[TUTORIAL][WIP] Working with GIT and GITHUB for Android Source - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Working with GIT and GITHUB
for Android Source
I want to start by saying that I am no EXPERT on GIT, but I believe the best way to learn is through trial and error. Through my trials and errors, this is what I have found that works when working with Android Source Code (AOSP).
I started my Android Development basically porting and hacking Android Operating Systems for the HTC Thunderbolt. In my opinion I learned the basics plus some, and was able to create stable builds, which most users found enjoyable to operate. In my quest to further improve my Android development skills, I moved on the next step in Android Operating System development, build a custom AOSP ROM from source. I soon started browsing other developers GITHUB repositories and tried my best to figure out what was going on behind the scenes, in order to share my code with others and visa versa. This lead me to setting up a development platform, downloading the latest (at the time ICS) source and then compiling everything, to obtain, a fresh updated ROM. Obviously, the next step was editing the code to my liking and then trying to figure out how to update my code (push) to Github for version tracking and also hosting purposes. I shopped around on the net for GIT tutorials, and for the life of me, I could not figure out how to make things work the way they should. After doing research on the REPO command (which I came to find was basically the same as GIT but updated to work better with Android) I became more confused. I never found an article or tutorial which explained step-by-step the processes in which I am about to explain, which is why I decided to take the time to compose this tutorial.
Finally, through many hours of research and frustration, I came up with the answers I was so diligently seeking. Here are my findings:
The following Tutorial is for an INITIAL COMMIT of your source to GITHUB. Once you accomplish sending the initial data over, sending only changes thereafter, is very similar, but doesn't require as many steps.
Prerequisites:
(1) Create an account on GITHUB.com
(2) Download the Android Source into a working directory (in my case "android").
(3) Generate your Private SSH Keys for GITHUB (this will allow you to push files without logging in every time) You will find easy to understand directions HERE
For this example I will be working with the following variables:
My default Android directory: ~/android
For this tutorial I will editing the Setting.apk source code in order to add "XYZ" functionality
The source code for the Settings.apk is located in ~/android/packages/apps/Settings
So lets BEGIN!
First Step: You want to go into the directory where you are editing the source.
Code:
cd ~/android/packages/apps/Settings
Second Step: Initialize the Settings source folder and create a git repository
(which will track all changes)
Code:
git init
Third Step: Now you want to log-in to GITHUB and create a repository for your updated Settings source to go. In my case I created a folder on GUTHUB called android_packages_apps_Settings
Forth Step: After you have created your repository on GITHUB, from your Settings source folder, you need to tell git where to push the changes you have made. When you do the initial push, it is actually going to push all of the files in the Settings source folder including the changes you have made. Do this by typing the following command:
Code:
git remote add github [email protected]:yourusername/android_packages_apps_Settings.git
Obviously, you are going to change "yourusername" to whatever username you created on GITHUB.
Fifth Step: Add the entire Settings directory to git so that it starts tracking your additions, deletions, changes, etc for the entire directory.
Code:
git add -A
Sixth Step: Commit the changes that you made to the files in order to push to GITHUB. Now for this example, I want to commit changes to ALL files in the Settings folder.
Code:
git commit -a
If I wanted to just commit changes to one specific file, I would use "git commit whateverfile.java". After you commit, a text editor is going to pop-up. This is where you add the description for the change(s) you have made. If you have detailed change-log of each file you changed, you will not want to use the "git -a" command because the description you enter there is going to be the description for all of the files you edited.
Seventh Step: Now you want to change to the branch you plan on using to push your content. In my case its "jellybean".
Code:
git branch jellybean
Eighth Step: Finally you will now push your initial Settings commit to github. In order to do this, type:
Code:
git push github jellybean
This is going to push github ("github" is the name you gave the REMOTE when you executed the "git remote add" above) to a branch on GITHUB.com called "jellybean". You can name the branch whatever you like, but obviously naming it to the current Android release name is the easiest to remember for you and others.
You should now see that your computer sent files to GUTHUB.com and if you check online, you should see that your changes have been implemented and copied for the world to access.
I hope this helps people out with Android based git commands. I wish I found somthing like this months ago and maybe I would have a few extra hairs on my head. Let me know if you have any additional questions or would like me to add to this tutorial in any fashion. I will be doing a video shortly which I will post to this thread when complete.

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Saved for Questions and Answers . . .

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Create repository on github called packages_apps_Settings
Clone it
Code:
git clone https://github.com/lithid/packages_apps_Settings.git
cd packages_apps_Settings
Find the aosp settings and pull that repo so all proper history is still entact. Then merge it.
Code:
git pull https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/apps/Settings refs/tags/android-4.1.1_r6
Save it
Now add it all and push to your local repo.
Code:
git push

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Hello, how do you create a device tree because I want to build from source but my phone does not yet have one. Thanks

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itzdarockz said:
Hello, how do you create a device tree because I want to build from source but my phone does not yet have one. Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you say "a device tree" are you referring to the propriety device drivers and such for a particular device?

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MyComputerDoctor said:
When you say "a device tree" are you referring to the propriety device drivers and such for a particular device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean to build from source and when picking your lunch such as crespo and crespo 4G i want to add my phone into that. Is that necessary to build from source though?

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itzdarockz said:
I mean to build from source and when picking your lunch such as crespo and crespo 4G i want to add my phone into that. Is that necessary to build from source though?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let me know if this helps: http://www.netmite.com/android/mydr...build_new_device.html#androidBuildNewFileTree

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Thanks for this tut! I've been wanting to push out sources to my github for a while...but couldn't really find a good tut/didn't have the time to do all the research...this seems like it should get me going with my github and I will definatly be using this tut soon
Sent from my SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

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question, Let's say I want to merge a commit from CyanogenMod's GitHub ..... I use AOKP's Source, is there a command using git that I can use to facilitate this ??

