threads / patch / 20256

v2, 3 partsAdd support for external programs for handling native fetches

Subject: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

## tl;dr

6 messages between Jul 28, 2009 and Jul 29, 2009. Diffs are folded; open one to read it.

replies: 5people: 3as markdown or json

Daniel Barkalow· Jul 28, 2009, 06:08 UTC · lore

transport_get() can call transport_shim_init() to have list and fetch-ref operations handled by running a separate program as:

 git shim-<something> <remote> [<url>]

This program then accepts, on its stdin, "list" and "fetch <hex> <name>" commands; the former prints out a list of available refs and either their hashes or what they are symrefs to, while the latter fetches them into the local object database and prints a newline when done.

Signed-off-by: Daniel Barkalow <barkalow@iabervon.org>
---
This version uses the more traditional ordering for listing refs and fixes 
a memory leak.
 Documentation/git-shim.txt |   37 +++++++++++
 Makefile                   |    1 +
 transport-shim.c           |  142 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 transport.h                |    3 +
 4 files changed, 183 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/git-shim.txt
 create mode 100644 transport-shim.c
Show changes to 4 files +183 −0

Documentation/git-shim.txt, Makefile, transport-shim.c, transport.h

diff --git a/Documentation/git-shim.txt b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dd80c6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+git-shim(1)
+============
+
+NAME
+----
+git-shim - Helper programs for interoperation with remote git
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+'git shim-<transport>' <remote>
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+
+These programs are normally not used directly by end users, but are
+invoked by various git programs that interact with remote repositories
+when the repository they would operate on will be accessed using
+transport code not linked into the main git binary.
+
+COMMANDS
+--------
+
+Commands are given by the caller on the helper's standard input, one per line.
+
+'list'::
+	Lists the refs, one per line, if the format "<value>
+	<name>". The value is either a hex sha1 hash or "@<dest>" for
+	symrefs. After the complete list, outputs a blank line.
+
+'fetch' ref::
+	Fetches the given ref, writing the necessary objects to the
+	database. Outputs a blank line when the fetch is complete.
++
+If a fatal error occurs, the program writes the error message to
+stderr and exits. The caller should expect that a suitable error
+message has been printed if the child closes the connection without
+completing a valid response for the current command.
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index bde27ed..01efc73 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -549,6 +549,7 @@ LIB_OBJS += symlinks.o
 LIB_OBJS += tag.o
 LIB_OBJS += trace.o
 LIB_OBJS += transport.o
+LIB_OBJS += transport-shim.o
 LIB_OBJS += tree-diff.o
 LIB_OBJS += tree.o
 LIB_OBJS += tree-walk.o
diff --git a/transport-shim.c b/transport-shim.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2518aba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/transport-shim.c
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+#include "cache.h"
+#include "transport.h"
+
+#include "run-command.h"
+#include "commit.h"
+#include "diff.h"
+#include "revision.h"
+
+struct shim_data
+{
+	const char *name;
+	struct child_process *shim;
+};
+
+static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
+{
+	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
+	if (!data->shim) {
+		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+		struct child_process *shim = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*shim));
+		shim->in = -1;
+		shim->out = -1;
+		shim->err = 0;
+		shim->argv = xcalloc(4, sizeof(*shim->argv));
+		strbuf_addf(&buf, "shim-%s", data->name);
+		shim->argv[0] = buf.buf;
+		shim->argv[1] = transport->remote->name;
+		shim->argv[2] = transport->url;
+		shim->git_cmd = 1;
+		start_command(shim);
+		data->shim = shim;
+	}
+	return data->shim;
+}
+
+static int disconnect_shim(struct transport *transport)
+{
+	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
+	if (data->shim) {
+		write(data->shim->in, "\n", 1);
+		close(data->shim->in);
+		finish_command(data->shim);
+		free(data->shim->argv);
+		free(data->shim);
+		transport->data = NULL;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int fetch_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport,
+			       int nr_heads, const struct ref **to_fetch)
+{
+	struct child_process *shim;
+	const struct ref *posn;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int i, count;
+	FILE *file;
+
+	count = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
+		posn = to_fetch[i];
+		if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
+			continue;
+		count++;
+	}
+
+	if (count) {
+		shim = get_shim(transport);
+		for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
+			posn = to_fetch[i];
+			if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
+				continue;
+			write(shim->in, "fetch ", 6);
+			write(shim->in, sha1_to_hex(posn->old_sha1), 40);
+			write(shim->in, " ", 1);
+			write(shim->in, posn->name, strlen(posn->name));
+			write(shim->in, "\n", 1);
+		}
+		file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
+		while (count) {
+			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
+				exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
+
+			count--;
+		}
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static struct ref *get_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport, int for_push)
+{
+	struct child_process *shim;
+	struct ref *ret = NULL;
+	struct ref **end = &ret;
+	struct ref *posn;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	FILE *file;
+
+	shim = get_shim(transport);
+	write(shim->in, "list\n", 5);
+
+	file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
+	while (1) {
+		char *eov;
+		if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
+			exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
+
+		if (!*buf.buf)
+			break;
+
+		eov = strchr(buf.buf, ' ');
+		if (!eov)
+			die("Malformed response in ref list: %s", buf.buf);
+		*eov = '\0';
+		*end = alloc_ref(eov + 1);
+		if (eov) {
+			if (buf.buf[0] == '@')
+				(*end)->symref = xstrdup(buf.buf + 1);
+			else
+				get_sha1_hex(buf.buf, (*end)->old_sha1);
+		}
+		end = &((*end)->next);
+		strbuf_reset(&buf);
+	}
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+
+	for (posn = ret; posn; posn = posn->next)
+		resolve_remote_symref(posn, ret);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+void transport_shim_init(struct transport *transport, const char *name)
+{
+	struct shim_data *data = xmalloc(sizeof(*data));
+	data->shim = NULL;
+	data->name = name;
+	transport->data = data;
+	transport->get_refs_list = get_refs_via_shim;
+	transport->fetch = fetch_refs_via_shim;
+	transport->disconnect = disconnect_shim;
+}
diff --git a/transport.h b/transport.h
index 51b5397..01f650d 100644
--- a/transport.h
+++ b/transport.h
@@ -77,4 +77,7 @@ void transport_unlock_pack(struct transport *transport);
 int transport_disconnect(struct transport *transport);
 char *transport_anonymize_url(const char *url);
 
