pcjs/notes.md

Git "Cheat Sheet"

Committing files

To automatically stage files that have been modified and deleted, include -a; eg:

git commit -a

Creating a new branch ("386dev")

You could use git branch, but if you've already modified some files that you now want to move to a new branch:

git checkout -b 386dev

Pushing a new branch ("386dev")

Since a simple git push will report:

fatal: The current branch 386dev has no upstream branch.
To push the current branch and set the remote as upstream, use

    git push --set-upstream origin 386dev

do what it recommends (-u is shorthand for --set-upstream):

git push -u origin 386dev

Reverting (resetting) a single file [link]

If you have an uncommitted change (it's only in your working copy) that you wish to revert (in SVN terms) to the copy in your latest commit, do the following:

git checkout filename

This will checkout the file from HEAD, overwriting your change. This command is also used to checkout branches, and you could happen to have a file with the same name as a branch. All is not lost, you will simply need to type:

git checkout -- filename

You can also do this with files from other branches, and such. man git-checkout has the details.

The rest of the Internet will tell you to use git reset --hard, but this resets all uncommitted changes you’ve made in your working copy. Type this with care.

Amending a commit

Sometimes I'm too quick with the "Commit and Push" button, and I've left a stale comment in the comment field. To correct that:

git commit --amend -m "New comment"

Unfortunately, updating the remote is not as simple as git push, which will complain:

Updates were rejected because the tip of your current branch is behind its remote counterpart.
Integrate the remote changes (e.g. 'git pull ...') before pushing again.

But in this case, there's nothing to pull, so force the push (this example assumes the current branch is master):

git push -f origin master

Node "Cheat Sheet"

Installing Node (and NPM)

I downloaded and installed Node v0.11.11 node-v0.11.11.pkg, which appears to be the newest version of Node that does not suffer from a serious regression on OS X. In newer versions of Node, the REPL blocks execution of the application until keys are typed.

That Node package came bundled with its own version of NPM as well: v1.3.25.

Miscellaneous Tips

Connecting to a VMware Fusion Serial Port

Step 1: Add a custom serial port to a VM, by appending the following lines to its .vmx file; eg:

serial0.present = "TRUE"
serial0.fileType = "pipe"
serial0.yieldOnMsrRead = "TRUE"
serial0.startConnected = "TRUE"
serial0.fileName = "/tmp/serial0"

If this is the VM's first serial port, then it should appear as COM1. If the VM is running Windows 95, add the following to its system.ini:

[386Enh]
device=wdeb386.exe
device=debugcmd.vxd
LoadDebugOnlyObjs=Yes
debugcmd=y /n
debugcom=1
debugbaud=9600
debugsym=dos386.sym vmm.sym
debugsym=krnl386.sym gdif.sym userf.sym kernel32.sym gdi32.sym user32.sym

Step 2: Run netcat (aka nc on OS X):

stty raw && nc -U /tmp/serial0

Alternatively, you can run socat instead of netcat:

socat -d -d UNIX-CONNECT:/tmp/serial0 PTY

which will report:

PTY is /dev/ttys002

indicating the name of serial device to connect to:

screen /dev/ttys002

The advantage of using nc is that no "middle man" is required: your terminal window will be connected directly to the virtual serial port. And nc is included with OS X, whereas socat must installed separately (see http://www.dest-unreach.org/socat/).