Re: [PATCH] difftool: add support for an extended revision syntax
- From
Michael J Gruber <git@drmicha.warpmail.net>
- Date
- Mar 23, 2009, 16:46 UTC
- Message-ID
- <49C7BCEA.1060309@drmicha.warpmail.net>
- In-Reply-To
- <20090323163343.GB16258@gmail.com>
David Aguilar venit, vidit, dixit 23.03.2009 17:33:
Show 56 quoted lines
> On 0, Michael J Gruber <git@drmicha.warpmail.net> wrote: >> David Aguilar venit, vidit, dixit 23.03.2009 11:15: >>> >>> This makes answering that question considerably easier. >>> Users can now simply say: >>> >>> $ git difftool <file>~ >>> >>> to compare <file> in the worktree against its >>> previous version, and: >>> >>> $ git difftool <file>~2 <file>~ >>> >>> to compare <file> from 2 versions ago to <file>'s >>> previous version, etc. >>> >> >> I like the idea of having a shortcut like that a lot, but I'm sorry I'm >> not supportive of a tool-specific rev syntax extension; for principal >> reasons, but also because diff, checkout and maybe others could make >> good use of it. > > I completely agree. I want a convenient shortcut to use everywhere. > > >> Work is underway on clearing out the issue of forbidden characters in >> revision specifiers. We already have commit:file. I think something like >> ~2:file would be short enough as well as in line with the usual >> semantics. Similarly, >> >> git diff ~3 ~2 file >> git diff ~3 file >> >> would be short and simple as soon as ~3 is implemented to be a shortcut >> for HEAD~3. (I'm not sure we can actually use ~, even though it would >> fit in with the usual "if it's not specified it's HEAD".) This would >> only need a shortcut for HEAD, such as not even specifying it (as above) >> or c~ with c being our new fancy character for that. > > > One of my ulterior motives for sending this patch was to > start a discussion on this topic. I missed the discussion > about clearing out forbidden characters so I'll see if I can > find it in the archives. Do you happen to have a link? > > Keep in mind that the syntax that this patch added does > not have file~3 = HEAD~3. file~3 means finding file as it > existed 3 changes-to-file ago, which is != to HEAD~3 if file > did not change in the last 3 commits. > > It basically runs 'git log -- file' so that only the commits > that touch file are considered. > > Are you suggesting that ~3:file could be the shortcut for > this, or would we need a different syntax since you just > said that ~3 would be a shortcut for HEAD~3?
I think both would be useful. Depending on the way it's done, only HEAD~3 maybe be realizable.
> If there's work on syntax-sugarfying diff/checkout/etc. with > these kind of shortcuts then I would like to help out with > patches, testing, etc.
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/114257 is the newest installment, although http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/114076 and especially http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/113647 is very worthwhile reading :)
[Isn't there a better way to link to posts? I think I used to take message ids.]
> This is a feature that lots of users would enjoy--I know that > for sure. >