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Re: [PATCH RFC v2 1/4] common-main: split common_exit() into a new file

From
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date
May 18, 2023, 17:17 UTC
Message-ID
<xmqqcz2xtv83.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To
<20230517-unit-tests-v2-v2-1-21b5b60f4b32@google.com>
steadmon@google.com writes:
> It is convenient to have common_exit() in its own object file so that
> standalone programs may link to it (and any other object files that
> depend on it) while still having their own independent main() function.

I am not so sure if this is a good direction to go in, though. The common_exit() function does two things that are very specific to and dependent on what Git runtime has supposed to have done, like initializing trace2 subsystem and linking with usage.c to make bug_called_must_BUG exist.

I understand that a third-party or standalone non-Git programs may want to do _more_ than what our main() does when starting up, but it should be doable if make our main() call out to a hook function, whose definition in Git is a no-op, that can be replaced by their own implementation to do whatever they want to happen in main(), no?

The reason why I am not comfortable with this patch is because I cannot say why this split is better than other possible split. For example, we could instead split only our 'main' out to a separate file, say "main.c", and put main.o together with common-main.o to libgit.a to be found by the linker, and that arrangement will also help your "standalone programs" having their own main() function. Now with these two possible ways to split (and there may be other split that may be even more convenient; I simply do not know), which one is better, and what's the argument for each approach?

Show 9 quoted lines
> So let's move it to a new common-exit.c file and update the Makefile
> accordingly.
>
> Change-Id: I41b90059eb9031f40c9f65374b4b047e7ba3aac0
> ---
>  Makefile      |  1 +
>  common-exit.c | 26 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  common-main.c | 24 ------------------------
>  3 files changed, 27 insertions(+), 24 deletions(-)
Previous: steadmon@google.comNext: Josh Steadmon
Message 3 of 32 in “Add an external testing library for unit tests”
  1. 0/4 Add an external testing library for unit testssteadmon@google.com, May 17, 2023
  2. 1/4 common-main: split common_exit() into a new filesteadmon@google.com, May 17, 2023
  3. Junio C HamanoMay 18, 2023
  4. Splitting common-main (Was: Re: [PATCH RFC v2 1/4] common-main: split common_exit() into a new file)Josh Steadmon, Jul 14, 2023
  5. Junio C HamanoJul 15, 2023
  6. Jeff HostetlerAug 14, 2023
  7. 2/4 unit tests: Add a project plan documentsteadmon@google.com, May 17, 2023
  8. Phillip WoodMay 18, 2023
  9. Glen ChooMay 18, 2023
  10. Josh SteadmonMay 24, 2023
  11. Phillip WoodJun 1, 2023
  12. 3/4 Add C TAP harnesssteadmon@google.com, May 17, 2023
  13. Phillip WoodMay 18, 2023
  14. Josh SteadmonMay 18, 2023
  15. 4/4 unit test: add basic example and build rulessteadmon@google.com, May 17, 2023
  16. Phillip WoodMay 18, 2023
  17. 0/1 Add a project document for adding unit testsJosh Steadmon, Jun 9, 2023
  18. 1/1 unit tests: Add a project plan documentJosh Steadmon, Jun 9, 2023
  19. Junio C HamanoJun 13, 2023
  20. Josh SteadmonJun 30, 2023
  21. Linus ArverJun 29, 2023
  22. Josh SteadmonJun 29, 2023
  23. Linus ArverJun 30, 2023
  24. Glen ChooJul 6, 2023
  25. Junio C HamanoJul 6, 2023
  26. Glen ChooJul 6, 2023
  27. Josh SteadmonJun 30, 2023
  28. Junio C HamanoJun 29, 2023
  29. Linus ArverJun 30, 2023
  30. Phillip WoodJun 30, 2023
  31. K WanJun 30, 2023
  32. Josh SteadmonJun 30, 2023

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