Re: [PATCH] t4202 (log): add failing test for log with subtree

From: Ramkumar Ramachandra <artagnon@gmail.com>
Date: Apr 22, 2013, 17:29 UTC
Message-ID: <CALkWK0k0LbAnkhAAqdeAvBnCig_HO+bT+WiQuQQ3Fgc=FzFtRw@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <CALkWK0n5gaz3A7kHT6+5z3YkYdpgU5p6Pv4heMbLzikTbROwkA@mail.gmail.com>

Ramkumar Ramachandra wrote:

> And if you're still not convinced, run 'git log HEAD^2 -- README.md'
> from the toplevel directory.  You'll get the log of README.md from the
> subproject.

On IRC, Thomas explained to me that mixing in changes from various branches into the pathspec will break this so-called determinism. To try it out for yourself, do:

    $ cd /tmp
    $ git clone gh:trast/subtree-mainline-example
    $ cd subtree-mainline-example
    $ git log HEAD^2 -- sub # only lists the side changes
    $ git log -- dir/sub # only lists the mainline changes

What we should really expect is a mix of the two.