From: Dirk Süsserott <newsletter@dirk.my1.cc>
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:36:40 GMT
Subject: Re: How to "pre-populate" a git message
Message-ID: <4CF946C8.6050009@dirk.my1.cc>
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTim=dVxVLL31aEBrjw7OhXpdYOjAO9Sk16gGP3zJ@mail.gmail.com>

Am 03.12.2010 18:51 schrieb Patrick Doyle:
> Once in a while, I would like to run some scripts that will
> automatically generate some files that I keep maintained in my
> repository.
>
> I also like to review the files before they get committed.
>
> Is there any way I can "pre-populate" the commit message so that I can
> run my "regenerate" command, review the differences, and then commit
> the changes with my prewritten message?
>
> --wpd

You can either commit the changes with the "-m <msg>" or with the
"-F <file>" switch. In your case I'd suggest the latter:

1. regenerate your files and include a step that generates
    a commit message and stores that in a file, say "commit.msg".
2. review the changes
3. add all your files (except for "commit.msg", of course)
4. commit:
      $ git commit -F commit.msg

The other way would be the -m switch, but then you'd have to supply
the message by yourself somehow:
$ git commit -m "These files were generated at ..."


HTH,
     Dirk