Re: [PATCH] diff-files: treat "i-t-a" files as "not-in-index"

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Jun 11, 2020, 20:27 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq4krhjql1.fsf@gitster.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <20200611161640.52156-1-shrinidhi.kaushik@gmail.com>

Srinidhi Kaushik <shrinidhi.kaushik@gmail.com> writes:

Show 12 quoted lines

> The `diff-files' command and related commands which call `cmd_diff_files()',
> consider the "intent-to-add" files as a part of the index when comparing the
> work-tree against it. This was previously addressed in [1] and [2] by turning
> the option `--ita-invisible-in-index' (introduced in [3]) on by default.
>
> For `diff-files' (and `add -p' as a consequence) to show the i-t-a files as
> as new, `ita_invisible_in_index' will be enabled by default here as well.
>
> [1] 0231ae71d3 (diff: turn --ita-invisible-in-index on by default, 2018-05-26)
> [2] 425a28e0a4 (diff-lib: allow ita entries treated as "not yet exist in
>                 index", 2016-10-24)
> [3] b42b451919 (diff: add --ita-[in]visible-in-index, 2016-10-24)

Is there any place where we still run the internal diff machinery to compare the index and the working tree without setting the ita_invisible_in_index bit on with this patch applied, and if so, why? Does the justification why that other place needs to leave the bit off apply to this codepath as well?

What I am trying to get at is if this is helping only one usecase for "diff-files" while breaking other usecases.

On the other hand, if there is no longer anybody who wants ita_invisible_in_index off, perhaps we can get rid of the bit and lose many conditionals.