How to add a commit describing a git filter-repo --path-rename

[gdlxn-ibm]

I would like to rename files and folders in Git, keeping the commit history with the new name. git filter-repo --path-rename almost does what I need, except that I'd like have a commit describing the rename.

Since git filter-repo --path-rename doesn't add such a commit, I thought of first doing the git filter-repo --path-rename and then doing a git commit on the renamed files. However, Git doesn't seem to (as far I can tell) allow me to stage unchanged files, so I can't really do a git commit on the renamed files.

I'm going to next try using a filename callback to see it can be used to add a new commit. But I thought I'd also ask if anyone knows how to have git filter-repo --path-rename add a commit describing the rename?

[newren]

I'm afraid I'm not following this description is. git filter-repo --path-rename A:B goes through every commit, and for any that has a file named A will rename it to B. So, if you have 10,000 commits in your history, and 500 of them make modifications to file A, then --path-rename fixes up 500 commits. Do you want an additional 500 commits saying that you've renamed A -> B in the history?? Someone reading that would find that really odd.

If you don't want 500 commits but just want one...where do you put that one? Near the beginning of history? Near the current end of history? Why would someone look there to find it? And what's the purpose of the commit given that after you've rewritten history, git log will show that the file has "always" been named B (because that's the point of rewriting history). So, wouldn't users be confused by this additional commit where you explained why you renamed this file that has always been named B from being named A to being named B?