Github - how to get started forking.

RimBlock · 5 Jun 2014 at 06:08

I have just been asked to update a project currently on Github but have no experience with Git or SVN.

I have downloaded the Github client for windows and installed. I have a Github account and have forked the original repo to my own account via the Github website but I am having big issues downloading the forked repo to my desktop.

It seems to just keep timing out when downloading (500MB repo coming down at around 100KiB/s).

I have downloaded the repo zip but have no idea how to add it to my Github desktop app. Putting it in "my documents\github" does not seem to have it recognised.

Any ideas / suggestions ?.

Thanks
RB.

Trucamo · 5 Jun 2014 at 13:47

Which Github client are you using? This may give us more guidance on how best to help you.

I personally use Git (msysgit) and GitExtensions.

What you want to achieve is cloning your github fork to a local directory. This cloning can take a while, as it includes the entire git history.

RimBlock · 5 Jun 2014 at 15:04

Trucamo said:
Which Github client are you using? This may give us more guidance on how best to help you.

I personally use Git (msysgit) and GitExtensions.

What you want to achieve is cloning your github fork to a local directory. This cloning can take a while, as it includes the entire git history.

I am using the Github Windows client (1.3.3.1 0f9c06f).

After some time it just timesout. I have to delete everything before I can try again.

The download is listed at just over 500MB. I am at 215MB at the moment.

lokkers · 8 Jun 2014 at 09:46

Is it a public repo? Have you tried git clone from the command line (i.e git bash)? If it's public, share the address and I'll give it a go for you.

Trucamo · 15 Jun 2014 at 12:25

Have you tried cloning a smaller repo? Then you can determine whether the issue is the size of the repo or something else.

Dj_Jestar · 15 Jun 2014 at 13:54

When ever some says "fork" and "github" they usually mean you need to click the fork button on the website, which creates a clone of the repo under your account. You can then clone that repo to your local machine, make changes and commit them then push back to your fork, then from the github website make a pull request for the original repo owner to merge your changes back into the original repo.

!bluetonic! · 20 Jun 2014 at 12:05

You can fork right off

Trucamo · 20 Jun 2014 at 20:33

You can fork off yourself, you git

RimBlock · 21 Jun 2014 at 15:10

Well at least this has not turned in to a forking debate and has not yet forked the mods right off

.

I did finally manage to download a copy to my desktop but needed to use the cli in order to do it. Every time I tried with the via the Git desktop gui it just timed out.

Thanks for the suggestions.