Re: [PATCH] diff: Make numstat machine friendly also for renames (and copies)

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Dec 10, 2007, 23:00 UTC
Message-ID: <7vir36jgty.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org>
In-Reply-To: <200712102332.53114.jnareb@gmail.com>

Jakub Narebski <jnareb@gmail.com> writes:

> "git diff --numstat" used the same format as "git diff --stat" for
> renamed (and copied) files, except that filenames were not shortened
> when they didn't fit in the column width.  This format is suitable for
> human consumption, but it cannot be unambiguously parsed.

Agreed about the (un)parsability, and --numstat is all about parsability so I would not object. A fix is really needed there.

I do not have time to look at the patch right now, but if the changed output is in line with what --name-status would show, that would be great. I'd call that "the format that should have been from day one".

I.e. no '=>' rename marker, but show two names c-quoted (unless -z is used) and separated with inter_name_termination). IIRC, that is how rename/copy is shown with --name-status.