Git alias syntax help

From: Σταύρος Ντέντος <stdedos@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 14, 2020, 15:21 UTC
Message-ID: <CAHMHMxWpLAnj3w8DGLMFbfy-A-pBjDxNdMeiM-fyuu-gnZyg+Q@mail.gmail.com>

Hello there,

I am having an issue with git-aliases - specifically, the intricacies involved in their syntax.

In general, the syntax is confusing to me, especially when it is _wise_ to use quotes inside a `!sh` alias. e.g. which one would be the correct one new = "!f() { : git log ; git log \"${1}@{1}..${1}@{0}\" \"$@\" ; } ; f" new = !f() { : git log ; git log "${1}@{1}..${1}@{0}" "$@" ; } ; f

(from converting this:
https://git.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Aliases#What.27s_new.3F)
        new = !sh -c 'git log $1@{1}..$1@{0} "$@"'

The alias confusing me is more specifically this: https://git.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Aliases#simple_diff_ignoring_line_number_changes

diffsort = !sh -c 'git diff "$@" | grep "^[+-]" | sort --key=1.2 | uniq -u -s1'

The output of: $ colordiff -su <(git diffsort HEAD^..HEAD) <(git diffsort HEAD^^..HEAD^) Files /dev/fd/63 and /dev/fd/62 are identical is a little unexpected, since I know for a fact that one of the referced commits is not a code block moved.

(and indeed, if I do it myself:
$ colordiff -su <(git diff HEAD^..HEAD | grep "^[+-]" | sort --key=1.2
| uniq -u -s1) <(git diff HEAD^^..HEAD^ | grep "^[+-]" | sort
--key=1.2 | uniq -u -s1)
--- /dev/fd/63 2020-01-14 17:17:45.103771745 +0200
+++ /dev/fd/62 2020-01-14 17:17:45.103771745 +0200

@@ -1,2 +1,13 @@
[....]

it works.

The issue I have found is: $@ is not expanded

Tested with:

diffsort = !sh -c 'echo "+git diff $@" | grep "^[+-]" | sort --key=1.2
| uniq -u -s1'
$ git diffsort HEAD^..HEAD
+git diff

I would appreciate if someone would clear out the air for me.
I think I have done my homework enough, and it is not trivially
obvious what is the correct thing to do.

I'll gladly take pointers though

Ντέντος Σταύρος