Re: [PATCH 0/3] Add `-p' option to `git-mv', inspired by `mkdir'

From: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date: Oct 10, 2023, 00:59 UTC
Message-ID: <xmqqttqzuwah.fsf@gitster.g>
In-Reply-To: <xmqq1qe3wbt1.fsf@gitster.g>

Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:

Show 8 quoted lines

> Regardless of the "do we require, or is it sifficient to imply, the
> '-p' option when we lack leading directories?" question, once we
> start "auto-creating" the leading directory hierarchy, one worrysome
> thing such a new feature introduces is an ambiguity and unexpected
> behaviour. ...
> Both are plausible, and "mkdir -p" does not have such a nasty
> ambiguity.  That is what makes me unsure about the new feature
> (again, either with required "-p" or with implied "-p").

I checked what POSIX, who does give "-p" to mkdir(1), has with mv(1), and they do not have "-p". Neither GNU, which tends to add such "usability" enhancements on top of what everybody else has.

And I think they are being very sensible. By not adding such an option to "mv", they can sidestep the unnecessary ambiguity, and it isn't too bad to do a "mkdir -p" separately before doing such a "mv" into a (potential) new directory.

So, let's not do this patch.

Thanks.