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[PATCH v4 06/10] refs: root refs can be symbolic refs

From
Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
Date
May 10, 2024, 08:48 UTC
Message-ID
<5e402811a668ae7659175c6f91da6bbb982bacf1.1715330206.git.ps@pks.im>
In-Reply-To
<cover.1715330206.git.ps@pks.im>

Before this patch series, root refs except for "HEAD" and our special refs were classified as pseudorefs. Furthermore, our terminology clarified that pseudorefs must not be symbolic refs. This restriction is enforced in `is_root_ref()`, which explicitly checks that a supposed root ref resolves to an object ID without recursing.

This has been extremely confusing right from the start because (in old terminology) a ref name may sometimes be a pseudoref and sometimes not depending on whether it is a symbolic or regular ref. This behaviour does not seem reasonable at all and I very much doubt that it results in anything sane.

Last but not least, the current behaviour can actually lead to a segfault when calling `is_root_ref()` with a reference that either does not exist or that is a symbolic ref because we never initialized `oid`.

Let's loosen the restrictions in accordance to the new definition of root refs, which are simply plain refs that may as well be a symbolic ref. Consequently, we can just check for the ref to exist instead of requiring it to be a regular ref.

Add a test that verifies that this does not change user-visible behaviour. Namely, we still don't want to show broken refs to the user by default in git-for-each-ref(1). What this does allow though is for internal callers to surface dangling root refs when they pass in the `DO_FOR_EACH_INCLUDE_BROKEN` flag.

Signed-off-by: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im>
---
 refs.c                         | 31 ++++++++++++++++++++-----------
 refs.h                         |  3 ++-
 t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh | 17 +++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 39 insertions(+), 12 deletions(-)
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 6266f77474..d63d60a0dc 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -869,28 +869,37 @@ int is_root_ref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *refname)
 		"NOTES_MERGE_REF",
 		"MERGE_AUTOSTASH",
 	};
-	struct object_id oid;
+	struct strbuf referent = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct object_id oid = { 0 };
+	int failure_errno, ret = 0;
+	unsigned int flags;
 	size_t i;
 
 	if (!is_root_ref_syntax(refname))
 		return 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * Note that we cannot use `refs_ref_exists()` here because that also
+	 * checks whether its target ref exists in case refname is a symbolic
+	 * ref.
+	 */
 	if (ends_with(refname, "_HEAD")) {
-		refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(refs, refname,
-					RESOLVE_REF_READING | RESOLVE_REF_NO_RECURSE,
-					&oid, NULL);
-		return !is_null_oid(&oid);
+		ret = !refs_read_raw_ref(refs, refname, &oid, &referent,
+					 &flags, &failure_errno);
+		goto done;
 	}
 
-	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(irregular_root_refs); i++)
+	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(irregular_root_refs); i++) {
 		if (!strcmp(refname, irregular_root_refs[i])) {
-			refs_resolve_ref_unsafe(refs, refname,
-						RESOLVE_REF_READING | RESOLVE_REF_NO_RECURSE,
-						&oid, NULL);
-			return !is_null_oid(&oid);
+			ret = !refs_read_raw_ref(refs, refname, &oid, &referent,
+						 &flags, &failure_errno);
+			goto done;
 		}
+	}
 
-	return 0;
+done:
+	strbuf_release(&referent);
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int is_headref(struct ref_store *refs, const char *refname)
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index d0374c3275..b15ac3835e 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -1052,7 +1052,8 @@ extern struct ref_namespace_info ref_namespace[NAMESPACE__COUNT];
 void update_ref_namespace(enum ref_namespace namespace, char *ref);
 
