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Closed pull requests retain no information about deleted branches #4390

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opened 2025-11-02 05:49:06 -06:00 by GiteaMirror · 12 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:06 -06:00
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Originally created by @themightychris on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019).

Description

When the branch behind a closed pull request gets deleted, all information about the branch appears to be lost (whether the branch is deleted through Git or through the provided button in the pull request)

Observed behavior: The pull request does not retain the name of the branch, the pushed commits, or the diffs and does not offer a restore branch button

Expected behavior: A closed PR will permanently store a ref to the tip of the deleted branch, enabling its commit list and files changed views to continue working, contextual comments to continue to be read, and the branch to be restorable from the commit preserved by the PR.

Screenshots

image

Originally created by @themightychris on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019). - Gitea version (or commit ref): 1.10.0 - Git version: n/a - Operating system: Docker - Database (use `[x]`): - [ ] PostgreSQL - [ ] MySQL - [ ] MSSQL - [X] SQLite - Can you reproduce the bug at https://try.gitea.io: - [X] Yes: https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test/pulls/2 - [ ] No - [ ] Not relevant ## Description When the branch behind a closed pull request gets deleted, _all_ information about the branch appears to be lost (whether the branch is deleted through Git or through the provided button in the pull request) Observed behavior: The pull request does not retain the name of the branch, the pushed commits, or the diffs and does not offer a restore branch button Expected behavior: A closed PR will permanently store a ref to the tip of the deleted branch, enabling its commit list and files changed views to continue working, contextual comments to continue to be read, and the branch to be restorable from the commit preserved by the PR. ## Screenshots ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/458494/69553541-5aa7ff80-0f6e-11ea-999f-448d67badd2f.png)
GiteaMirror added the type/bug label 2025-11-02 05:49:06 -06:00
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:07 -06:00
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@guillep2k commented on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019):

I may be wrong about this, but I think this will be a problem with squash&merge and git gc. AFAIU git will drop any commits that are no longer referenced, so even if we keep a reference in the database, git won't know about it and the commits themselves will be lost.

@guillep2k commented on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019): I may be wrong about this, but I think this will be a problem with squash&merge and `git gc`. AFAIU git will drop any commits that are no longer referenced, so even if we keep a reference in the database, git won't know about it and the commits themselves will be lost.
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:07 -06:00
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@themightychris commented on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019):

Pull requests are typically stored inside git's ref database under refs/pull/* which prevents GC from dropping the commits.

Indeed, Gitea still has the correct ref stored for the example:

$ git ls-remote https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test.git
841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548	HEAD
279983dad2964bbb74bbc9c087a289f32f74800a	refs/heads/develop
841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548	refs/heads/master
279983dad2964bbb74bbc9c087a289f32f74800a	refs/pull/1/head
7bc8abcfa4ffb3f23632d18e2d6898cf9bb953cc	refs/pull/2/head

All needed content is still available:

$ git clone https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test.git /tmp/test
Cloning into 'test'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 6, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (6/6), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done.
remote: Total 6 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
Unpacking objects: 100% (6/6), done.

$ cd /tmp/test
$ git fetch origin refs/pull/2/head:refs/heads/deleted-branch
remote: Enumerating objects: 5, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (5/5), done.
remote: Total 3 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0)
Unpacking objects: 100% (3/3), done.
From https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test
 * [new ref]         refs/pull/2/head -> deleted-branch

$ git log deleted-branch
commit 7bc8abcfa4ffb3f23632d18e2d6898cf9bb953cc (deleted-branch)
Author: themightychris <chris@jarv.us>
Date:   Mon Nov 25 15:27:47 2019 +0000

    Update 'file.txt'

commit 841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: Chris Alfano <chris@jarv.us>
Date:   Tue Jun 25 01:04:45 2019 +0000

    first commit

$ git ls-tree deleted-branch
100644 blob 2a82ed1226e978932bec374e454a6f3906d3450e	file.txt

