Re: [RFC] usage_msg_opt() and _optf() must die

From: Justin Tobler <jltobler@gmail.com>
Date: Aug 6, 2024, 19:09 UTC
Message-ID: <ttxuw2agwpbl3fc3wwo52mmetaa23ihxxfajnffcz3rudsjzai@3hxqx4okstpj>
In-Reply-To: <xmqqmslptw3u.fsf_-_@gitster.g>

On 24/08/06 10:11AM, Junio C Hamano wrote:

Show 13 quoted lines

> Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:
> 
> > Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks.im> writes:
> >
> >> I always have to wonder how helpful it really is to print the usage
> >> information in such a context. I feel that it is too distracting because
> >> in many cases, we end up printing dozens of lines of options that drown
> >> out the single line of information that the user actually cares for,
> >> namely why the command has failed.
> 
> Yes.  I do not think I found it useful to give the single-line
> message, blank line, followed by the full usage text even a single
> time myself.

I tend to also agree. The printed usage information is rather noisy and makes it more challenging to find the information that is actually relevant. I would be in favor of supressing the usage information altogether.

If we did want to provide some sort of breadcrumb for users, maybe we could print a one-liner explaining how to fetch detailed usage information for a command if desired? Overall it would still be a lot less noisy.

-Justin