Re: [PATCH 1/3] test-tool: add pack-deltas helper

> Hi Patrick,
> 
> On Fri, 25 Apr 2025, Patrick Steinhardt wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, Apr 23, 2025 at 05:40:02PM +0000, Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget wrote:
> > > diff --git a/t/helper/test-pack-deltas.c b/t/helper/test-pack-deltas.c
> > > new file mode 100644
> > > index 00000000000..db7d1c3cd1f
> > > --- /dev/null
> > > +++ b/t/helper/test-pack-deltas.c
> > > @@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
> > [snip]
> > > +int cmd__pack_deltas(int argc, const char **argv)
> > > +{
> > > +	int N;
> > > +	struct hashfile *f;
> > > +	struct strbuf line = STRBUF_INIT;
> > > +
> > > +	if (argc != 2) {
> > > +		usage(usage_str);
> > > +		return -1;
> > > +	}
> > > +
> > > +	N = atoi(argv[1]);
> > 
> > Is there a reason why we don't use `parse_options()` here? It might make
> > this tool easier to use and extend going forward, and we wouldn't have
> > to care about invalid arguments. Right now, we silently accept a
> > non-integer argument and do the wrong thing.
> 
> I think that `parse_options()` would be overkill here because:
> 
> - This is a _mandatory_ argument, not an optional one.
> 
> - The required data type is `uint32_t`, and `parse_options()` has no
>   support for that.

> But you do have a good point in that we may want to validate the data type
> (even if technically, this is not a user-facing program, it's a test
> helper that is used under tight control by Git's own test suite).
> 
> Consequently, I would suggest this fixup instead: