I copied a file and made a bunch of changes to it at the same time (i.e. in one commit). I then carried on making changes in subsequent commits. I now want to split that commit into two - one that just copies the file to its new location and one that modifies that file. How would I do that? If it was the most recent commit it would be easy, but this is way back in history now.
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A:
From git-rebase manual (SPLITTING COMMITS section)
In interactive mode, you can mark commits with the action "edit". However, this does not necessarily mean that git rebase expects the result of this edit to be exactly one commit. Indeed, you can undo the commit, or you can add other commits. This can be used to split a commit into two:
Start an interactive rebase with git rebase -i < commit>^, where < commit> is the commit you want to split. In fact, any commit range will do, as long as it contains that commit.
Mark the commit you want to split with the action "edit".
When it comes to editing that commit, execute git reset HEAD^. The effect is that the HEAD is rewound by one, and the index follows suit. However, the working tree stays the same.
Now add the changes to the index that you want to have in the first commit. You can use git add (possibly interactively) or git gui (or both) to do that.
Commit the now-current index with whatever commit message is appropriate now.
Repeat the last two steps until your working tree is clean.
Continue the rebase with git rebase --continue.
MBO
2010-01-22 15:05:08
A:
Easiest thing to do without an interactive rebase is (probably) to make a new branch starting at the commit before the one you want to split, cherry-pick -n the commit, reset, stash, commit the file move, reapply the stash and commit the changes, and then either merge with the former branch or cherry-pick the commits that followed. (Then switch the former branch name to the current head.) (It's probably better to follow MBOs advice and do an interactive rebase.)
William Pursell
2010-01-22 17:04:50