# Setting up digital media masters

Digitally stored media master files
are often relatively large,
and are more likely used as-is than edited.

We use git-annex to track such files.

As an addon to git,
some of the interaction is done through git commands,
while some is done using git-annex-specific commands.


## Special strings

NB! This documentation uses special strings
which you may want to adapt for your local setup:

githostref: src.ex...
gitshellhost: git.example.org


### Paths

You are recommended to use path suffix "annex"
for media master projects.
Examples:

  * ~/public_annex/home-videos
  * ~/private_annex/friends-snoring
  * ~/shared_annex_family/xmas_photos


## Create

To turn a folder into a git repository
(see also alternative of (cloning)[#Clone] an existing project),
go into the folder,
and initialize its git and git-annex databases:

```shell
git init
git annex init
```

To use git-annex only for large files (git for smaller ones),
add e.g. the following to file `.gitattributes`:

```shell
git config annex.largefiles 'largerthan=100kb and not (mimetype=text/*)'
```

Finally, save all content:

```shell
git add .
git commit -m "Initial commit"
```

(final `git commit` is implied by a later `git annex sync` or `git annex move`)


## Clone

To collaborate on a shared git repository,
create a local clone from the shared location,
and tell git-annex to use it:

```shell
git clone git.example.org:/srv/git/src.ex.org/example
git annex init
```


### Publish

To publish a git repository initially created locally,
first create a new empty git and git annex publicly,
then tell your local git where its new origin will be,
and finally push your local git and git annex into its new public location:

```shell
ssh git.example.org git init --bare --shared /srv/git/src.ex.../example.git
ssh git.example.org GIT_DIR=/srv/git/src.ex.../example.git git annex init
git remote add origin git.example.org:/srv/git/src.ex.../example.git
git push --set-upstream origin main
git annex sync --content --all
```


## References

* [Source of this document][media-master]

[media-master]: https://source.redpill.dk/media-master
  "Digital media master material"