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Re: [PATCH 1/2] color: downgrade "always" to "auto" only for on-disk configuration

From
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Date
Oct 12, 2017, 06:58 UTC
Message-ID
<xmqqwp40zwc5.fsf@gitster.mtv.corp.google.com>
In-Reply-To
<xmqq1sm828pi.fsf@gitster.mtv.corp.google.com>
Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> writes:
> We need to be able to answer "why does '-c color.ui=always' work
> only from the command line?", but I doubt we want to actively
> encourage the use of it, though, so I dunno.
For today's pushout, I've queued this as [PATCH 3/2]
Thanks..
-- >8 --
From: Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>
Subject: color: document that "git -c color.*=always" is a bit special
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2017 21:47:24 -0700

When used from the command line as an option to "git" potty, 'always' does not get demoted to 'auto', to help third-party scripts that (ab)used it to override the settings the end-user has. Document it.

While at it, clarify description for per-command configuration variables (color.branch, color.grep, color.interactive, color.showBranch and color.status) so that they can more easily share the new text to talk about this special-casing.

Signed-off-by: Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
---
 Documentation/config.txt | 68 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------
 1 file changed, 45 insertions(+), 23 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index ba01b8d3df..f79e82b79a 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -1051,11 +1051,15 @@ clean.requireForce::
 	-i or -n.   Defaults to true.
 
 color.branch::
-	A boolean to enable/disable color in the output of
-	linkgit:git-branch[1]. May be set to `false` (or `never`) to
-	disable color entirely, `auto` (or `true` or `always`) in which
-	case colors are used only when the output is to a terminal.  If
-	unset, then the value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
+	When to use color in the output of linkgit:git-branch[1].
+	May be set to `never` (or `false`) to disable color entirely,
+	or `auto` (or `true`) in which case colors are used only when
+	the output is to a terminal.  If unset, then the value of
+	`color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it is a historical synonym
+for `--color=always`.
 
 color.branch.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for branch coloration. `<slot>` is one of
@@ -1068,10 +1072,13 @@ color.diff::
 	Whether to use ANSI escape sequences to add color to patches.
 	If this is set to `true` or `auto`, linkgit:git-diff[1],
 	linkgit:git-log[1], and linkgit:git-show[1] will use color
-	when output is to the terminal. The value `always` is a
-	historical synonym for `auto`.  If unset, then the value of
+	when output is to the terminal. If unset, then the value of
 	`color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
 +
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it is a historical
+synonym for `--color=always`.
++
 This does not affect linkgit:git-format-patch[1] or the
 'git-diff-{asterisk}' plumbing commands.  Can be overridden on the
 command line with the `--color[=<when>]` option.
@@ -1091,10 +1098,14 @@ color.decorate.<slot>::
 	branches, remote-tracking branches, tags, stash and HEAD, respectively.
 
 color.grep::
-	When set to `always`, always highlight matches.  When `false` (or
+	When to highlight matches using color. When `false` (or
 	`never`), never.  When set to `true` or `auto`, use color only
 	when the output is written to the terminal.  If unset, then the
 	value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it is a historical synonym
+for `--color=always`.
 
 color.grep.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for grep colorization.  `<slot>` specifies which
@@ -1126,9 +1137,11 @@ color.interactive::
 	When set to `true` or `auto`, use colors for interactive prompts
 	and displays (such as those used by "git-add --interactive" and
 	"git-clean --interactive") when the output is to the terminal.
-	When false (or `never`), never show colors. The value `always`
-	is a historical synonym for `auto`.  If unset, then the value of
-	`color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
+	When false (or `never`), never show colors.
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it means to use color
+regardless of whether output is to the terminal.
 
 color.interactive.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for 'git add --interactive' and 'git clean
@@ -1141,18 +1154,24 @@ color.pager::
 	use (default is true).
 
 color.showBranch::
-	A boolean to enable/disable color in the output of
-	linkgit:git-show-branch[1]. May be set to `always`,
-	`false` (or `never`) or `auto` (or `true`), in which case colors are used
-	only when the output is to a terminal. If unset, then the
-	value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
+	When to use color in the output of linkgit:git-show-branch[1].
+	May be set to `never` (or `false`) to disable color or `auto`
+	(or `true`) to use colors only when the output is to a terminal.
+	If unset, the value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it is a historical synonym
+for `--color=always`.
 
