How do I track changes inside a tracked directory?

[plucafs]

Hello!
With chezmoi I'm trying to keep track of the files inside ~/.config/fish. When I first added the directory, pushed and then runned chezmoi update on my second machine, all went fine.

The problem is when I add/remove a file inside ~/.config/fish/functions, as an example.
When I execute chezmoi re-add or chezmoi add "~/.config/fish" nothing changes.

I was expecting chezmoi to keep track of the added/removed files, since the directory that I'm tracking is ~/.config/fish. Probably I'm not understanding correctly how this process works.
Thanks!

[twpayne]

By default, chezmoi will only manage entries that are explicitly listed in the source state, i.e. it will not remove unmanaged files.

For cases like yours when you want chezmoi to manage the exact contents of a directory, including removing unmanaged files, you need to use the [exact_ attribute])https://www.chezmoi.io/reference/target-types/#directories).

$ chezmoi chattr +exact ~/.config/fish/functions

If you use exact_ directories, then be sure to run chezmoi diff before chezmoi apply so you can check exactly what files chezmoi apply will remove.

[plucafs]

Ok, adding the +exact attribute synced the content of the directory on the second machine.

But, I'm not sure if I'm using the correct workflow, since when I add a file in .config/fish/functions, I need to use chezmoi add .config/fish/functions to make chezmoi push the changes. And when I delete the same file, neither chezmoi add .config/fish/functions and chezmoi re-add works.

To give more context, I never use chezmoi cd and I always edit the files in the source directory, and use chezmoi re-add, with auto commit and auto push enabled.

Thanks!

[twpayne]

And when I delete the same file, neither chezmoi add .config/fish/functions and chezmoi re-add works.

That is correct. You need to use chezmoi forget or chezmoi destroy.

To give more context, I never use chezmoi cd and I always edit the files in the source directory, and use chezmoi re-add, with auto commit and auto push enabled.

You should use chezmoi cd. chezmoi re-add does not handle the case you want (although this might change in the future, see #2298).

[plucafs]

Works correctly. Thanks for the fast replies and the support!