rebase todo requires at least one -x/--hide revision when…

Error message

rebase todo requires at least one -x/--hide revision when no remote HEAD maps to a local branch

What it means

`gix_tix::command::rebase::prepare` determines the rebase base from hidden revisions via `history::available_hidden_revisions`. If no `-x/--hide` revision resolves to a local branch (and auto-hide cannot supply one from a remote HEAD), the base cannot be inferred and it bails. A rebase todo needs exactly this hidden base to be constructed.

Solutions

Pass at least one `-x/--hide <revision>` naming an existing local branch (the intended base).
Set up a remote HEAD that maps to a local branch so auto-hide can infer the base.
Drop `--no-auto-hide` if automatic base inference was intended.
Fix revisions listed in `warning: ignoring unavailable hidden revision ...` output.

Example fix

// before
gix tix rebase todo --no-auto-hide
// after
gix tix rebase todo -x origin/main-base

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Ensure at least one -x revision resolves to a local branch before rebase todo.
if hide_args.is_empty() && (no_auto_hide || !remote_head_maps_local_branch(repo)) { return Err("provide -x base"); }

Try / catch

match prepare(repo, &args) { Err(e) if e.to_string().contains("rebase todo requires at least one -x/--hide") => { /* inject explicit -x base revision and retry */ } other => other }

Prevention

Always pass an explicit -x base revision in automated rebases.
Verify remote HEAD → local branch mapping when relying on auto-hide.
Resolve all -x revision names before invoking the command.

When it happens

Trigger: Running a `gix tix rebase todo` variant without `-x/--hide` while `--no-auto-hide` is set, or with only `-x` revisions that are unavailable, so `hide.is_empty()` after resolution.

Common situations: Repositories without remotes where auto-hide has nothing to derive from; typos in the `-x` revision name; scripted rebase invocations copied from setups that relied on remote HEAD auto-hide.

Understand the failure class

Background: "--flag is required" and "must specify" CLI errors: how missing-required-flag validation works and how to fix it — this error's family across 20 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of GitoxideLabs/gitoxide@e73179060b (2026-09-08). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fd7e69d7ba12efef. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at gix-tix/src/command/rebase.rs:104

    }

    let editor = repo
        .editor_command()
        .context("could not prepare Git editor")?
        .context("no Git editor is available")?;
    let edited = edit::edit_document_without_terminal(
        editor,
        &prepared.document,
        &format!("tix-rebase-{}.md", std::process::id()),
    )?
    .unwrap_or(prepared.document);
    apply_document(repo, &edited, args.materialize_conflicts.as_deref())
}

fn prepare(repo: &gix::Repository, args: &Todo) -> Result<todo::Prepared> {
    let (hide, unavailable) = history::available_hidden_revisions(repo, &args.hide, !args.no_auto_hide)?;
    if hide.is_empty() {
        anyhow::bail!(
            "rebase todo requires at least one -x/--hide revision when no remote HEAD maps to a local branch"
        );
    }
    for (revision, err) in unavailable {
        eprintln!(
            "warning: ignoring unavailable hidden revision {}: {err}",
            revision.to_string_lossy()
        );
    }
    let refs = history::snapshot(repo, &args.tips, &hide, false)?;

    let authors = gix::features::threading::OwnShared::new(gix::features::threading::Mutable::new(Authors::default()));
    let mut app = App::new(usize::MAX);
    let mut decorations = Decorations::default();
    let mut graph = None;
    history::load(
        repo,
        &args.tips,

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