. Because that will automatically be having the .git file within it.

[lindsayannb]

Thank you for the insight! I wound up scrapping it and rebuilding it, but this is good to know next time it happens. Thanks! 

[Richard H Tribe]

I'm still seeing this path prompt loop problem

no change to folder name nor missing .git, it's just moved, then launch sourcetree, get prompt loop  which goes nowhere - will not relink 

Windows, sourcetree v 1.8.2.11

[Jason Robinson]

Is there any way to update all the repositories in a sourcetree directory?  I found a file name length problem when trying to clone libgdx, so I shortened the path for all my open source repos.  Now I have a few dozen repos in SourceTree that point to the old path.  With this method I have to manually open each repo in SourceTree in order to get the prompt, and then point the repo to the correct location.

For each repo.  one at a time.

[Shinsuke Ito]

6 years late, but for anyone else wondering:

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Atlassian\SourceTree\bookmarks.xml