cannot reference a remote branch

[Brian de Alwis]

I have a local git clone:

$ git clone git://git.eclipse.org/gitroot/platform/eclipse.platform.ui.git platform-ui-git

I'm trying to create a bzr branch of the R4_development branch. I have not established a local branch to track the remote. Jelmer advised me to use the "refs=" format, which fails:

$ bzr branch file:$PWD/platform-ui-git,ref=refs%2Fremotes%2Forigin%2FR4_development platform-ui-r4
bzr: ERROR: exceptions.ValueError: unable to map ref refs/remotes/origin/R4_development back to branch name

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/commands.py", line 918, in exception_to_return_code
    return the_callable(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/commands.py", line 1118, in run_bzr
    ret = run(*run_argv)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/commands.py", line 676, in run_argv_aliases
    return self.run(**all_cmd_args)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/commands.py", line 698, in run
    return self._operation.run_simple(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/cleanup.py", line 135, in run_simple
    self.cleanups, self.func, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/cleanup.py", line 165, in _do_with_cleanups
    result = func(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/builtins.py", line 1263, in run
    from_location)
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/bzrdir.py", line 919, in open_tree_or_branch
    return bzrdir._get_tree_branch()
  File "/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzrlib/controldir.py", line 425, in _get_tree_branch
    tree = self.open_workingtree()
  File "/Users/bsd/.bazaar/plugins/git/dir.py", line 455, in open_workingtree
    branch = self.open_branch()
  File "/Users/bsd/.bazaar/plugins/git/dir.py", line 415, in open_branch
    return LocalGitBranch(self, repo, ref, self._lockfiles)
  File "/Users/bsd/.bazaar/plugins/git/branch.py", line 434, in __init__
    lockfiles, tagsdict)
  File "/Users/bsd/.bazaar/plugins/git/branch.py", line 315, in __init__
    self.name = ref_to_branch_name(ref)
  File "/Users/bsd/.bazaar/plugins/git/refs.py", line 90, in ref_to_branch_name
    raise ValueError("unable to map ref %s back to branch name" % ref)
ValueError: unable to map ref refs/remotes/origin/R4_development back to branch name

bzr 2.5.0dev1 on python 2.6.2 (Darwin-11.1.0-x86_64-i386-32bit)
arguments: ['/scratch/dev/bzr/bzr.dev/bzr', 'branch',
    'file:/Users/bsd/Manumitting/Projects/e4/platform-ui-
    git,ref=refs%2Fremotes%2Forigin%2FR4_development', 'platform-ui-r4']
plugins: automv[unknown], bash_completion[1.2.1dev], bisect[1.1.0dev],
    changelog_merge[2.5.0dev1], clear_exec_bit[unknown], colo[0.2.0dev],
    diffstat[0.2.0], extmerge[unknown], git[0.6.2], grep[0.4.0],
    keywords[unknown], launchpad[2.5.0dev1], log_deleted[unknown],
    mail_app[0.9.0], multiparent[unknown], netrc_credential_store[2.5.0dev1],
    news_merge[2.5.0dev1], pipeline[1.1.0], prompt_repack[unknown],
    rewrite[0.7.0dev], shell_hooks[1.0.0dev], sprout[0.9.0dev], svn[1.1.0dev],
    weave_fmt[2.5.0dev1], xmloutput[0.8.7dev]
encoding: 'UTF-8', fsenc: 'utf-8', lang: 'en_CA.UTF-8'

*** Bazaar has encountered an internal error. This probably indicates a
    bug in Bazaar. You can help us fix it by filing a bug report at
        https://bugs.launchpad.net/bzr/+filebug
    including this traceback and a description of the problem.
bzr: warning: some compiled extensions could not be loaded; see <https://answers.launchpad.net/bzr/+faq/703>