+/* Transport methods defined outside transport.c */
+void transport_shim_init(struct transport *transport, const char *name);
+
 #endif
-- 
1.6.4.rc2.13.ga9762.dirty
Bert Wesarg· Jul 28, 2009, 08:07 UTC · re: Daniel Barkalow · lore

Re: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 08:08, Daniel Barkalow<barkalow@iabervon.org> wrote:
Show 29 quoted lines
> +static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
> +{
> +       struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> +       if (!data->shim) {
> +               struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> +               struct child_process *shim = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*shim));
> +               shim->in = -1;
> +               shim->out = -1;
> +               shim->err = 0;
> +               shim->argv = xcalloc(4, sizeof(*shim->argv));
> +               strbuf_addf(&buf, "shim-%s", data->name);
> +               shim->argv[0] = buf.buf;
> +               shim->argv[1] = transport->remote->name;
> +               shim->argv[2] = transport->url;
> +               shim->git_cmd = 1;
> +               start_command(shim);
> +               data->shim = shim;
> +       }
> +       return data->shim;
> +}
> +
> +static int disconnect_shim(struct transport *transport)
> +{
> +       struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> +       if (data->shim) {
> +               write(data->shim->in, "\n", 1);
> +               close(data->shim->in);
> +               finish_command(data->shim);
> +               free(data->shim->argv);
Does this leak data->shim->argv[0] (Ie "shim-%s")?
Bert
Show 5 quoted lines
> +               free(data->shim);
> +               transport->data = NULL;
> +       }
> +       return 0;
> +}
Daniel Barkalow· Jul 28, 2009, 15:25 UTC · re: Bert Wesarg · lore