$ git cat-file -p 2a82ed1226e978932bec374e454a6f3906d3450e
one
three?
@themightychris commented on GitHub (Nov 25, 2019): Pull requests are typically stored inside git's ref database under `refs/pull/*` which prevents GC from dropping the commits. Indeed, Gitea still has the correct ref stored for the example: ```console $ git ls-remote https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test.git 841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548 HEAD 279983dad2964bbb74bbc9c087a289f32f74800a refs/heads/develop 841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548 refs/heads/master 279983dad2964bbb74bbc9c087a289f32f74800a refs/pull/1/head 7bc8abcfa4ffb3f23632d18e2d6898cf9bb953cc refs/pull/2/head ``` All needed content is still available: ```console $ git clone https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test.git /tmp/test Cloning into 'test'... remote: Enumerating objects: 6, done. remote: Counting objects: 100% (6/6), done. remote: Compressing objects: 100% (2/2), done. remote: Total 6 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0) Unpacking objects: 100% (6/6), done. $ cd /tmp/test $ git fetch origin refs/pull/2/head:refs/heads/deleted-branch remote: Enumerating objects: 5, done. remote: Counting objects: 100% (5/5), done. remote: Total 3 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0) Unpacking objects: 100% (3/3), done. From https://try.gitea.io/themightychris/test * [new ref] refs/pull/2/head -> deleted-branch $ git log deleted-branch commit 7bc8abcfa4ffb3f23632d18e2d6898cf9bb953cc (deleted-branch) Author: themightychris <chris@jarv.us> Date: Mon Nov 25 15:27:47 2019 +0000 Update 'file.txt' commit 841afc0554da25a0610bcf09676fd8a5890d4548 (HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD) Author: Chris Alfano <chris@jarv.us> Date: Tue Jun 25 01:04:45 2019 +0000 first commit $ git ls-tree deleted-branch 100644 blob 2a82ed1226e978932bec374e454a6f3906d3450e file.txt $ git cat-file -p 2a82ed1226e978932bec374e454a6f3906d3450e one three? ```
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:07 -06:00
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@lunny commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2020):

This should be a bug and I think this is a broken again?

@lunny commented on GitHub (Jan 4, 2020): This should be a bug and I think this is a broken again?
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:07 -06:00
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@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

@themightychris Is this still a problem?

On current master - admittedly looking at merges from the same repo - I can't seem to replicate.

@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): @themightychris Is this still a problem? On current master - admittedly looking at merges from the same repo - I can't seem to replicate.
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:08 -06:00
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@themightychris commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

@zeripath you would not see the issue with merged PRs, only PRs closed without merging

@themightychris commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): @zeripath you would not see the issue with merged PRs, only PRs closed without merging
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:08 -06:00
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@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

Ah!

I understand.

The problem lies in here:

5749b26cdd/routers/repo/pull.go (L328-L427)

This should really look at the refs/pulls/x/head to get the commits not the headRepo. I guess the question is whether refs/pulls/x/head is always available on this template.

I'll take a look.

@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): Ah! I understand. The problem lies in here: https://github.com/go-gitea/gitea/blob/5749b26cdd017869d1c78c5bce0a43fa7e46945b/routers/repo/pull.go#L328-L427 This should really look at the `refs/pulls/x/head` to get the commits not the `headRepo`. I guess the question is whether `refs/pulls/x/head` is always available on this template. I'll take a look.
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:08 -06:00
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@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

So the next thing that needs to be done is to proffer to re-create from the previous pull head. Now that's a bit difficult as we may not have the permission to write to the original headRepo, or the headBranch may have moved on - however, that could be a separate issue. (Similarly for actually deleting PRs)

@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): So the next thing that needs to be done is to proffer to re-create from the previous pull head. Now that's a bit difficult as we may not have the permission to write to the original headRepo, or the headBranch may have moved on - however, that could be a separate issue. (Similarly for actually deleting PRs)
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:08 -06:00
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@themightychris commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

If you're talking about having "Restore branch" button, perhaps that could just be visible but disabled in the case that the branch name isn't unused

@themightychris commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): If you're talking about having "Restore branch" button, perhaps that could just be visible but disabled in the case that the branch name isn't unused
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:08 -06:00
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@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020):

Because of the way the permissions work I think that needs more thought.

For example The repo owner should be able to restore to a branch in their repo from any pull - probably with the option to takeover a closed pr.

@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jan 6, 2020): Because of the way the permissions work I think that needs more thought. For example The repo owner should be able to restore to a branch in their repo from any pull - probably with the option to takeover a closed pr.
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:09 -06:00
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@tanrui8765 commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2020):

Hello friend, I met the same problem on v1.11.7 too. Some closed pull requests with deleted branch, N/A commits and N/A changed files.

I tried to fix the problem with cmd doctor --run recalculate_merge_bases --fix and doctor -all -fix, but didn't work. The cmd results gave "2 PR mergebases updated of 173 PRs total in 71 repos" several times.

