How to update online own fork of UE4 to latest versions on GitHub?

Development Programming & Scripting C++
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1

I still cant figure out how to do it, without deleting fork on my account and reforking it again, and then updating local copy with github client.

Can somebody explain step by step, how is this possible to do online (not offline, please keep that in mind, in mot not talking about local copy of code, im talking about entire fork on my account online).
I dont see any UI button that remotely like “update your fork to latest version”.

And it would be nice if you explain please how to do that without dissappearance of custom changes made to older version of code, because just recently **** github client did it and wiped all of modifications made to engine during months, and all i was trying to do - migrating from year old 4.4 to latest 4.7 :frowning:

2

If you are using tortoise git make sure the remote “origin” is set to https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git. Than you can pull from the remote: origin and release branch into your local branch. Once that pull is complete you can push it to your own repo by switching the remote to your own local remote.
There are also alternatives/maybe easier ways of doing it through the console, but that above is the most user friendly in my opinion.

3

remote: Repository not found.
fatal: repository ‘https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git/’ not found

why? the repository is deleted?

4

That’s more likely due to not being logged in (UE is private repository) or these couple of days are not good days as UE is getting hammered after going free.

5

Follow the steps on help.github.com

Setup a Fork
Sync A Fork (Merge)

6

If you don’t plan to submit any pull requests, simply clone from Unreal Engine repository and then you can just pull updates

7

Why anyone would subject themselves to using Git is completely beyond me, use SVN if you can.

8

I don’t think there is a proper answer above to this actually important topic when working with the engine source, so here is what I am doing:

  • open a command line shell in the folder of your git repository (if you are using GitHub Desktop, you can use “Repository/Open in command prompt” to do this)

  • check all the remotes you currently have with the following command:


git remote -v

You should have only the origin remote which is pointing to your fork (“https://github.com/yourusername/UnrealEngine.git”)

  • you need to add a remote named “upstream” pointing to the actual parent fork, so type this:

git remote add upstream https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git

You are only doing this once, no need to add the remote every time.

  • now you get the changes from the upstream remote:

git fetch upstream
  • then, you need to merge them with your local stuffs:

git merge upstream/release

(this assumes you are working on the release branch, update accordingly)

  • then, you push those changes back to your private fork, you can use the command line or if using GitHub Desktop, click “Push Origin”. Then you can look at your repo on GitHub website and you’ll see it updated.

To UE Staff: the documentation about building from source should be updated with such information, it is currently explaining how to fork the source but not how to update the private fork.

9

I don’t really like using merge, it clutters the history of my own changes with the engine commits.

So instead I just create a new branch from the new version, cherry pick over all of my commits that are still relevant, and get rid of the old branch if it works.
That’s also helpful if you added stuff to fix engine bugs, that isn’t necessary in a new version anymore.

Also you should use a tool like SmartGit instead of trying to work with the command line.