--from/--to can be used to limit the remote repository that git-annex uses.

Commands.hs

@@ -62,8 +62,10 @@ options = [
 		"specify default key-value backend to use"
 	  , Option ['k'] ["key"] (ReqArg (storestring "key") "KEY")
 		"specify a key to use"
-	  , Option ['r'] ["repository"] (ReqArg (storestring "repository") "REPOSITORY")
+	  , Option ['t'] ["to"] (ReqArg (storestring "repository") "REPOSITORY")
-		"specify a repository"
+		"specify a repository to transfer content to"
+	  , Option ['f'] ["from"] (ReqArg (storestring "repository") "REPOSITORY")
+		"specify a repository to transfer content from"
 	  ]
 	where
 		storebool n b = Annex.flagChange n $ FlagBool b

Remotes.hs

@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ remotesByCost = do
 	g <- Annex.gitRepo
 	reposByCost $ Git.remotes g
 
-{- Orders a list of git repos by cost, and throws out ignored ones. -}
+{- Orders a list of git repos by cost. Throws out ignored ones. -}
 reposByCost :: [Git.Repo] -> Annex [Git.Repo]
 reposByCost l = do
 	notignored <- filterM repoNotIgnored l
@@ -99,14 +99,21 @@ repoCost r = do
 		config g r = Git.configGet g (configkey r) ""
 		configkey r = "remote." ++ (Git.repoRemoteName r) ++ ".annex-cost"
 
-{- Checks if a repo should be ignored. -}
+{- Checks if a repo should be ignored, based either on annex-ignore
+ - setting, or on command-line options. Allows command-line to override
+ - annex-ignore. -}
 repoNotIgnored :: Git.Repo -> Annex Bool
 repoNotIgnored r = do
 	g <- Annex.gitRepo
-	return ("true" /= config g r)
+	name <- Annex.flagGet "repository"
+	if (not $ null name)
+		then return $ match name
+		else return $ notignored g
 	where
-		config g r = Git.configGet g (configkey r) ""
+		match name = name == Git.repoRemoteName r
-		configkey r = "remote." ++ (Git.repoRemoteName r) ++ ".annex-ignore"
+		notignored g = "true" /= config g
+		config g = Git.configGet g configkey ""
+		configkey = "remote." ++ (Git.repoRemoteName r) ++ ".annex-ignore"
 
 {- The git configs for the git repo's remotes is not read on startup
  - because reading it may be expensive. This function tries to read the

debian/changelog

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ git-annex (0.02) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     file content when dropping files.
   * Add remote.annex-ignore git config setting to allow completly disabling
     a given remote.
+  * --from/--to can be used to limit the remote repository that git-annex
+    uses.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:38:00 -0400
 

doc/git-annex.mdwn

@@ -133,10 +133,17 @@ Many git-annex subcommands will stage changes for later `git commit` by you.
 
   Specifies a key to operate on, for use with the addkey subcommand.
 
+* --from=repository
+
+  Specifies a repository that content will be retrieved from.
+  It should be specified using the name of a configured git remote.
+
+  This can be used to limit the repository used by 'git annex get'.
+
 * --to=repository
 
   Specifies a git repository that content will be sent to. 
-  It can be specified by a path, url, or remote name.
+  It should be specified using the name of a configured git remote.
 
 ## CONFIGURATION