how to "un-add" a file?

[Ben Finney]

knubee <knubee at gmail.com> writes:

> What is the best way to tell bzr to stop paying attention to a file
> that was "add-ed" by mistake?

To remove (i.e. reverse the 'bzr add'), use 'bzr remove'.

> - "bzr remove --keep" leaves a status message of "unknown" when
> executing "bzr status" (this seems potentially confusing for others)

To tell Bazaar to stop paying attention to a file, add a pattern
matching that file to the ignore list, with 'bzr ignore foopattern'.

If you a file doesn't match the set of ignore patterns in effect, it
*will* show up in 'bzr status'. This is a feature, and is indeed the
entire point of 'bzr ignore'.

> - "bzr ignore" gives the following feedback when it applies to a
> file that has already been added: "Warning: the following files are
> version controlled and match your ignore pattern". does this mean it
> has or has not applied the rule to files already under version
> control?

You can always find out what Bazaar is ignoring in your working tree,
with 'bzr ignored'. This shows the files being ignored, and the ignore
pattern that caused this for each one.

-- 
 \         "Two paradoxes are better than one; they may even suggest a |
  `\                                      solution."  -- Edward Teller |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney