Re: [PATCH 1/5] Turn unpack_trees_options.msgs into an array + enum

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Aug 9, 2010, 19:47 UTC
Message-ID: <7vwrrz4lgi.fsf@alter.siamese.dyndns.org>
In-Reply-To: <1281363602-27856-2-git-send-email-Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr>

Matthieu Moy <Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr> writes:

> The list of error messages was introduced as a structure, but an array
> indexed over an enum is more flexible, since it allows one to store a
> type of error message (index in the array) in a variable.

Hmm, the only example of the advantage "enum used as array index" offers that I can think of off the top of my head is that you can more easily iterate over it.

> This change needs to rename would_lose_untracked ->
> would_lose_untracked_file to avoid a clash with the function
> would_lose_untracked in merge-recursive.c.

Yes, that shows one upside of "field names in a structure" has over "enum used as array index". We get a unique namespace.

If you are to change them to enum, I would actually suggest renaming them a bit more to make them stand out. Perhaps spell them all in caps, perhaps have them share the same short prefix (UTEM_ - unpack trees error messages), etc.

Having said all that, I am not against the main idea of this patch.