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[PATCH v6 8/9] pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'

From
Taylor Blau <me@ttaylorr.com>
Date
Jun 23, 2025, 22:32 UTC
Message-ID
<3699c25337e1c91388bad4c56441b39a9984798b.1750717921.git.me@ttaylorr.com>
In-Reply-To
<cover.1750717921.git.me@ttaylorr.com>

When invoked with '--stdin-packs', pack-objects will generate a pack which contains the objects found in the "included" packs, less any objects from "excluded" packs.

Packs that exist in the repository but weren't specified as either included or excluded are in practice treated like the latter, at least in the sense that pack-objects won't include objects from those packs. This behavior forces us to include any cruft pack(s) in a repository's multi-pack index for the reasons described in ddee3703b3 (builtin/repack.c: add cruft packs to MIDX during geometric repack, 2022-05-20).

The full details are in ddee3703b3, but the gist is if you have a once-unreachable object in a cruft pack which later becomes reachable via one or more commits in a pack generated with '--stdin-packs', you *have* to include that object in the MIDX via the copy in the cruft pack, otherwise we cannot generate reachability bitmaps for any commits which reach that object.

Note that the traversal here is best-effort, similar to the existing traversal which provides name-hash hints. This means that the object traversal may hand us back a blob that does not actually exist. We *won't* see missing trees/commits with 'ignore_missing_links' because:

 - missing commit parents are discarded at the commit traversal stage by
   revision.c::process_parents()
 - missing tag objects are discarded by revision.c::handle_commit()
 - missing tree objects are discarded by the list-objects code in
   list-objects.c::process_tree()

But we have to handle potentially-missing blobs specially by making a separate check to ensure they exist in the repository. Failing to do so would mean that we'd add an object to the packing list which doesn't actually exist, rendering us unable to write out the pack.

This prepares us for new repacking behavior which will "resurrect" objects found in cruft or otherwise unspecified packs when generating new packs. In the context of geometric repacking, this may be used to maintain a sequence of geometrically-repacked packs, the union of which is closed under reachability, even in the case described earlier.

Signed-off-by: Taylor Blau <me@ttaylorr.com>
---
 Documentation/git-pack-objects.adoc |  10 ++-
 builtin/pack-objects.c              |  86 +++++++++++++++-----
 t/t5331-pack-objects-stdin.sh       | 120 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 193 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/git-pack-objects.adoc b/Documentation/git-pack-objects.adoc
index b1c5aa27da..eba014c406 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-pack-objects.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-pack-objects.adoc
@@ -87,13 +87,21 @@ base-name::
 	reference was included in the resulting packfile.  This
 	can be useful to send new tags to native Git clients.
 
---stdin-packs::
+--stdin-packs[=<mode>]::
 	Read the basenames of packfiles (e.g., `pack-1234abcd.pack`)
 	from the standard input, instead of object names or revision
 	arguments. The resulting pack contains all objects listed in the
 	included packs (those not beginning with `^`), excluding any
 	objects listed in the excluded packs (beginning with `^`).
 +
+When `mode` is "follow", objects from packs not listed on stdin receive
+special treatment. Objects within unlisted packs will be included if
+those objects are (1) reachable from the included packs, and (2) not
+found in any excluded packs. This mode is useful, for example, to
+resurrect once-unreachable objects found in cruft packs to generate
+packs which are closed under reachability up to the boundary set by the
+excluded packs.
++
 Incompatible with `--revs`, or options that imply `--revs` (such as
 `--all`), with the exception of `--unpacked`, which is compatible.
 
diff --git a/builtin/pack-objects.c b/builtin/pack-objects.c
index f44447a3f9..4ae52c6a29 100644
--- a/builtin/pack-objects.c
+++ b/builtin/pack-objects.c
@@ -284,6 +284,12 @@ static struct oidmap configured_exclusions;
 static struct oidset excluded_by_config;
 static int name_hash_version = -1;
 
+enum stdin_packs_mode {
+	STDIN_PACKS_MODE_NONE,
+	STDIN_PACKS_MODE_STANDARD,
+	STDIN_PACKS_MODE_FOLLOW,
+};
+
 /**
  * Check whether the name_hash_version chosen by user input is appropriate,
  * and also validate whether it is compatible with other features.
@@ -3749,31 +3755,47 @@ static int add_object_entry_from_pack(const struct object_id *oid,
 }
 
 static void show_object_pack_hint(struct object *object, const char *name,
-				  void *data UNUSED)
+				  void *data)
 {
-	struct object_entry *oe = packlist_find(&to_pack, &object->oid);
-	if (!oe)
-		return;
+	enum stdin_packs_mode mode = *(enum stdin_packs_mode *)data;
+	if (mode == STDIN_PACKS_MODE_FOLLOW) {
+		if (object->type == OBJ_BLOB &&
+		    !has_object(the_repository, &object->oid, 0))
+			return;
+		add_object_entry(&object->oid, object->type, name, 0);
+	} else {
+		struct object_entry *oe = packlist_find(&to_pack, &object->oid);
+		if (!oe)
+			return;
 
