Register a branch hosted on Launchpad creates an empty branch directory

[TimeHorse]

Go to a project. In my case, I have ONLY tested the Python project, but it is confirmed for at LEAST that project. Note that python is remotely hosted. In the left action pane, click on the "Register Branch" link. In the form that follows, select "Branch Type: Hosted

Launchpad is the primary location of this branch."

What is created is an empty. When I type "bzr info <branch_url>" I get:

bzr: ERROR: Not a branch: "<branch_url>".

[TimeHorse (timehorse)]

I would expect the "Register Branch" that is hosted on Launchpad to actually create a branch using either of the "Team Collaboration" models specified in the Bazaar documentation and to do so as a branch with --no-trees set.

[Diogo Matsubara (matsubara)]

Do you have an URL for the "Team Collaboration" doc?
I think you need to bzr push to the branch first.

[TimeHorse (timehorse)]

Thanks for responding Diogo!

Team Collaboration, central style is discussed in Chapter 5 of the Bazaar User's Manual:

http://doc.bazaar-vcs.org/latest/en/user-guide/index.html#team-collaboration-central-style

And Team Collaboration, distributed style in Chapter 6:

http://doc.bazaar-vcs.org/latest/en/user-guide/index.html#team-collaboration-distributed-style

Bug 221370 describes how push still does not create a checkout-able branch:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/launchpad/+bug/221370

However, this issue is only about the expected versus actual behavior of the "Register Branch" link in the Code view of a Launchpad project. Since one can always push a branch to a non-existent directory, there would be no need for the "Register Branch" button per-say if all it does is create an empty shell and the push has to be done remotely anyway.

Anyway, that is opinion. If it is incorrect, perhaps a caveat should be placed in the "Register Branch" page that says registering a branch still requires a remote push to populate the branch and what's more, pushing the wrong branch will result in a mis-registered branch on Launchpad. In other words, if I pushed a Bazaar branch into a branch registered for Python it would be very confusing to say the least. But, you shouldn't have to deal with user error, just document that fact and leave it at that.

[Diogo Matsubara (matsubara)]

Hi TimeHorse,

well, the "Register branch" is also used to register mirrored and remote branches, so there's a need for it. I agree that the form would be more user friendly if it the label for the Hosted type branch reads like: "Launchpad is the primary location of this branch. Branch needs to be populated after registering: bzr push $location".

Tim, what do you think?

[Diogo Matsubara (matsubara)]

Hmm it wasn't clear in the previous comment but I assigned this bug to Tim Penhey, lead developer for Launchpad Bazaar, asking his input on this.

Thanks

[Jonathan Lange (jml)]

beuno & I think that the Register Branch workflow should *not* create hosted branches, but instead tell users how they can push their own hosted branch.

https://lpstats.canonical.com/graphs/BranchesHostedNeverReal/ proves that this is affecting lots of users.

[Tim Penhey (thumper)]

On Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:41:32 Jonathan Lange wrote:
> beuno & I think that the Register Branch workflow should *not* create
> hosted branches, but instead tell users how they can push their own
> hosted branch.
>
> https://lpstats.canonical.com/graphs/BranchesHostedNeverReal/ proves
> that this is affecting lots of users.
>
> ** Changed in: launchpad-bazaar
> Importance: Undecided => High
> Status: Incomplete => Triaged
>
> ** Tags added: confusing-ui

Lets do it then. Good clear step by step instructions are better than what we
have now.