How to skip "Loose Object" popup when running 'git gui'

Asked 2009-07-09T21:20:30.107

154

When I run 'git gui' I get a popup that says

This repository currently has approximately 1500 loose objects.

It then suggests compressing the database. I've done this before, and it reduces the loose objects to about 250, but that doesn't suppress the popup. Compressing again doesn't change the number of loose objects.

Our current workflow requires significant use of 'rebase' as we are transitioning from Perforce, and Perforce is still the canonical SCM. Once Git is the canonical SCM, we will do regular merges, and the loose objects problem should be greatly mitigated.

In the mean time, I'd really like to make this 'helpful' popup go away.

Edit Report

2 Answers

Update: git prune would "solve" the issue, in that it will remove those loose objects
(git gc calls git prune, but only for loose objects older than two weeks, by default).
However, as the OP Michael Donohue mentions in the comments:

I do like the safety aspect of keeping the loose objects around for two weeks, should I want to go back and look at some old revisions, so I don't really like this solution.
I am not having any trouble with the size or performance of git, it is just 'git gui' that insists on asking me to compress the database, even when compressing the database would have no effect.

Original answer:

The problem of "git gc" not removing all loose objects has been reported before (late 2008, ""git gc" doesn't seem to remove loose objects any more"

git gc only removes loose objects older than two weeks, if you really want to remove them now, run git prune.
But make sure no other git process can be active when you run it, or it could possibly step on something.

"git gc" will unpack objects that have become unreachable and were currently in packs.
As a result, the amount of disk space used by a git repository can actually go up dramatically after a "git gc" operation, which could be surprising for someone who is running close to full on their filesystem, deletes a number of branches from a tracking repository, and then does a "git gc" may get a very unpleasant surprise.

[
answered 2009-07-10T06:58:45.617


            
            
                
                    
                        
                            
                            
                        
                        39
                        
                            
                            
                        
                        
                    
                    
                        
                        When "Loose Object" popup I know it's time to run git's garbage collector:

git gc


After that the popup goes away.



Update: (due to T.E.D.'s suggestion)



I extracted the below routine from git/share/git-gui/lib/database.tcl


You can modify it to meet your needs.

proc hint_gc {} {
    set object_limit 8
    if {[is_Windows]} {
        set object_limit 1
    }

    set objects_current [llength [glob \
        -directory [gitdir objects 42] \
        -nocomplain \
        -tails \
        -- \
        *]]

    if {$objects_current >= $object_limit} {
        set objects_current [expr {$objects_current * 256}]
        set object_limit    [expr {$object_limit    * 256}]
        if {[ask_popup \
            [mc "This repository currently has approximately %i loose objects.

To maintain optimal performance it is strongly recommended that you compress the database when more than %i loose objects exist.

Compress the database now?" $objects_current $object_limit]] eq yes} {
            do_gc
        }
    }
}


                        
                        
                            answered 2009-07-09T21:58:31.920



        
        
            Your Answer