updating the workspace based on updated repo file

[fmessmer]

I'm missing a feature similar to wstool update

I have a workspace initially imported based on a repo file.
Now the repo files changes, e.g.:

• add a new repo
• change the url (aka origin) of a repo
• change the version (branch or hash) of a repo

How would I keep my workspace on the filesystem (because I might have added origins, branches and other changes while working with the workspace) but still checkout the latest origin/branch/hash of the repos and/or clone missing repos.

For wstool update, this was possible. i.e. other remotes and branches were kept, but the new info in the rosinstall file was used to update the workspace to what is described in the rosinstall file

Does this kind of functionality exist in vcstool?
How can I achieve it?

[fmessmer]

I found the following related issues:

• Any way to update only repos that are on a branch ? #193
• import doesn't pull, pull fails when version is a hash #165

so vcs pull --nested would update things - if not using haches

but I'm still missing a tool to update my workspace to new checkout new hashes if those changed in the repo file...

[MaxandreOgeret]

You can use my fork of vcstool: vcstool2 which adds a rm command.
Maybe it would fit your need to delete the repos you want to update and then run pull again ?