-	/*
-	 * Our 'to_pack' list was constructed by iterating all objects packed in
-	 * included packs, and so doesn't have a non-zero hash field that you
-	 * would typically pick up during a reachability traversal.
-	 *
-	 * Make a best-effort attempt to fill in the ->hash and ->no_try_delta
-	 * fields here in order to perhaps improve the delta selection
-	 * process.
-	 */
-	oe->hash = pack_name_hash_fn(name);
-	oe->no_try_delta = name && no_try_delta(name);
+		/*
+		 * Our 'to_pack' list was constructed by iterating all
+		 * objects packed in included packs, and so doesn't have
+		 * a non-zero hash field that you would typically pick
+		 * up during a reachability traversal.
+		 *
+		 * Make a best-effort attempt to fill in the ->hash and
+		 * ->no_try_delta fields here in order to perhaps
+		 * improve the delta selection process.
+		 */
+		oe->hash = pack_name_hash_fn(name);
+		oe->no_try_delta = name && no_try_delta(name);
 
-	stdin_packs_hints_nr++;
+		stdin_packs_hints_nr++;
+	}
 }
 
-static void show_commit_pack_hint(struct commit *commit UNUSED,
-				  void *data UNUSED)
+static void show_commit_pack_hint(struct commit *commit, void *data)
 {
+	enum stdin_packs_mode mode = *(enum stdin_packs_mode *)data;
+
+	if (mode == STDIN_PACKS_MODE_FOLLOW) {
+		show_object_pack_hint((struct object *)commit, "", data);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* nothing to do; commits don't have a namehash */
+
 }
 
 static int pack_mtime_cmp(const void *_a, const void *_b)
@@ -3881,7 +3903,7 @@ static void read_packs_list_from_stdin(struct rev_info *revs)
 
 static void add_unreachable_loose_objects(struct rev_info *revs);
 
-static void read_stdin_packs(int rev_list_unpacked)
+static void read_stdin_packs(enum stdin_packs_mode mode, int rev_list_unpacked)
 {
 	struct rev_info revs;
 
@@ -3913,7 +3935,7 @@ static void read_stdin_packs(int rev_list_unpacked)
 	traverse_commit_list(&revs,
 			     show_commit_pack_hint,
 			     show_object_pack_hint,
-			     NULL);
+			     &mode);
 
 	trace2_data_intmax("pack-objects", the_repository, "stdin_packs_found",
 			   stdin_packs_found_nr);
@@ -4795,6 +4817,23 @@ static int is_not_in_promisor_pack(struct commit *commit, void *data) {
 	return is_not_in_promisor_pack_obj((struct object *) commit, data);
 }
 
+static int parse_stdin_packs_mode(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
+				  int unset)
+{
+	enum stdin_packs_mode *mode = opt->value;
+
+	if (unset)
+		*mode = STDIN_PACKS_MODE_NONE;
+	else if (!arg || !*arg)
+		*mode = STDIN_PACKS_MODE_STANDARD;
+	else if (!strcmp(arg, "follow"))
+		*mode = STDIN_PACKS_MODE_FOLLOW;
+	else
+		die(_("invalid value for '%s': '%s'"), opt->long_name, arg);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int cmd_pack_objects(int argc,
 		     const char **argv,
 		     const char *prefix,
@@ -4805,7 +4844,7 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc,
 	struct strvec rp = STRVEC_INIT;
 	int rev_list_unpacked = 0, rev_list_all = 0, rev_list_reflog = 0;
 	int rev_list_index = 0;
-	int stdin_packs = 0;
+	enum stdin_packs_mode stdin_packs = STDIN_PACKS_MODE_NONE;
 	struct string_list keep_pack_list = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 	struct list_objects_filter_options filter_options =
 		LIST_OBJECTS_FILTER_INIT;
@@ -4860,6 +4899,9 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc,
 		OPT_SET_INT_F(0, "indexed-objects", &rev_list_index,
 			      N_("include objects referred to by the index"),
 			      1, PARSE_OPT_NONEG),
+		OPT_CALLBACK_F(0, "stdin-packs", &stdin_packs, N_("mode"),
+			     N_("read packs from stdin"),
+			     PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, parse_stdin_packs_mode),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "stdin-packs", &stdin_packs,
 			 N_("read packs from stdin")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "stdout", &pack_to_stdout,
@@ -5150,7 +5192,7 @@ int cmd_pack_objects(int argc,
 		progress_state = start_progress(the_repository,
 						_("Enumerating objects"), 0);
 	if (stdin_packs) {
-		read_stdin_packs(rev_list_unpacked);
+		read_stdin_packs(stdin_packs, rev_list_unpacked);
 	} else if (cruft) {
 		read_cruft_objects();
 	} else if (!use_internal_rev_list) {
diff --git a/t/t5331-pack-objects-stdin.sh b/t/t5331-pack-objects-stdin.sh
index 8fd07deb8d..4a8df5a389 100755
--- a/t/t5331-pack-objects-stdin.sh
+++ b/t/t5331-pack-objects-stdin.sh
@@ -236,4 +236,124 @@ test_expect_success 'pack-objects --stdin with packfiles from main and alternate
 	test_cmp expected-objects actual-objects
 '
 