 /*
- * Check whether the reference is an existing root reference.
+ * Check whether the reference is an existing root reference. A root reference
+ * that is a dangling symbolic ref is considered to exist.
  *
  * A root ref is a reference that lives in the root of the reference hierarchy.
  * These references must conform to special syntax:
diff --git a/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh b/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
index 948f1bb5f4..92ed8957c8 100755
--- a/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
+++ b/t/t6302-for-each-ref-filter.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,23 @@ test_expect_success '--include-root-refs with other patterns' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success '--include-root-refs omits dangling symrefs' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf repo" &&
+	git init repo &&
+	(
+		cd repo &&
+		test_commit initial &&
+		git symbolic-ref DANGLING_HEAD refs/heads/missing &&
+		cat >expect <<-EOF &&
+		HEAD
+		$(git symbolic-ref HEAD)
+		refs/tags/initial
+		EOF
+		git for-each-ref --format="%(refname)" --include-root-refs >actual &&
+		test_cmp expect actual
+	)
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'filtering with --points-at' '
 	cat >expect <<-\EOF &&
 	refs/heads/main
-- 
2.45.0
Previous: Patrick SteinhardtNext: Patrick Steinhardt
Message 74 of 93 in “Clarify pseudo-ref terminology”
  1. 0/3 Clarify pseudo-ref terminologyPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 29, 2024
  2. 1/3 refs: move `is_special_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, Apr 29, 2024
  3. 2/3 refs: do not label special refs as pseudo refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 29, 2024
  4. Phillip WoodApr 29, 2024
  5. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  6. Phillip WoodApr 30, 2024
  7. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  8. Jeff KingApr 30, 2024
  9. Karthik NayakApr 30, 2024
  10. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  11. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  12. Junio C HamanoApr 29, 2024
  13. Justin ToblerApr 29, 2024
  14. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  15. Jean-Noël AVILAMay 9, 2024
  16. Patrick SteinhardtMay 10, 2024
  17. 3/3 refs: fix segfault in `is_pseudoref()` when ref cannot be resolvedPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 29, 2024
  18. Phillip WoodApr 29, 2024
  19. Karthik NayakApr 29, 2024
  20. Phillip WoodApr 29, 2024
  21. Karthik NayakApr 29, 2024
  22. Patrick SteinhardtApr 30, 2024
  23. 00/10 Clarify pseudo-ref terminologyPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  24. 01/10 Documentation/glossary: redefine pseudorefs as special refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  25. Karthik NayakApr 30, 2024
  26. Justin ToblerApr 30, 2024
  27. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2024
  28. Patrick SteinhardtMay 2, 2024
  29. 02/10 Documentation/glossary: clarify limitations of pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  30. Kristoffer HaugsbakkApr 30, 2024
  31. 03/10 Documentation/glossary: define root refs as refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  32. Karthik NayakApr 30, 2024
  33. 04/10 refs: rename `is_pseudoref()` to `is_root_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  34. Junio C HamanoApr 30, 2024
  35. 05/10 refs: refname `is_special_ref()` to `is_pseudo_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  36. Karthik NayakApr 30, 2024
  37. 06/10 refs: classify HEAD as a root refPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  38. 07/10 refs: root refs can be symbolic refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  39. Justin ToblerApr 30, 2024
  40. Patrick SteinhardtMay 2, 2024
  41. Justin ToblerMay 3, 2024
  42. Patrick SteinhardtMay 7, 2024
  43. 08/10 refs: pseudorefs are no refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  44. 09/10 ref-filter: properly distinuish pseudo and root refsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  45. Karthik NayakApr 30, 2024
  46. Patrick SteinhardtMay 2, 2024
  47. Karthik NayakMay 2, 2024
  48. 10/10 refs: refuse to write pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, Apr 30, 2024
  49. 00/10 Clarify pseudo-ref terminologyPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  50. 01/10 Documentation/glossary: redefine pseudorefs as special refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  51. 02/10 Documentation/glossary: clarify limitations of pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  52. 03/10 Documentation/glossary: define root refs as refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  53. 04/10 refs: rename `is_pseudoref()` to `is_root_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  54. 05/10 refs: refname `is_special_ref()` to `is_pseudo_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  55. 06/10 refs: classify HEAD as a root refPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  56. 07/10 refs: root refs can be symbolic refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  57. Jeff KingMay 3, 2024
  58. Patrick SteinhardtMay 15, 2024
  59. Patrick SteinhardtMay 15, 2024
  60. Jeff KingMay 15, 2024
  61. Patrick SteinhardtMay 15, 2024
  62. Jeff KingMay 15, 2024
  63. Patrick SteinhardtMay 15, 2024
  64. Jeff KingMay 15, 2024
  65. 08/10 refs: pseudorefs are no refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  66. 09/10 ref-filter: properly distinuish pseudo and root refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  67. 10/10 refs: refuse to write pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 2, 2024
  68. 00/10 Clarify pseudo-ref terminologyPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  69. 01/10 Documentation/glossary: redefine pseudorefs as special refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  70. 02/10 Documentation/glossary: clarify limitations of pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  71. 03/10 Documentation/glossary: define root refs as refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  72. 04/10 refs: rename `is_pseudoref()` to `is_root_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  73. 05/10 refs: refname `is_special_ref()` to `is_pseudo_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  74. 06/10 refs: root refs can be symbolic refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  75. 07/10 refs: classify HEAD as a root refPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  76. 08/10 refs: pseudorefs are no refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  77. 09/10 ref-filter: properly distinuish pseudo and root refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  78. 10/10 refs: refuse to write pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 10, 2024
  79. Junio C HamanoMay 10, 2024
  80. 00/10 Clarify pseudo-ref terminologyPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  81. 01/10 Documentation/glossary: redefine pseudorefs as special refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  82. 02/10 Documentation/glossary: clarify limitations of pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  83. 03/10 Documentation/glossary: define root refs as refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  84. 04/10 refs: rename `is_pseudoref()` to `is_root_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  85. 05/10 refs: rename `is_special_ref()` to `is_pseudo_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  86. 06/10 refs: do not check ref existence in `is_root_ref()`Patrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  87. Justin ToblerMay 15, 2024
  88. Patrick SteinhardtMay 16, 2024
  89. 07/10 refs: classify HEAD as a root refPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  90. Justin ToblerMay 15, 2024
  91. 08/10 refs: pseudorefs are no refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  92. 09/10 ref-filter: properly distinuish pseudo and root refsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024
  93. 10/10 refs: refuse to write pseudorefsPatrick Steinhardt, May 15, 2024

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