The VideoLAN Forums

How to get old VLC project from GIT?
I dont want to get the latest 0.9.0-test2 version but instead want to clone/checkout vlc 0.8.6h version.

why don't you download source code directly:

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-sources.html

you can have a clean copy of this source code and another copy with your modifications and make some diffs between them.
I think it would be easier.

git checkout origin/0.8.6-bugfix

ok...so if i had to get any of the version from here git.videolan.org/vlc.git i had to get the "heads" one or "tags" one or can i take from both? i need to get the stable 0.8.6 git-source. so what i have to do is to use
git checkout origin/0.8.6-bugfix

and if i want the near future releases like

i may use

git checkout origin/0.8.6i

or is this one correct : $ git clone git://git.videolan.org/vlc.git 0.8.6-bugfix

???

git checkout origin/0.8.6-bugfix

it gives error

jars@jars-desktop:~$ git checkout origin/0.8.6-bugfix
fatal: Not a git repository
Failed to find a valid git directory.
jars@jars-desktop:~$

!!!

Yeah i think you need to create a local branch for it first.

See http://wiki.videolan.org/Git