Re: [PATCH v3] git: update documentation for --git-dir

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Jan 28, 2020, 19:22 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqq7e1b8jyq.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <pull.537.v3.git.1580185440512.gitgitgadget@gmail.com>

"Heba Waly via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:

Show 10 quoted lines

>  --git-dir=<path>::
> -	Set the path to the repository. This can also be controlled by
> -	setting the `GIT_DIR` environment variable. It can be an absolute
> -	path or relative path to current working directory.
> +	Set the path to the repository (".git" directory). This can also be
> +	controlled by setting the `GIT_DIR` environment variable. It can be
> +	an absolute path or relative path to current working directory.
> ++
> +Specifying the location of the ".git" directory using this
> +option (or GIT_DIR environment variable) turns off the

Consistently quote, like `GIT_DIR`, here?

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> +repository discovery that tries to find a directory with
> +".git" subdirectory (which is how the repository and the
> +top-level of the working tree are discovered), and tells Git
> +that you are at the top level of the working tree.  If you
> +are not at the top-level directory of the working tree, you
> +should tell Git where the top-level of the working tree is,
> +with the --work-tree=<path> option (or GIT_WORK_TREE

Likewise. We may probably want to say `--work-tree=<path>` inside a bq pair, and definitely `GIT_WORK_TREE` inside a bq pair.

> +environment variable)
> ++
> +If you just want to run git as if it was started in <path> then use
> +git -C.

This is the best part of this patch, I would think. But you said <path> in the "if" part of this "if--then", so (unless your Git magically can read users' minds some magic), I'd expect to see the same <path> to appear somewhere in the "then" part.

	If you just want to run git as if it was started in `<path>`
	then use `git -C <path>`.

perhaps?