Re: [PATCH] doc: show usage of branch description

From: Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.org>
Date: Sep 14, 2015, 13:24 UTC
Message-ID: <114A566297E948AFA2962DB352AD46A8@PhilipOakley>
In-Reply-To: <DDA818BA5B3749C8953193DEC3682293@PhilipOakley>

From: "Philip Oakley" <philipoakley@iee.org>

Show 7 quoted lines

> From: "Jacob Keller" <jacob.keller@gmail.com>
>> Hi,
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 12, 2015 at 3:51 PM, Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.org> 
>> wrote:
>>> The branch description will be included in 'git format-patch
>>> --cover-letter' and in 'git pull-request' emails. Tell the reader.

[...]

Show 15 quoted lines

>> Are these the only locations? Just want to make sure while we're 
>> updating it.
>
> A bit more delving found http://stackoverflow.com/a/8858853/717355 
> which suggests `git merge` would use it, but with no mention in the 
> `git merge --help` man page. A link to the `git fmt-merge-msg` ("for 
> internal use by scripts") finally provides the extra:
>
> merge.branchdesc
>
> In addition to branch names, populate the log message with the branch 
> description text associated with them. Defaults to false.
>
> However, that config key isn't listed in `git config --help` man page, 
> so that capability is a bit buried. (note the default!)

This is incorrect. It was fixed in fc0aa39 (Documentation: include 'merge.branchdesc' for merge and config as well, 2015-05-27), but my local docs hadn't included it.

>
> It still means that my patch is incomplete in its aim to bring out 
> these possible broader usages.
>

i.e. mentioning 'merge' as a command that uses the branch description, and noting it within the merge pages.