Re: [PATCH] contrib: A script to show diff in new window while editing commit message.

From: Ted Pavlic <ted@tedpavlic.com>
Date: Jan 22, 2009, 03:39 UTC
Message-ID: <4977EA8B.8000403@tedpavlic.com>
In-Reply-To: <7vy6x4b48e.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org>

>   * Some people would like two-buffer operation and they may use this
>     script as their core.editor.

That's what I do, and evidently that's what enough Mercurial users do to warrant them putting "hgeditor" in their main distro (not even in the "contrib" directory). I just figured there must be at least a few other people out there like me, but maybe I'm wrong. <?>

>   * Other people (including me) would find it very natural to use "\C-x 2"
>     if they need to look at two places of the same buffer, because that is
>     what they are used to do when editing a long file every day.  They just
>     use "commit -v" without bothering with this script.

As I mention in the script, splitting windows (which is easy to do in Vim) is another very natural way to go. That being said, not all editors have terrific split window support. Plus, if you're going to do it often, it makes sense to wire up your editor to do it for you each time.

>   * Yet other people (like Dscho) would find it too late to have a chance
>     for final review when writing a commit log message anyway, and won't
>     use either.

I'm not using the diff as a code review. I'm using it to help me make sure my commit message is complete.

> Having said that, if the lack of "final chance to review the diff" in some
> StGIT subcommand is the real problem you are trying to solve, I think it

...

Having the "stg edit" support is just a bonus (for me). The main point was showing how to use GIT_EDITOR to bring up a split window. As with Mercurial's hgeditor, part of the point of the script is to demonstrate how to customize the commit process.

Thanks -- --Ted

-- 
Ted Pavlic <ted@tedpavlic.com>

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