From: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:39:51 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC] graph: implement git-log(1) --untangle
Message-ID: <5f64f9a1-fd1f-4683-b26e-76123b19554a@kdbg.org>
In-Reply-To: <87h5rqqv4y.fsf@iotcl.com>

Am 09.02.26 um 07:38 schrieb Toon Claes:
> ... Display in some way part of the
> history is missing, maybe by showing a '.' in the graph:
> 
>     *
>     |\
>     | *
>     | *
>     | .
>     *
>     |\
>     * *
>     |/
>     *
>     *
> 
> This indicates a piece of the history is truncated. I'm still on the
> fence about this

I like this. The line with the fullstop can then show a hint where the
graph continues, perhaps "(see 123abc456 below)" or something.

>     * main
>     |\
>     * | C
>     | * sync with main
>     | |\
>     | |/
>     |/|
>     * | B
>     | * A
>     |/
>     * initial
> 
> So here there merge-base isn't the first parent, so things get a little
> more complicated. Also when 'B' is ignored as merge-base, the merge-base
> needs to be recalculated to be 'initial'.
> 
> Anyhow, the idea is to show it like this:
> 
>     * main
>     |\
>     * | C
>     | * sync with main
>     * | B
>     | * A
>     * initial

If only the history leading up to 'sync with maint' is shown, it would
look like this:

    * sync with main
    |\
    | * B
    | .
    * A
    * initial

I would expect this sub-graph to occur when the full history is
displayed. IMO it's wrong to treat 'sync with main' differently just
because it is an ancestor of a another merge commit, as you suggested.

But, of course, the truncated connection between 'initial' and B
contradicts what would be expected for the full history (no truncation).
So, I don't know...

-- Hannes