This function is the other side of the set_tracked/set_untracked API revamp.
It is to be used when the dirstate is changing its parents during and update or
a merge. It states all the information we know about the file so that the
dirstate can update its internal data.
Unlike the set_tracked/set_untracked it has not regards for the information
previously tracked in the tristate.
There seems to be no explanation for this in the commit message.