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As I write in a .txt file, how do I keep track of the changes? This will be from the creation of the file until I'm finished with it. Does the file need to be in a certain place? Special commands required? I have never used open source management software before, so as much advice as you have to spare would be welcome.

tshepang
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coyote
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  • what operating system are you using? – Winston Ewert Nov 25 '10 at 02:15
  • I suggest you might try http://git-scm.com/ or try searching SO (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/315911/git-for-beginners-the-definitive-practical-guide) before asking questions like this. – user160917 Nov 25 '10 at 02:28

2 Answers2

4

I suggest to read the Git Book then.

You have to

  1. Initialize your repository

    cd folder
git init

  2. Create and add files

    vim file.txt
git add file.txt

  3. Commit changes

    git commit -m"Added some more lines"

  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 whenever you make changes to your file(s) and want to add them to your repository.

But: You really have to read a tutorial before and get familiar with the basic commands. You don't have to create a git repository at a certain place, any folder will do.

Felix Kling
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You just have to create a repository and add the file to it. A simple command list can be found here.

All you'd do would be something like the following in an empty directory containing your text file only:

git init .
git add mytextfile.txt

Then, every time you'd like to commit/save current changes or the current version of the file, type:

git commit

or (to add a commit message that can be seen in the commit/version history later on)

git commit -m "Added chapter 5"
Mario
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  • No, when you only type `git commit` then the default editor opens. If you don't add any text, then the commit is not created. – Felix Kling Nov 26 '10 at 00:25