Re: [PATCH] Document `rebase.forkpoint` in rebase man page

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Sep 16, 2021, 22:47 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq4kakrvdc.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <20210916223528.2910292-2-wesley@schwengle.net>

wesley@schwengle.net writes:

Show 5 quoted lines

> From: Wesley Schwengle <wesley@opperschaap.net>
>
> The option exists and the rebase behaviour tricked me into thinking
> there was a bug with git. This will tell people how they can tweak the
> default behavior.

So this still does not explain what rebase behaviour tricked you into thinking so. That leaves the readers of "git log" frustrated, much more than a log message based only on a simple statement of fact, e.g.

    "git config --help" describes rebase.forkpoint as a way to give
    the default value for --[no-]forkpoint option, but "git rebase
    --help" does not mention it.

    Help people who visits the documentation of "rebase" to find the
    variable.

or something like that.

Show 11 quoted lines

> diff --git a/Documentation/git-rebase.txt b/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
> index 506345cb0e..8d2bee3365 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
> @@ -446,7 +446,8 @@ When --fork-point is active, 'fork_point' will be used instead of
>  ends up being empty, the <upstream> will be used as a fallback.
>  +
>  If <upstream> is given on the command line, then the default is
> -`--no-fork-point`, otherwise the default is `--fork-point`.
> +`--no-fork-point`, otherwise the default is `--fork-point`. You can override
> +this default by setting the configuration option `rebase.forkpoint` to false.

It is not wrong per-se, but sounds overly verbose and seems to give only half an advice. You can also set it to 'true' to override the default --no-fork-point given when you give <upstream> on the command line, no? So perhaps only a single line addition (plus downcasing "If" to "if"), i.e.

+   If `rebase.forkpoint` is set, that gives the default.  Otherwise,
    if <upstream is given on the command line, the default is ...

would be a better rewrite?

Thanks.