Re: [PATCH v2 4/7] pkt-line: extern packet_length()

> On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 12:04 PM Jeff King <peff@peff.net> wrote:
> > On Mon, May 18, 2020 at 11:47:21AM -0400, Denton Liu wrote:
> > > Change the function parameter from a `const char *` to
> > > `const char linelen[4]`. Even though these two types behave identically
> > > as function parameters, use the array notation to semantically indicate
> > > exactly what this function is expecting as an argument.
> >
> > > +/*
> > > + * Convert a four hex digit packet line length header into its numeric
> > > + * representation. linelen should not be null-terminated.
> >
> > Minor nit, but it is perfectly fine if there is a NUL. Maybe "linelen
> > does not need to be..."?
> 
> I had the exact same reaction when reading "...should not be
> null-terminated", however, I'd prefer to drop mention of
> NUL-termination altogether since talking about it merely confuses the
> issue since it is quite clear both from the declaration (const
> char[4]) and the documentation "four hex digits" that 'linelen' is
> expected to contain exactly four hex digits and no NUL character(s).

> By the way, I find the argument name "linelen" highly confusing; every
> time I read it, I think it is an integral type, not a string or
> character array. I'd very much prefer to see it renamed to "s" (or
> something) or dropped altogether:
> 
>     int packet_length(const char[4]);