 color.status::
-	A boolean to enable/disable color in the output of
-	linkgit:git-status[1]. May be set to `always`,
-	`false` (or `never`) or `auto` (or `true`), in which case colors are used
-	only when the output is to a terminal. If unset, then the
-	value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
+	When to use color in the output of linkgit:git-status[1].
+	May be set to `never` (or `false`) to disable color or `auto`
+	(or `true`) to use colors only when the output is to the terminal.
+	If unset, then the value of `color.ui` is used (`auto` by default).
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto`, except when
+passed on the command line using `-c`, where it means to use color
+regardless of whether output is to the terminal.
 
 color.status.<slot>::
 	Use customized color for status colorization. `<slot>` is
@@ -1177,8 +1196,11 @@ color.ui::
 	color unless enabled explicitly with some other configuration
 	or the `--color` option. Set it to `true` or `auto` to enable
 	color when output is written to the terminal (this is also the
-	default since Git 1.8.4). The value `always` is a historical
-	synonym for `auto` and its use is discouraged.
+	default since Git 1.8.4).
++
+The value `always` is a historical synonym for `auto` (and its use is
+discouraged), except when passed on the command line using `-c`, where
+it means to use color regardless of whether output is to the terminal.
 
 column.ui::
 	Specify whether supported commands should output in columns.

-- 
2.15.0-rc1-154-g0b692121ee
Previous: Junio C HamanoNext: Jeff King
Message 22 of 42 in “What happened to "git status --color=(always|auto|never)"?”
  1. Nazri RamliyOct 9, 2017
  2. Jonathan NiederOct 10, 2017
  3. Nazri RamliyOct 10, 2017
  4. Jonathan NiederOct 10, 2017
  5. Nazri RamliyOct 10, 2017
  6. Jeff KingOct 10, 2017
  7. Junio C HamanoOct 10, 2017
  8. Jeff KingOct 10, 2017
  9. Jonathan NiederOct 10, 2017
  10. Jeff KingOct 10, 2017
  11. Junio C HamanoOct 11, 2017
  12. 0/2 Piling more kludge on top of color.uiJunio C Hamano, Oct 12, 2017
  13. 2/2 color: discourage use of ui.color=alwaysJunio C Hamano, Oct 12, 2017
  14. Jonathan NiederOct 12, 2017
  15. Jeff KingOct 12, 2017
  16. Junio C HamanoOct 13, 2017
  17. 1/2 color: downgrade "always" to "auto" only for on-disk configurationJunio C Hamano, Oct 12, 2017
  18. Jonathan NiederOct 12, 2017
  19. Junio C HamanoOct 12, 2017
  20. Jonathan NiederOct 12, 2017
  21. Junio C HamanoOct 12, 2017
  22. Junio C HamanoOct 12, 2017
  23. Jeff KingOct 12, 2017
  24. Jeff KingOct 12, 2017
  25. Jeff KingOct 12, 2017
  26. Junio C HamanoOct 13, 2017
  27. Jeff KingOct 13, 2017
  28. Junio C HamanoOct 13, 2017
  29. Jeff KingOct 13, 2017
  30. 0/4 peeling back color.ui=always hacksJeff King, Oct 13, 2017
  31. 1/4 Revert "color: make "always" the same as "auto" in config"Jeff King, Oct 13, 2017
  32. 2/4 Revert "t6006: drop "always" color config tests"Jeff King, Oct 13, 2017
  33. 3/4 Revert "color: check color.ui in git_default_config()"Jeff King, Oct 13, 2017
  34. 4/4 tag: respect color.ui configJeff King, Oct 13, 2017
  35. Junio C HamanoOct 14, 2017
  36. Jeff KingOct 16, 2017
  37. Junio C HamanoOct 17, 2017
  38. Junio C HamanoOct 17, 2017
  39. Jeff KingOct 18, 2017
  40. Junio C HamanoOct 18, 2017
  41. Jonathan NiederOct 17, 2017
  42. Jeff KingOct 18, 2017

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