BUG 1.7.9: git-update-ref strange behavior with ref with trailing newline

Here I use git symbolic-ref to update HEAD with a ref whose name contains trailing newlines:

        $ git symbolic-ref -m "this message does not appear" HEAD 'refs/heads/master
        >
        >
        > '

The newlines are inserted into .git/HEAD, but are innocuous, because other git commands ignore them. The bug is that the -m option is completely ignored:

        $ git reflog HEAD | grep 'message does not appear'
        $

If trailing newlines are considered acceptable, the -m option should be honored. If not, an error message should be printed and thecommand should exit with a nonzero exit status.

I will prepare a patch if you will say which behavior would be preferable.

Mark Jason Dominus 	  			                 mjd@plover.com