checkout: implement "-" abbreviation, add docs and tests

Have '-' mean the same as '@{-1}', i.e., the last branch we were on.

Signed-off-by: Thomas Rast <trast@student.ethz.ch>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

3 files changed, 57 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
index 9cd51514db..3bccffae62 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-checkout.txt
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ the conflicted merge in the specified paths.
 +
 When this parameter names a non-branch (but still a valid commit object),
 your HEAD becomes 'detached'.
++
+As a special case, the "`@\{-N\}`" syntax for the N-th last branch
+checks out the branch (instead of detaching).  You may also specify
+"`-`" which is synonymous with "`@\{-1\}`".
 
 
 Detached HEAD
diff --git a/builtin-checkout.c b/builtin-checkout.c
index dc1de06279..b0a101bac7 100644
--- a/builtin-checkout.c
+++ b/builtin-checkout.c
@@ -679,6 +679,9 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		arg = argv[0];
 		has_dash_dash = (argc > 1) && !strcmp(argv[1], "--");
 
+		if (!strcmp(arg, "-"))
+			arg = "@{-1}";
+
 		if (get_sha1(arg, rev)) {
 			if (has_dash_dash)          /* case (1) */
 				die("invalid reference: %s", arg);
diff --git a/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh b/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..320f6eb2be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t2012-checkout-last.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='checkout can switch to last branch'
+
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+test_expect_success 'setup' '
+	echo hello >world &&
+	git add world &&
+	git commit -m initial &&
+	git branch other &&
+	echo "hello again" >>world &&
+	git add world &&
+	git commit -m second
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"checkout -" does not work initially' '
+	test_must_fail git checkout -
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'first branch switch' '
+	git checkout other
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"checkout -" switches back' '
+	git checkout - &&
+	test "z$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" = "zrefs/heads/master"
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"checkout -" switches forth' '
+	git checkout - &&
+	test "z$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" = "zrefs/heads/other"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'detach HEAD' '
+	git checkout $(git rev-parse HEAD)
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"checkout -" attaches again' '
+	git checkout - &&
+	test "z$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)" = "zrefs/heads/other"
+'
+
+test_expect_success '"checkout -" detaches again' '
+	git checkout - &&
+	test "z$(git rev-parse HEAD)" = "z$(git rev-parse other)" &&
+	test_must_fail git symbolic-ref HEAD
+'
+
+test_done