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[GSoC PATCH v5 1/6] pack-write: add explanation to promisor file content

From
LorenzoPegorari <lorenzo.pegorari2002@gmail.com>
Date
Apr 10, 2026, 22:54 UTC
Message-ID
<b4990fcdf0759dc8f0e95b497daee54e08b09e0d.1775861047.git.lorenzo.pegorari2002@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<cover.1775861047.git.lorenzo.pegorari2002@gmail.com>

In the entire codebase there is no explanation as to why the ".promisor" files may contain the ref names (and their associated hashes) that were fetched at the time the corresponding packfile was downloaded.

As explained in the log message of commit 5374a290 (fetch-pack: write fetched refs to .promisor, 2019-10-14), where this loop originally came from, these ref names (and associated hashes) are not used for anything in the production, but are solely there to help debugging.

Explain this in a new comment.
Signed-off-by: LorenzoPegorari <lorenzo.pegorari2002@gmail.com>
---
 pack-write.c | 9 +++++++++
 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+)
diff --git a/pack-write.c b/pack-write.c
index 83eaf88541..b8ab9510ff 100644
--- a/pack-write.c
+++ b/pack-write.c
@@ -603,6 +603,15 @@ void write_promisor_file(const char *promisor_name, struct ref **sought, int nr_
 	int i, err;
 	FILE *output = xfopen(promisor_name, "w");
 
+	/*
+	 * Write in the .promisor file the ref names and associated hashes,
+	 * obtained by fetch-pack, at the point of generation of the
+	 * corresponding packfile. These pieces of info are only used to make
+	 * it easier to debug issues with partial clones, as we can identify
+	 * what refs (and their associated hashes) were fetched at the time
+	 * the packfile was downloaded, and if necessary, compare those hashes
+	 * against what the promisor remote reports now.
+	 */
 	for (i = 0; i < nr_sought; i++)
 		fprintf(output, "%s %s\n", oid_to_hex(&sought[i]->old_oid),
 			sought[i]->name);
-- 
2.53.0.584.ge8720aaf12
Previous: LorenzoPegorariNext: LorenzoPegorari
Message 54 of 79 in “preserve promisor files content after repack”
  1. 0/3 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 21, 2026
  2. 1/3 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Mar 21, 2026
  3. 2/3 pack-write: add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 21, 2026
  4. Eric SunshineMar 22, 2026
  5. Lorenzo PegorariMar 22, 2026
  6. 3/3 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 21, 2026
  7. 0/4 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 22, 2026
  8. 1/4 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Mar 22, 2026
  9. Junio C HamanoMar 23, 2026
  10. Lorenzo PegorariMar 25, 2026
  11. 2/4 pack-write: add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 22, 2026
  12. Eric SunshineMar 23, 2026
  13. Lorenzo PegorariMar 26, 2026
  14. Junio C HamanoMar 23, 2026
  15. Lorenzo PegorariMar 26, 2026
  16. 3/4 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 22, 2026
  17. Junio C HamanoMar 23, 2026
  18. Lorenzo PegorariMar 26, 2026
  19. 4/4 t7700: test for promisor file content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Mar 22, 2026
  20. 0/5 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  21. 1/5 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  22. 2/5 pack-write: add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  23. Tian YuchenApr 6, 2026
  24. Lorenzo PegorariApr 6, 2026
  25. Junio C HamanoApr 6, 2026
  26. Lorenzo PegorariApr 7, 2026
  27. Junio C HamanoApr 7, 2026
  28. Lorenzo PegorariApr 7, 2026
  29. Junio C HamanoApr 7, 2026
  30. Junio C HamanoApr 6, 2026
  31. Lorenzo PegorariApr 7, 2026
  32. 3/5 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  33. 4/5 t7700: test for promisor file content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  34. Junio C HamanoApr 6, 2026
  35. Lorenzo PegorariApr 7, 2026
  36. Junio C HamanoApr 7, 2026
  37. Lorenzo PegorariApr 7, 2026
  38. Lorenzo PegorariApr 8, 2026
  39. 5/5 t7703: test for promisor file content after geometric repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 6, 2026
  40. 0/5 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  41. 1/5 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  42. 2/5 pack-write: add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  43. Junio C HamanoApr 10, 2026
  44. Lorenzo PegorariApr 10, 2026
  45. CodingGuidelines: st_mtimespec vs st_mtim vs st_mtimeJunio C Hamano, Apr 10, 2026
  46. Elijah NewrenApr 16, 2026
  47. Junio C HamanoApr 17, 2026
  48. 3/5 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  49. 4/5 t7700: test for promisor file content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  50. 5/5 t7703: test for promisor file content after geometric repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  51. Junio C HamanoApr 10, 2026
  52. Lorenzo PegorariApr 10, 2026
  53. 0/6 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  54. 1/6 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  55. 2/6 repack-promisor add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  56. Junio C HamanoApr 10, 2026
  57. Lorenzo PegorariApr 11, 2026
  58. Junio C HamanoApr 12, 2026
  59. Lorenzo PegorariApr 17, 2026
  60. 3/6 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  61. Tian YuchenApr 11, 2026
  62. Lorenzo PegorariApr 17, 2026
  63. 4/6 t7700: test for promisor file content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  64. 5/6 t7703: test for promisor file content after geometric repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  65. Tian YuchenApr 11, 2026
  66. Lorenzo PegorariApr 17, 2026
  67. 6/6 repack-promisor: add missing headersLorenzoPegorari, Apr 10, 2026
  68. 0/6 preserve promisor files content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  69. 1/6 pack-write: add explanation to promisor file contentLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  70. 2/6 repack-promisor add helper to fill promisor file after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  71. 3/6 repack-promisor: preserve content of promisor files after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  72. 4/6 t7700: test for promisor file content after repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  73. 5/6 t7703: test for promisor file content after geometric repackLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  74. 6/6 repack-promisor: add missing headersLorenzoPegorari, Apr 18, 2026
  75. Junio C HamanoMay 12, 2026
  76. Lorenzo PegorariMay 19, 2026
  77. Junio C HamanoApr 10, 2026
  78. Junio C HamanoApr 11, 2026
  79. Lorenzo PegorariApr 11, 2026

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