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Re: [PATCH] Improve error message: not a valid branch name

From
Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net>
Date
Aug 26, 2007, 22:09 UTC
Message-ID
<ejhqeynj.fsf@cante.net>
In-Reply-To
<7vd4xang1n.fsf@gitster.siamese.dyndns.org>
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:
Show 7 quoted lines
> Jari Aalto <jari.aalto@cante.net> writes:
>
>> (create_branch): Extend die message from 'is not a valid branch name'
>> to '...(see git-check-ref-format)'.
>
> I think you meant to say "see git-check-ref-format(1)" as you
> meant the manual page.
Yes.
Show 20 quoted lines
> I am a bit torn on this.  git-check-ref-format.1 is where we
> currently _happen_ to describe what valid refnames should look
> like, but it could be argued that it is a bug in the manual.
>
> Two possible improvements that are mutually incompatible would
> be:
>
>  - refactor that part of the manual to be included in the pages
>    for any and all commands that can take refname from the user;
>    this is inpractical as almost all command would be affected.
>
>  - move that to more central place, say git(7), and everybody
>    refer to that page;
>
> I'd personally prefer the latter, as "naming things" is such a
> central thing for the use of the system (this applies to the
> description of "SHA-1 expression" that we curently have in
> git-rev-parse(1) as well) and it is better for users to have
> understanding of such fundamental syntaxes and concepts before
> even using any individual commands.
Wholeheartedly concur.
Should I re-submit the patch to refer to git(7) instead?
Jari
Previous: Junio C HamanoNext: J. Bruce Fields
Message 3 of 4 in “Improve error message: not a valid branch name”
  1. Improve error message: not a valid branch nameJari Aalto, Aug 26, 2007
  2. Junio C HamanoAug 26, 2007
  3. Jari AaltoAug 26, 2007
  4. J. Bruce FieldsAug 26, 2007

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