+objdir=.git/objects
+packdir=$objdir/pack
+
+objects_in_packs () {
+	for p in "$@"
+	do
+		git show-index <"$packdir/pack-$p.idx" || return 1
+	done >objects.raw &&
+
+	cut -d' ' -f2 objects.raw | sort &&
+	rm -f objects.raw
+}
+
+test_expect_success '--stdin-packs=follow walks into unknown packs' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -fr repo" &&
+
+	git init repo &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+
+		for c in A B C D
+		do
+			test_commit "$c" || return 1
+		done &&
+
+		A="$(echo A | git pack-objects --revs $packdir/pack)" &&
+		B="$(echo A..B | git pack-objects --revs $packdir/pack)" &&
+		C="$(echo B..C | git pack-objects --revs $packdir/pack)" &&
+		D="$(echo C..D | git pack-objects --revs $packdir/pack)" &&
+		test_commit E &&
+
+		git prune-packed &&
+
+		cat >in <<-EOF &&
+		pack-$B.pack
+		^pack-$C.pack
+		pack-$D.pack
+		EOF
+
+		# With just --stdin-packs, pack "A" is unknown to us, so
+		# only objects from packs "B" and "D" are included in
+		# the output pack.
+		P=$(git pack-objects --stdin-packs $packdir/pack <in) &&
+		objects_in_packs $B $D >expect &&
+		objects_in_packs $P >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
+
+		# But with --stdin-packs=follow, objects from both
+		# included packs reach objects from the unknown pack, so
+		# objects from pack "A" is included in the output pack
+		# in addition to the above.
+		P=$(git pack-objects --stdin-packs=follow $packdir/pack <in) &&
+		objects_in_packs $A $B $D >expect &&
+		objects_in_packs $P >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual &&
+
+		# And with --unpacked, we will pick up objects from unknown
+		# packs that are reachable from loose objects. Loose object E
+		# reaches objects in pack A, but there are three excluded packs
+		# in between.
+		#
+		# The resulting pack should include objects reachable from E
+		# that are not present in packs B, C, or D, along with those
+		# present in pack A.
+		cat >in <<-EOF &&
+		^pack-$B.pack
+		^pack-$C.pack
+		^pack-$D.pack
+		EOF
+
+		P=$(git pack-objects --stdin-packs=follow --unpacked \
+			$packdir/pack <in) &&
+
+		{
+			objects_in_packs $A &&
+			git rev-list --objects --no-object-names D..E
+		}>expect.raw &&
+		sort expect.raw >expect &&
+		objects_in_packs $P >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
+stdin_packs__follow_with_only () {
+	rm -fr stdin_packs__follow_with_only &&
+	git init stdin_packs__follow_with_only &&
+	(
+		cd stdin_packs__follow_with_only &&
+
+		test_commit A &&
+		test_commit B &&
+
+		git rev-parse "$@" >B.objects &&
+
+		echo A | git pack-objects --revs $packdir/pack &&
+		B="$(git pack-objects $packdir/pack <B.objects)" &&
+
+		git cat-file --batch-check="%(objectname)" --batch-all-objects >objs &&
+		for obj in $(cat objs)
+		do
+			rm -f $objdir/$(test_oid_to_path $obj) || return 1
+		done &&
+
+		( cd $packdir && ls pack-*.pack ) >in &&
+		git pack-objects --stdin-packs=follow --stdout >/dev/null <in
+	)
+}
+
+test_expect_success '--stdin-packs=follow tolerates missing blobs' '
+	stdin_packs__follow_with_only HEAD HEAD^{tree}
+'
+
+test_expect_success '--stdin-packs=follow tolerates missing trees' '
+	stdin_packs__follow_with_only HEAD HEAD:B.t
+'
+
+test_expect_success '--stdin-packs=follow tolerates missing commits' '
+	stdin_packs__follow_with_only HEAD HEAD^{tree}
+'
+
 test_done
-- 
2.50.0.61.g1981e40f2d
Previous: Taylor BlauNext: Junio C Hamano
Message 102 of 105 in “repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possible”
  1. 0/8 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  2. 1/8 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  3. 2/8 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  4. 3/8 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  5. 4/8 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  6. 5/8 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  7. 6/8 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  8. 7/8 repack: keep track of existing MIDX'd packsTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  9. 8/8 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 11, 2025
  10. 0/8 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  11. 1/8 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  12. Junio C HamanoApr 14, 2025
  13. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  14. Junio C HamanoApr 15, 2025
  15. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  16. 2/8 object-store-ll.h: add note about designated initializersTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  17. Junio C HamanoApr 14, 2025
  18. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  19. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  20. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  21. 3/8 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  22. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  23. 4/8 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  24. 5/8 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  25. 6/8 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  26. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  27. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  28. 7/8 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  29. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  30. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  31. Elijah NewrenApr 16, 2025