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johnhany97 said:
question, Let's say I want to merge a commit from CyanogenMod's GitHub ..... I use AOKP's Source, is there a command using git that I can use to facilitate this ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use git cherry-pick but first you need to add the repo
So for example you want a commit from settings first you add CM's settings as a repo with git remote add <name> <url> ....Name can be anything
So it will be $ git add remote cm https://github.com/CyanogenMod/android_packages_apps_Settings
then you can either git fetch cm which will sync all the branches out you can just sync a single branch $ git fetch cm cm-10.1
Now you can use git cherry-pick to cherry-pick the commit from CM settings
$ git cherry-pick <sha1>
e.g
$ git cherry-pick 64c377
Now you will probably need to resolve some conflicts which is hard to explain how to resolve as it varies between has been added where cherry-picked.

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can some one ell me how i merge the halo from PA ?
thanks

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MyComputerDoctor said:
Working with GIT and GITHUB
for Android Source
I want to start by saying that I am no EXPERT on GIT, but I believe the best way to learn is through trial and error. Through my trials and errors, this is what I have found that works when working with Android Source Code (AOSP).
I started my Android Development basically porting and hacking Android Operating Systems for the HTC Thunderbolt. In my opinion I learned the basics plus some, and was able to create stable builds, which most users found enjoyable to operate. In my quest to further improve my Android development skills, I moved on the next step in Android Operating System development, build a custom AOSP ROM from source. I soon started browsing other developers GITHUB repositories and tried my best to figure out what was going on behind the scenes, in order to share my code with others and visa versa. This lead me to setting up a development platform, downloading the latest (at the time ICS) source and then compiling everything, to obtain, a fresh updated ROM. Obviously, the next step was editing the code to my liking and then trying to figure out how to update my code (push) to Github for version tracking and also hosting purposes. I shopped around on the net for GIT tutorials, and for the life of me, I could not figure out how to make things work the way they should. After doing research on the REPO command (which I came to find was basically the same as GIT but updated to work better with Android) I became more confused. I never found an article or tutorial which explained step-by-step the processes in which I am about to explain, which is why I decided to take the time to compose this tutorial.
Finally, through many hours of research and frustration, I came up with the answers I was so diligently seeking. Here are my findings:
The following Tutorial is for an INITIAL COMMIT of your source to GITHUB. Once you accomplish sending the initial data over, sending only changes thereafter, is very similar, but doesn't require as many steps.
Prerequisites:
(1) Create an account on GITHUB.com
(2) Download the Android Source into a working directory (in my case "android").
(3) Generate your Private SSH Keys for GITHUB (this will allow you to push files without logging in every time) You will find easy to understand directions HERE
For this example I will be working with the following variables:
My default Android directory: ~/android
For this tutorial I will editing the Setting.apk source code in order to add "XYZ" functionality
The source code for the Settings.apk is located in ~/android/packages/apps/Settings
So lets BEGIN!
First Step: You want to go into the directory where you are editing the source.
Code:
cd ~/android/packages/apps/Settings
Second Step: Initialize the Settings source folder and create a git repository
(which will track all changes)
Code:
git init
Third Step: Now you want to log-in to GITHUB and create a repository for your updated Settings source to go. In my case I created a folder on GUTHUB called android_packages_apps_Settings
Forth Step: After you have created your repository on GITHUB, from your Settings source folder, you need to tell git where to push the changes you have made. When you do the initial push, it is actually going to push all of the files in the Settings source folder including the changes you have made. Do this by typing the following command:
Code:
git remote add github [email protected]:yourusername/android_packages_apps_Settings.git
Obviously, you are going to change "yourusername" to whatever username you created on GITHUB.
Fifth Step: Add the entire Settings directory to git so that it starts tracking your additions, deletions, changes, etc for the entire directory.
Code:
git add -A
Sixth Step: Commit the changes that you made to the files in order to push to GITHUB. Now for this example, I want to commit changes to ALL files in the Settings folder.
Code:
git commit -a
If I wanted to just commit changes to one specific file, I would use "git commit whateverfile.java". After you commit, a text editor is going to pop-up. This is where you add the description for the change(s) you have made. If you have detailed change-log of each file you changed, you will not want to use the "git -a" command because the description you enter there is going to be the description for all of the files you edited.
Seventh Step: Now you want to change to the branch you plan on using to push your content. In my case its "jellybean".
Code:
git branch jellybean
Eighth Step: Finally you will now push your initial Settings commit to github. In order to do this, type:
Code:
git push github jellybean
This is going to push github ("github" is the name you gave the REMOTE when you executed the "git remote add" above) to a branch on GITHUB.com called "jellybean". You can name the branch whatever you like, but obviously naming it to the current Android release name is the easiest to remember for you and others.
You should now see that your computer sent files to GUTHUB.com and if you check online, you should see that your changes have been implemented and copied for the world to access.
I hope this helps people out with Android based git commands. I wish I found somthing like this months ago and maybe I would have a few extra hairs on my head. Let me know if you have any additional questions or would like me to add to this tutorial in any fashion. I will be doing a video shortly which I will post to this thread when complete.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you finish the video tutorial?
Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

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sooo?

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Does anyone have further information on how you would sync back to a master? That is, if I sync from AOSP today, make my own changes, and then a few weeks from now I want to resync to an updated AOSP, how do I do this?