I started doing some tests with git, and I set up a master origin for a project. But due to not getting everyone else to buy in to the idea, it fizzled out. I set it up so each shot was a repo. One shot had minutes of sourceimages (about 5 Gig) and the commit failed on that.

We had a discussion about that and other stuff on the maya_dev google group:

Here's what I posted about the few tests I made:

a few tests...

After 3 commits (of 1 100Mb file and 1 30Mb file =130Mb) the total disk usage was 154Mb

I guess it would depend on workflow whether it was useful or not. I have rotating autosaves - and I save a scene every playblast (so there's always a movie that represents the scene). As a first attempt at this. I would .gitignore the autosaves - then commit the scene file, same filename.

Plenty more to think about - what else to ignore - sysadmins always have this problem anyway and end up writing huge exclusion lists. Is it worth it? - i have no idea- maybe not. I love the idea of filenames becoming irrelevant ( like Jeff Raskin proposed.) - and branch names gaining importance ;)

Re: performance:
Branching is instant. Commits took about twice as long as a maya ascii save on 100Mb file. 50sec commit / for 23sec maya save . Not great, but it would happen in the background and you wouldn't be waiting for it.

Checkouts and switching to an existing branch were significantly faster than commits. ~5sec for 130Mb. One benefit is that the version you want to checkout will have a detailed, and instantly accessible description in the commit message - not an arcane coded filename with a number on the end. You will have a record of everything you wanted to say about each commit at the time it was commited. The commit is not just a file, but everything in the repo that worked together to make up that revision.

I think one of the biggest negative points about using git for this, is a problem of perception. Git models a directed graph - like this http://github.com/danielharan/integrity/network . Its complicated but it is what it is and its how people work and collaborate - sometimes you just have to branch off and experiment. Sometimes you want to go back to before the branch. The problem is that artists and producers often don't like looking at DAGs or even admitting that that's what they are working with. People like linear single tracks.

Git is a great version control system, but part of it's success is probably due to Github with all its cool views and reporting etc. So its worth mentioning that you can get Github on your local network.

By: Julian Mann [ Admin ]