--in can now refer to files that were located in a repository at some past date. For example, --in="here@{yesterday}"

Annex/Branch.hs

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ module Annex.Branch (
 	forceUpdate,
 	updateTo,
 	get,
+	getHistorical,
 	change,
 	commit,
 	forceCommit,
@@ -197,7 +198,13 @@ getLocal file = go =<< getJournalFileStale file
 	go Nothing = getRaw file
 
 getRaw :: FilePath -> Annex String
-getRaw file = withIndex $ L.unpack <$> catFile fullname file
+getRaw = getRef fullname
+
+getHistorical :: RefDate -> FilePath -> Annex String
+getHistorical date = getRef (Git.Ref.dateRef fullname date)
+
+getRef :: Ref -> FilePath -> Annex String
+getRef ref file = withIndex $ L.unpack <$> catFile ref file
 
 {- Applies a function to modifiy the content of a file.
  -