  32. 8/8 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 14, 2025
  33. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  34. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  35. Elijah NewrenApr 15, 2025
  36. Taylor BlauApr 15, 2025
  37. 0/9 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  38. 1/9 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  39. 2/9 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  40. Junio C HamanoApr 16, 2025
  41. Taylor BlauApr 16, 2025
  42. Elijah NewrenApr 16, 2025
  43. Taylor BlauApr 16, 2025
  44. 3/9 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  45. Junio C HamanoApr 16, 2025
  46. 4/9 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  47. 5/9 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  48. Junio C HamanoApr 16, 2025
  49. 6/9 pack-objects: fix typo in 'show_object_pack_hint()'Taylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  50. Elijah NewrenApr 16, 2025
  51. 7/9 pack-objects: swap 'show_{object,commit}_pack_hint'Taylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  52. 8/9 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  53. 9/9 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, Apr 15, 2025
  54. Elijah NewrenApr 16, 2025
  55. Taylor BlauApr 16, 2025
  56. Elijah NewrenMay 13, 2025
  57. 0/9 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  58. 1/9 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  59. 2/9 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  60. 3/9 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  61. 4/9 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  62. 5/9 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  63. 6/9 pack-objects: fix typo in 'show_object_pack_hint()'Taylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  64. 7/9 pack-objects: swap 'show_{object,commit}_pack_hint'Taylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  65. 8/9 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  66. 9/9 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, May 28, 2025
  67. Carlo Marcelo Arenas BelónJun 19, 2025
  68. fixup! repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleCarlo Marcelo Arenas Belón, Jun 19, 2025
  69. Junio C HamanoJun 19, 2025
  70. Taylor BlauJun 19, 2025
  71. Taylor BlauMay 29, 2025
  72. Elijah NewrenMay 29, 2025
  73. 0/9 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  74. 1/9 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  75. 2/9 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  76. 3/9 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  77. 4/9 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  78. 5/9 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  79. 6/9 pack-objects: fix typo in 'show_object_pack_hint()'Taylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  80. 7/9 pack-objects: swap 'show_{object,commit}_pack_hint'Taylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  81. 8/9 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  82. Junio C HamanoJun 20, 2025
  83. 9/9 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, Jun 19, 2025
  84. Jeff KingJun 21, 2025
  85. Taylor BlauJun 23, 2025
  86. Jeff KingJun 24, 2025
  87. Taylor BlauJun 24, 2025
  88. 0/9 repack: avoid MIDX'ing cruft pack(s) where possibleTaylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  89. 1/9 pack-objects: use standard option incompatibility functionsTaylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  90. Junio C HamanoJun 24, 2025
  91. Taylor BlauJun 24, 2025
  92. 2/9 pack-objects: limit scope in 'add_object_entry_from_pack()'Taylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  93. Junio C HamanoJun 23, 2025
  94. 3/9 pack-objects: factor out handling '--stdin-packs'Taylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  95. 4/9 pack-objects: declare 'rev_info' for '--stdin-packs' earlierTaylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  96. Junio C HamanoJun 23, 2025
  97. 5/9 pack-objects: perform name-hash traversal for unpacked objectsTaylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  98. Junio C HamanoJun 23, 2025
  99. Taylor BlauJun 24, 2025
  100. 6/9 pack-objects: fix typo in 'show_object_pack_hint()'Taylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  101. 7/9 pack-objects: swap 'show_{object,commit}_pack_hint'Taylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  102. 8/9 pack-objects: introduce '--stdin-packs=follow'Taylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025
  103. Junio C HamanoJun 23, 2025
  104. Taylor BlauJun 24, 2025
  105. 9/9 repack: exclude cruft pack(s) from the MIDX where possibleTaylor Blau, Jun 23, 2025

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