From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2018 02:28:09 GMT
Subject: Re: [PATCH] wildmatch: change behavior of "foo**bar" in WM_PATHNAME mode
Message-ID: <xmqqin1l8p1i.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <CACsJy8BoWmWaVpXnSL8Stm_2XDnKfXSaj2i0UwZg7aEgYF9i4w@mail.gmail.com>

Duy Nguyen <pclouds@gmail.com> writes:

>> 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.