check non-trivial gitignore patterns using `git check-ignore`

today i ran into an issue where i tried creating a new bin/ dir in a git repo, and trying to add the files within to a new commit, but was greeted by:

$ git add bin/README.md

The following paths are ignored by one of your .gitignore files:
bin
hint: Use -f if you really want to add them.
hint: Turn this message off by running
hint: "git config advice.addIgnoredFile false"

confused, i ran a simple grep on the project's .gitignore:

$ grep bin .gitignore

which yielded nothing. i was pretty sure i didn't have that pattern set in my global gitignore, either.

a quick internet search turned up a git util that is new to me:

https://git-scm.com/docs/git-check-ignore

using this command, i was able to trace the exact line responsible:

git check-ignore -v bin

.gitignore:123:[Bb]in   bin

ohhhhh, oops. well, that makes sense. neat! this could've been solved with a more sophisticated grep pattern, but who has time for that?

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check non-trivial gitignore patterns using git check-ignore

1.1 KiB

Raw Permalink Blame History

check non-trivial gitignore patterns using `git check-ignore`