Re: [PATCH v3] log -G: ignore binary files

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Dec 26, 2018, 23:24 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqlg49mmus.fsf@gitster-ct.c.googlers.com>
In-Reply-To: <f7cb34c6268f556772fa4ee374e2541ba518e2b8.1544811828.git.thomas.braun@virtuell-zuhause.de>

Thomas Braun <thomas.braun@virtuell-zuhause.de> writes:

Show 11 quoted lines

> - The internally used algorithm for generating patch text is based on
>   xdiff and its states in [1]
>
>   > The output format of the binary patch file is proprietary
>   > (and binary) and it is basically a collection of copy and insert
>   > commands [..]
>
>   which means that the current format could change once the internal
>   algorithm is changed as the format is not standardized. In addition
>   the git binary patch format used for preparing patches for git apply
>   is *different* from the xdiff format as can be seen by comparing

This particular argument sounds like a red herring. After all, when the --text option is given

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>
>   git log -p -a
>
>     commit 6e95bf4bafccf14650d02ab57f3affe669be10cf
>     Author: A U Thor <author@example.com>
>     Date:   Thu Apr 7 15:14:13 2005 -0700
>
>         modify binary file
>
>     diff --git a/data.bin b/data.bin
>     index f414c84..edfeb6f 100644
>     --- a/data.bin
>     +++ b/data.bin
>     @@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
>      a
>      a^@a
>     +a
>     +a^@a

we will see 'a' in the output no matter how xdiff internally works; there is no way to express the above change textually without showing "+a" somewhere in the patch output.

The rest of the log message looks good, and ...

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> Changes since v2:
>  - Introduce a setup step for the new tests 
>  - Really start with a clean history in the tests
>  - Added more complex commit history for the tests
>  - Use test_when_finished for cleanup instead of doing nothing
>  - Enhanced commit message to motivate the change better
>  - Added some more documentation

... the tests are certainly a lot easier to follow.

Thanks.