Re: git log fails to show all changes for a file

From: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org>
Date: Jul 15, 2015, 18:11 UTC
Message-ID: <CA+55aFw=PJtc7jXLUx+tJhAeVO3vpQjsd+oYW+OwCU20_Qft-w@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqy4ihwbdr.fsf@gitster.dls.corp.google.com>

On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 10:58 AM, Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> wrote:

Show 5 quoted lines

>
>  * When '-p' is given, we show only diff with first-parent by
>    default, regardless of the traversal (i.e. --first-parent option
>    currently controls both traversal and patch display, but in the
>    new world order, it reverts back to purely a traversal option).

So this is a suggested change to "-p -m" behavior?

Yes, that sounds sane. The current "-p -m" behavior is not useful at all.

So if I understand rightly, we'd have:

 "-p" would be what is currently  "-p --cc"
 "-p -m" would be what is currently "-p --first-parent"
 "-p --no-show-merge-diffs" would be what is currently "-p"

and the rationale would be that

 (a) the current "-p" is hiding things, and while you can add "--cc",
that requires that you really understand what is being hidden, which
is a bad default (the complaint that started this discussion)

 (b) the current "-p -m" is useless crazy stuff, and you'd rather use
it for something that you actually find very common and useful

If so, I agree entirely.

              Linus