create_data_only_branch.yml

# https://itecnote.com/tecnote/git-create-a-new-branch-with-only-a-specified-directory-and-its-history-then-push-to-new-repository/
## Create a new branch iwth just one specified directory

name: 4. Create Data Only Branch for FrEDI

on: 
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      branch_name:
        type: string
        description: Type suffix to your branch name data_only_branch_*

          
jobs:
  get_data:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      GITHUB_PAT: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with: 
          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
      - name: Commit new branch
        run: |
          git config --global user.email "actions@github.com"
          git config --global user.name "GitHub Actions"
          git config --global --add --bool push.autoSetupRemote true
          git symbolic-ref HEAD refs/heads/data_only_branch_${{ github.event.inputs.branch_name }}
          rm .git/index
          git clean -fdx
          git checkout ${GITHUB_REF##*/} ./data
          git add ./data/*.rda
          git commit -am "creating data only branch on data_only_branch_${{ github.event.inputs.branch_name }}"
          git fetch origin
          git branch -a
          ls -a
          git push origin data_only_branch_${{ github.event.inputs.branch_name }}