Re: [PATCH 3/4] ls-files: clarify descriptions of status tags for -t

>
> From: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
>
> Much like the file selection options we tweaked in the last commit, the
> status tags printed with -t had descriptions that were easy to
> misunderstand, and for many of the same reasons.  Clarify them.
>
> Also, while at it, remove the "semi-deprecated" comment for "git
> ls-files -t".  The -t option was marked as semi-deprecated in 5bc0e247c4
> ("Document ls-files -t as semi-obsolete.", 2010-07-28) because:
>
>     "git ls-files -t" is [...] badly documented, hence we point the
>     users to superior alternatives.
>     The feature is marked as "semi-obsolete" but not "scheduled for removal"
>     since it's a plumbing command, scripts might use it, and Git testsuite
>     already uses it to test the state of the index.
>
> Marking it as obsolete because it was easily misunderstood, which I
> think was primarily due to documentation problems, is one strategy, but
> I think fixing the documentation is a better option.  Especially since
> in the intervening time, "git ls-files -t" has become heavily used by
> sparse-checkout users where the same confusion just doesn't apply.
>
> Signed-off-by: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/git-ls-files.txt | 28 +++++++++++++++-------------
>  1 file changed, 15 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt b/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
> index f89ab1bfc98..3886d58d178 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git-ls-files.txt
> @@ -137,25 +137,27 @@ OPTIONS
>         with `-s` or `-u` options does not make any sense.
>
>  -t::
> -       This feature is semi-deprecated. For scripting purpose,
> -       linkgit:git-status[1] `--porcelain` and
> +       Show status tags together with filenames.  Note that for
> +       scripting purposes, linkgit:git-status[1] `--porcelain` and
>         linkgit:git-diff-files[1] `--name-status` are almost always
>         superior alternatives, and users should look at
>         linkgit:git-status[1] `--short` or linkgit:git-diff[1]
>         `--name-status` for more user-friendly alternatives.
>  +
>  --
> -This option identifies the file status with the following tags (followed by
> -a space) at the start of each line:
> -
> -       H::     cached
> -       S::     skip-worktree
> -       M::     unmerged
> -       R::     removed/deleted
> -       C::     modified/changed
> -       K::     to be killed
> -       ?::     other
> -       U::     resolve-undo
> +This option provides a reason for showing each filename, in the form
> +of a status tag (which is followed by a space and then the filename).
> +The status tags are all single characters from the following list:
> +
> +       H::     tracked file that is not either unmerged or skip-worktree
> +       S::     tracked file that is skip-worktree
> +       M::     tracked file that is unmerged
> +       R::     tracked file with unstaged removal/deletion
> +       C::     tracked file with unstaged modification/change
> +       K::     untracked paths which are part of file/directory conflicts
> +               which prevent checking out tracked files
> +       ?::     untracked file
> +       U::     file with resolve-undo information
>  --
>