RE: bug: git config --global --unset doesn't unset configs in corner case

From: rsbecker@nexbridge.com <rsbecker@nexbridge.com>
Date: May 10, 2024, 16:38 UTC
Message-ID: <001b01daa2f8$8cf49800$a6ddc800$@nexbridge.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqmsozuf7y.fsf@gitster.g>

On Thursday, May 9, 2024 12:23 PM, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 10 quoted lines

>Mike Hommey <mh@glandium.org> writes:
>
>> When both ~/.gitconfig and ~/.config/git/config exist, git will read
>> both. But when using `git config --global --unset`, it will only touch
>> the first one. So unsetting config items from ~/.config/git/config is
>> not possible from the command line when ~/.gitconfig exists.
>
>Interesting observation of an understandable behaviour.
>
>I think the original intent of limiting the writing to just one was to

avoid having both

>files in the first place.  When both do exist already, I am not sure what

the right

>behaviour on the write side should be.  We could special case "--unset-all"

and

>remove from both, but "--unset" is to remove just one, so when the reading

side

>reads from both, it becomes "which one to remove"?
>
>Comments from those who are more familiar with the "git config" are

certainly

>appreciated.

If both ~/.gitconfig and ~/.config/git/config both exist, a scope of --global becomes ambiguous. The --file <file> option should disambiguate the operation if just --unset is used. Otherwise, perhaps we should fail the operation.

--Randall