GitHub Desktop: "This file is empty"

Question

The file naaclhlt2016.tex is not empty on the client or in the repository, however GitHub Desktop displays "This file is empty". What could explain this?

The file naaclhlt2016.tex is present on GitHub repository:

git status:

It creates conflict when I try to sync:

@VonC The file naaclhlt2016.tex is present on GitHub repository. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jan 02 '16 at 05:09
Is it present in a different path? Is there any case difference anywhere in the path or name? — VonC, Jan 02 '16 at 05:11
@VonC git status thinks naaclhlt2016.tex has changed. I added the screenshot in the question. It looks like naaclhlt2016.tex appears in the list of changed files each time I compile the latex document. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jan 02 '16 at 05:26
If that document is generated, maybe it should not be versioned at all. — VonC, Jan 02 '16 at 05:34
@VonC True, but compiling it shouldn't change it. Looking at the "date modified", you are [right](http://tex.stackexchange.com/q/285530/11400) though. I guess that explains it. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jan 02 '16 at 05:48
That explains the modified status, but not "file is empty", unless GitHub Desktop is unable to display metadata changes, and consider it does not detect any file content change? — VonC, Jan 02 '16 at 05:51
@VonC I guess GitHub Desktop is unable to display metadata changes. — Franck Dernoncourt, Jan 02 '16 at 05:58

score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 02 '16 at 06:00

7

After discussion, if the change of the tex file is only in term of metadata (and not actual file content change, after a latex recompilation), the GitHub Desktop might be unable to display any change.

Since it detects no change even though the git status list this file, it falls back to a "this file is empty" message.

answered Jan 02 '16 at 06:00

VonC

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That might be a bug or at least a surprising "feature" to report to GitHub support, and see if they think it is the expected response. – VonC Jan 02 '16 at 06:04
I will report, but first I will try to understand why compiling a tex file with Texmaker changes the “date modified” meta-information. I will let you know when I submit the report. – Franck Dernoncourt Jan 02 '16 at 18:16
@FranckDernoncourt Did you get any feedback from gitHub support about this feature? – VonC Oct 24 '16 at 06:07
Sorry, I forgot whether I had submitted a report. I have just submitted one. Thanks for the follow-up. – Franck Dernoncourt Oct 24 '16 at 14:06
"That may not be the intended behavior, but I am not sure. I have shared your feedback with our team for them to consider." – Franck Dernoncourt Oct 25 '16 at 14:44
@FranckDernoncourt the suspense is killing me ;) – VonC Oct 25 '16 at 14:49
Any news on this? – Varaquilex Nov 20 '16 at 23:28
@Varaquilex not on my side. Maybe the OP has more. – VonC Nov 21 '16 at 05:11

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

1

In addition to the @VonC response.

To dissmiss this alert

Git desktop

unselect all changed files
select only the "this file is empty" files
try to commit
Git will display a commit error, saying that you can't do that. After closing the modal, Git should delete the files from the changes list.

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Jul 04 '17 at 13:06

Julha

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I'd say this is the "solution" to this strange issue. Indeed trying to commit only these files results in an error, the commit is not done and the problem is gone. Thanks! – Shai Petel Feb 27 '18 at 18:53

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 07 '17 at 08:03

I'm finding similar results when there is a mismatch between the autoCRLF setting (e.g. in ~/.gitconfig) and the storage of line breaks in a text file. I have .php files that were downloaded on one (Windows) machine, zipped up and unzipped in an Apache folder, then I copied those to a cloned repo and it sometimes complains about every file as changed. The files stored on GitHub seem to have been stored with CRLF (they are larger).

I have been unable to get GitHub Desktop to process my modified files. I have tried a full fresh clone with autoCRLF=true, autoCRLF=input, and autoCRLF=false, and yet GitHub Desktop either reports the files as empty or every line changed, depending on the autoCRLF setting.

I believe it is entirely because they were stored on GitHub with the CRLFs in the files, and GitHub Desktop seems to assume that the autoCRLF governs (only) the checked out files, and won't compare with CRLFs on GitHub, even with autoCRLF=false. They are byte-for-byte identical files, but they are LF-only, and it's either complaining every line has changed, or that the file is empty.

If I do a git diff on one of the files, in this case feed.php, I see: warning: CRLF will be replaced by LF in API/events/feed.php. The file will have its original line endings in your working directory.

GitHub Desktop: "This file is empty"

3 Answers3

To dissmiss this alert

Linked