Is there any possible solution for this problem? Many Thanks~

@tanrui8765 commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2020): Hello friend, I met the same problem on v1.11.7 too. Some closed pull requests with deleted branch, **N/A** commits and **N/A** changed files. I tried to fix the problem with cmd **doctor --run recalculate_merge_bases --fix** and **doctor -all -fix**, but didn't work. The cmd results gave "2 PR mergebases updated of 173 PRs total in 71 repos" several times. Is there any possible solution for this problem? Many Thanks~
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:09 -06:00
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@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2020):

@tanrui8765 for us to be able to figure out if there is anything we can do here we need more information.

For example, does the Gitea repository still have the pull ref on the server? I.e. if you go to the repository on the filesystem does refs/pull/X/head exist? If not then there's nothing we can do - all of the information about that pull is gone.

Was the pull merged? If it wasn't does the base branch of the pull request still exist? If it doesn't then there's no base we can compare against to restore a merge base - we may still be able to use a mergebase if it's in the pull request table but previously PRs had very incorrect mergebases so...

In the pull table is there a merge base listed for the pr? Does that merge base produce a reasonable diff if you do: git diff mergebase refs/pull/X/head?

You need to tell us more about these PRs.

@zeripath commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2020): @tanrui8765 for us to be able to figure out if there is anything we can do here we need more information. For example, does the Gitea repository still have the pull ref on the server? I.e. if you go to the repository on the filesystem does refs/pull/X/head exist? If not then there's nothing we can do - all of the information about that pull is gone. Was the pull merged? If it wasn't does the base branch of the pull request still exist? If it doesn't then there's no base we can compare against to restore a merge base - we may still be able to use a mergebase if it's in the pull request table but previously PRs had very incorrect mergebases so... In the pull table is there a merge base listed for the pr? Does that merge base produce a reasonable diff if you do: `git diff mergebase refs/pull/X/head`? You need to tell us more about these PRs.
GiteaMirror commented 2025-11-02 05:49:09 -06:00
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@tanrui8765 commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2020):

Hello @zeripath , sorry for the insufficient information, I don't have much understanding about git & gitea (learning though), many thanks for your help.

In my case, I have a PR like this:

image
image

This PR is "Closed" because of the branch was needed to be renamed. The PR displays N/A commits and N/A changed files.
I upgraded gitea to V1.12.1 and executed "doctor -all -fix", I got the result below, but PR still have the problem:

image

I checked the repo, "refs\pull\466\head" exists. This 466 PR is not merged, but the branch has been deleted. Could you please tell me how to get the pull table?

However, I can find the branch origin tag and its head:

image
image

I did "git diff 649405ede055eedc015e75e851c6a87fcbcce0ea refs/pull/466/head", returned diff information, I think they are right.

image

Are these information reasonable & enough? Thanks~

@tanrui8765 commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2020): Hello @zeripath , sorry for the insufficient information, I don't have much understanding about git & gitea (learning though), many thanks for your help. In my case, I have a PR like this: ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85923136-235e5000-b8bb-11ea-8c4c-4d32998af068.png) ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85923187-9c5da780-b8bb-11ea-9aa4-2af4eb0be523.png) This PR is **"Closed"** because of the branch was needed to be renamed. The PR displays N/A commits and N/A changed files. I upgraded gitea to V1.12.1 and executed **"doctor -all -fix"**, I got the result below, but PR still have the problem: ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85923341-c19ee580-b8bc-11ea-9048-947e8fd43a6e.png) I checked the repo, **"refs\pull\466\head"** exists. This **466** PR is not merged, but the branch has been deleted. Could you please tell me how to get the pull table? However, I can find the branch origin tag and its head: ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85924115-b5b62200-b8c2-11ea-9a8c-ddb1f1ec9903.png) ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85924136-cbc3e280-b8c2-11ea-87a8-b0ef8e17e2f7.png) I did **"git diff 649405ede055eedc015e75e851c6a87fcbcce0ea refs/pull/466/head"**, returned diff information, I think they are right. ![image](https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/3466957/85924517-6f15f700-b8c5-11ea-9cae-587708ed6e66.png) Are these information reasonable & enough? Thanks~
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Reference: github-starred/gitea#4390
Delete Branch "%!s()"

Deleting a branch is permanent. Although the deleted branch may continue to exist for a short time before it actually gets removed, it CANNOT be undone in most cases. Continue?