From: Stephen Boyd <bebarino@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:14:33 GMT
Subject: [PATCHv2] Documentation: git-format-patch.txt rewordings and cleanups
Message-ID: <1238476473-22106-1-git-send-email-bebarino@gmail.com>

Clarify --no-binary description using some words from the original
commit 37c22a4b (add --no-binary, 2008-05-9). Cleanup --suffix and
--thread descriptions. Add --thread style option to synopsis. Clarify
renaming patches example.

Signed-off-by: Stephen Boyd <bebarino@gmail.com>
---
The --suffix words have been updated per the list discussion.
 Documentation/git-format-patch.txt |   33 ++++++++++++++++-----------------
 1 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
index c2eb5fa..e2b7939 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
+'git format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread[=<style>]]
 		   [--attach[=<boundary>] | --inline[=<boundary>] |
-		     [--no-attach]]
+		    --no-attach]
 		   [-s | --signoff] [<common diff options>]
 		   [-n | --numbered | -N | --no-numbered]
 		   [--start-number <n>] [--numbered-files]
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ include::diff-options.txt[]
 	the Message-Id header to reference.
 +
 The optional <style> argument can be either `shallow` or `deep`.
-'Shallow' threading makes every mail a reply to the head of the
+'shallow' threading makes every mail a reply to the head of the
 series, where the head is chosen from the cover letter, the
-`\--in-reply-to`, and the first patch mail, in this order.  'Deep'
+`\--in-reply-to`, and the first patch mail, in this order.  'deep'
 threading makes every mail a reply to the previous one.  If not
 specified, defaults to the 'format.thread' configuration, or `shallow`
 if that is not set.
@@ -169,24 +169,23 @@ if that is not set.
 --suffix=.<sfx>::
 	Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
 	filenames, use specified suffix.  A common alternative is
-	`--suffix=.txt`.
+	`--suffix=.txt`.  Leaving this empty will remove the `.patch`
+	suffix.
 +
-Note that you would need to include the leading dot `.` if you
-want a filename like `0001-description-of-my-change.patch`, and
-the first letter does not have to be a dot.  Leaving it empty would
-not add any suffix.
+Note the leading character does not have to be a dot; for example, you
+can use --suffix=-patch to get `0001-description-of-my-change-patch`.
 
 --no-binary::
-	Don't output contents of changes in binary files, just take note
-	that they differ.  Note that this disable the patch to be properly
-	applied.  By default the contents of changes in those files are
-	encoded in the patch.
+	Do not output contents of changes in binary files, instead
+	display a notice that those files changed.  Patches generated
+	using this option cannot be applied properly, but they are
+	still useful for code review.
 
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------
 You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each message
-in the repository configuration, new defaults for the subject prefix
-and file suffix, control attachements, and number patches when outputting
+in the repository configuration, defaults for the subject prefix
+and file suffix, configure attachments, and number patches when outputting
 more than one.
 
 ------------
@@ -234,8 +233,8 @@ $ git format-patch -M -B origin
 +
 Additionally, it detects and handles renames and complete rewrites
 intelligently to produce a renaming patch.  A renaming patch reduces
-the amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to review it.
-Note that the "patch" program does not understand renaming patches, so
+the amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to review.
+Note that non-git "patch" programs won't understand renaming patches, so
 use it only when you know the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
 
 * Extract three topmost commits from the current branch and format them
-- 
1.6.2