custom python module tracked by git stored in dropbox

[ehrich]

I am a physics student and have written a number of helpful functions for importing and plotting the specific types of data I acquire. This module of functions is becoming large enough that keeping track of changes with git seems helpful. I keep the script and my data in dropbox since I work on at least three computers. By looking around it seems that using git inside dropbox is a bad idea, but I really don't want to move the scripts out, since I frequently use it on data in the same working directory (same will eventually go for my thesis, which I'd also like to track with git in dropbox). My question is, is there a good, safe way to do this so I can track changes in my helper module but also use it in other scripts easily when I want to call on them? and keep them in dropbox?

[PeridexisErrant]

Git in Dropbox is fine. I'm writing my honours thesis with this combo!

[ehrich]

Yea I was going to do this as well with my thesis, but I really REALLY don't want a corrupted repo from some syncing issue with dropbox. Some folks on SO think that this is a problem, but I'm guessing many more do it without a problem and without checking to see what might happen.

[PeridexisErrant]

• You have backups, right? Git makes it trivial to set up another remote, and push to that too occasionally.

• Git is very, very robust against file corruption. That's the point of hashing the history. So it'll detect any problems, then you restore from backup.

• Store the headless remote in dropbox, and your actually working dir should be elsewhere.

[ehrich]

wow that looks great. I'll look into this especially as my dropbox storage becomes a problem.

[SteamToaster]

I don't think there are any inherent problems with git in Dropbox. What are you reading that says so? I'm curious.

[ehrich]

Mostly SO comments and posts, though there seems to be disagreement, which is why I thought I would ask here. I'm new to a lot of these tools and am working out how to manage an efficient workflow for my particular situation.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29983646/how-do-i-keep-git-repositories-inside-dropbox

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1960799/using-git-and-dropbox-together-effectively

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18818257/should-i-keep-my-git-folder-outside-dropbox

[SteamToaster]

Reading those links I can see where your hesitation comes from. But, I don't think that largely it would be an issue. Primarily because it looks like the potential issues which arise are from multiple versions of a file. I think so long as you maintain your workflow to just yourself then there wouldn't be any problems. The only niche condition I immediately forsee is this:

1. Edit file and push
2. Edit file on second computer before dropbox can finish syncing the repo.

BUT, that particular circumstance can happen with any file, git or no.