Re: [PATCH] wildmatch: change behavior of "foo**bar" in WM_PATHNAME mode

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Oct 29, 2018, 02:28 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqin1l8p1i.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <CACsJy8BoWmWaVpXnSL8Stm_2XDnKfXSaj2i0UwZg7aEgYF9i4w@mail.gmail.com>

Duy Nguyen <pclouds@gmail.com> writes:

Show 8 quoted lines

>> Nice analyzes.
>> I have one question here:
>> If the user specifies '**' and nothing is found,
>> would it be better to die() with a useful message
>> instead of silently correcting it ?
>
> Consider the main use case of wildmatch, .gitignore patterns, dying
> would be really bad because it can affect a lot of commands....

If the user gives 'foo*' and nothing is found, we may say "no match" and some codepaths that uses wildmatch API may die. And in such place, when the user gives '**' and nothing is found, we should do the same in the same codepath. In either case, the implementation of wildmatch API is not the place to call a die(), I think.

And yes, treating an unanchored "**" as if there is just a "*" followed by another '*" makes good sense.

Thanks, both.