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Re: [PATCH v2 3/3] parseopt: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)

From
PWPhillip Wood <phillip.wood123@gmail.com>
Date
Sep 30, 2025, 15:26 UTC
Message-ID
<e8755a04-bd44-4ead-ba44-c603bffcc75e@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To
<5f7057c236c9af3152bd531eed2e4ad0ac35e291.1759094936.git.ben.knoble+github@gmail.com>
Hi Ben
On 28/09/2025 22:29, D. Ben Knoble wrote:
Show 8 quoted lines
> From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
> 
> In the previous step, we introduced an optional filename that can be
> given to a configuration variable, and nullify the fact that such a
> configuration setting even existed if the named path is missing or
> empty.
> 
> Let's do the same for command line options that name a pathname.
Sounds sensible
> +Magic filename options

I assume we're calling these "magic" to match to pathspec "magic" options? I wonder if that is a good idea but I don't have a better suggestion.

Show 6 quoted lines
> +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> +Options that take a filename allow a prefix `:(optional)`. For example:
> +
> +----------------------------
> +git commit -F :(optional)COMMIT_EDITMSG
> +# if COMMIT_EDITMSG does not exist, equivalent to
This doesn't quite scan for me, maybe s/, /, it is/ ?
> +git commit
> +----------------------------
> +
> +Like with configuration values, if the named file is missing Git behaves as if
I'd drop "with" here
> +the option was not given at all. See "Values" in linkgit:git-config[1].
> +
Show 9 quoted lines
> @@ -209,21 +208,31 @@ static enum parse_opt_result do_get_value(struct parse_opt_ctx_t *p,
>   	case OPTION_FILENAME:
>   	{
>   		const char *value;
> -
> -		FREE_AND_NULL(*(char **)opt->value);
> -
> -		err = 0;
> +		int is_optional;
This can be a bool as in the last patch.
Show 7 quoted lines
>   		if (unset)
>   			value = NULL;
>   		else if (opt->flags & PARSE_OPT_OPTARG && !p->opt)
> -			value = (const char *) opt->defval;
> -		else
> -			err = get_arg(p, opt, flags, &value);
> +			value = (char *)opt->defval;

I'm not sure why we're changing the cast here (or why we need one in the first place assuming opt->defval is "void*")

Show 14 quoted lines
> +		else {
> +			int err = get_arg(p, opt, flags, &value);
> +			if (err)
> +				return err;
> +		}
> +		if (!value)
> +			return 0;
>   
> -		if (!err)
> -			*(char **)opt->value = fix_filename(p->prefix, value);
> -		return err;
> +		is_optional = skip_prefix(value, ":(optional)", &value);
> +		if (!value)
> +			is_optional = 0;

I'm struggling to see how value can be NULL here as we return early if it NULL before calling skip_prefix()

> +		value = fix_filename(p->prefix, value);
> +		if (is_optional && is_empty_or_missing_file(value)) {
> +			free((char *)value);

I think we want to call is_missing_file() here. If the file is missing then we do nothing which matches the documentation above - Good.

> +		} else {
> +			FREE_AND_NULL(*(char **)opt->value);
> +			*(const char **)opt->value = value;

If the file isn't optional or it is optional and exists then we behave as before - Good.

Thanks
Phillip
Show 26 quoted lines
> +		}
> +		return 0;
>   	}
>   	case OPTION_CALLBACK:
>   	{
> diff --git a/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh b/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
> index 366f7f23b3..c065f12baf 100755
> --- a/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
> +++ b/t/t7500-commit-template-squash-signoff.sh
> @@ -37,6 +37,16 @@ commit_msg_is ()
>   	)
>   '
>   
> +test_expect_success 'nonexistent optional template file on command line' '
> +	echo changes >> foo &&
> +	git add foo &&
> +	(
> +		GIT_EDITOR="echo hello >\"\$1\"" &&
> +		export GIT_EDITOR &&
> +		git commit --template ":(optional)$PWD/notexist"
> +	)
> +'
> +
>   test_expect_success 'nonexistent template file in config should return error' '
>   	test_config commit.template "$PWD"/notexist &&
>   	(
Previous: D. Ben KnobleNext: D. Ben Knoble
Message 31 of 47 in “blame: Skip missing ignore-revs file”
  1. 0/1 blame: Skip missing ignore-revs fileNoah Pendleton, Aug 7, 2021
  2. Junio C HamanoAug 7, 2021
  3. Noah PendletonAug 7, 2021
  4. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2021
  5. Junio C HamanoAug 8, 2021
  6. Noah PendletonAug 8, 2021
  7. Junio C HamanoAug 9, 2021
  8. 0/3 specifying a file that can optionally existJunio C Hamano, Oct 14, 2024
  9. 1/3 t7500: make each piece more independentJunio C Hamano, Oct 14, 2024
  10. 2/3 config: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)Junio C Hamano, Oct 14, 2024
  11. 3/3 parseopt: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)Junio C Hamano, Oct 14, 2024
  12. 0/3 specifying a file that can optionally existJunio C Hamano, May 1, 2025
  13. 1/3 t7500: make each piece more independentJunio C Hamano, May 1, 2025
  14. 2/3 config: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)Junio C Hamano, May 1, 2025
  15. Patrick SteinhardtMay 2, 2025
  16. Phillip WoodMay 2, 2025
  17. Junio C HamanoMay 2, 2025
  18. 3/3 parseopt: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)Junio C Hamano, May 1, 2025
  19. 0/3 Support :(optional) filepathsD. Ben Knoble, Sep 28, 2025
  20. 1/3 t7500: make each piece more independentD. Ben Knoble, Sep 28, 2025
  21. 2/3 config: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)D. Ben Knoble, Sep 28, 2025
  22. Phillip WoodSep 30, 2025
  23. Junio C HamanoOct 6, 2025
  24. Junio C HamanoOct 6, 2025
  25. Junio C HamanoOct 6, 2025
  26. Junio C HamanoOct 6, 2025
  27. Kristoffer HaugsbakkOct 7, 2025
  28. Junio C HamanoOct 7, 2025
  29. D. Ben KnobleNov 2, 2025
  30. 3/3 parseopt: values of pathname type can be prefixed with :(optional)D. Ben Knoble, Sep 28, 2025
  31. Phillip WoodSep 30, 2025
  32. D. Ben KnobleNov 2, 2025
  33. Eric SunshineNov 3, 2025
  34. D. Ben KnobleNov 4, 2025
  35. Junio C HamanoSep 28, 2025
  36. Ben KnobleSep 29, 2025
  37. t7500: fix tests with absolute path following ":(optional)" on WindowsJohannes Sixt, Oct 20, 2025
  38. Ben KnobleOct 20, 2025
  39. Johannes SixtOct 20, 2025
  40. Junio C HamanoOct 20, 2025
  41. D. Ben KnobleOct 20, 2025
  42. D. Ben KnobleOct 20, 2025
  43. Eric SunshineOct 20, 2025
  44. Junio C HamanoOct 20, 2025
  45. Johannes SixtOct 20, 2025
  46. Thranur AndulMar 4, 2022
  47. blame: add config `blame.ignoreRevsFileIsOptional`Noah Pendleton, Aug 8, 2021

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