Re: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Bert Wesarg wrote:
Show 31 quoted lines
> On Tue, Jul 28, 2009 at 08:08, Daniel Barkalow<barkalow@iabervon.org> wrote:
> > +static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
> > +{
> > +       struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> > +       if (!data->shim) {
> > +               struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> > +               struct child_process *shim = xcalloc(1, sizeof(*shim));
> > +               shim->in = -1;
> > +               shim->out = -1;
> > +               shim->err = 0;
> > +               shim->argv = xcalloc(4, sizeof(*shim->argv));
> > +               strbuf_addf(&buf, "shim-%s", data->name);
> > +               shim->argv[0] = buf.buf;
> > +               shim->argv[1] = transport->remote->name;
> > +               shim->argv[2] = transport->url;
> > +               shim->git_cmd = 1;
> > +               start_command(shim);
> > +               data->shim = shim;
> > +       }
> > +       return data->shim;
> > +}
> > +
> > +static int disconnect_shim(struct transport *transport)
> > +{
> > +       struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> > +       if (data->shim) {
> > +               write(data->shim->in, "\n", 1);
> > +               close(data->shim->in);
> > +               finish_command(data->shim);
> > +               free(data->shim->argv);
> Does this leak data->shim->argv[0] (Ie "shim-%s")?

Yes, I guess it would. I think it's time to look up how to run tests with valgrind...

Thanks.
	-Daniel
*This .sig left intentionally blank*
Johannes Schindelin· Jul 28, 2009, 13:04 UTC · re: Daniel Barkalow · lore

Re: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

Hi,
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Daniel Barkalow wrote:
> transport_get() can call transport_shim_init() to have list and
> fetch-ref operations handled by running a separate program as:

As I commented already, "shim" is a meaningless word in the context of Git. At _least_ call it something like "git-remote-<protocol>". Even "git-fetch-<protocol>" would be better than "shim".

Show 12 quoted lines
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-shim.txt b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..dd80c6d
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
> +git-shim(1)
> +============
> +
> +NAME
> +----
> +git-shim - Helper programs for interoperation with remote git

Actually, this is just one helper program, no? Why can't it be integrated into transport.c?

At the very least, the text so far is misleading.
Show 14 quoted lines
> +COMMANDS
> +--------
> +
> +Commands are given by the caller on the helper's standard input, one per line.
> +
> +'list'::
> +	Lists the refs, one per line, if the format "<value>
> +	<name>". The value is either a hex sha1 hash or "@<dest>" for
> +	symrefs. After the complete list, outputs a blank line.
> +
> +'fetch' ref::
> +	Fetches the given ref, writing the necessary objects to the
> +	database. Outputs a blank line when the fetch is complete.
> ++

So you allow only 'list' and 'fetch'. That is very limiting, and you do not even foresee a method to ask for the helper's capabilities. We already saw how much pain that caused in the transport protocol, so please do not repeat the mistake here.

Show 24 quoted lines
> diff --git a/transport-shim.c b/transport-shim.c
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..2518aba
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/transport-shim.c
> @@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
> +#include "cache.h"
> +#include "transport.h"
> +
> +#include "run-command.h"
> +#include "commit.h"
> +#include "diff.h"
> +#include "revision.h"
> +
> +struct shim_data
> +{
> +	const char *name;
> +	struct child_process *shim;
> +};
> +
> +static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
> +{
> +	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> +	if (!data->shim) {

Why can't the caller check for this? Would this not make much more sense to begin with?

Show 13 quoted lines
> +static int disconnect_shim(struct transport *transport)
> +{
> +	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> +	if (data->shim) {
> +		write(data->shim->in, "\n", 1);
> +		close(data->shim->in);
> +		finish_command(data->shim);
> +		free(data->shim->argv);
> +		free(data->shim);
> +		transport->data = NULL;
> +	}
> +	return 0;
> +}
Why is this function returning anything?
> +static int fetch_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport,
> +			       int nr_heads, const struct ref **to_fetch)

Do you fetch only the refs, or also their objects? If the latter, the name needs to be adjusted.

Show 14 quoted lines
> +{
> +	struct child_process *shim;
> +	const struct ref *posn;
> +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> +	int i, count;
> +	FILE *file;
> +
> +	count = 0;
> +	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> +		posn = to_fetch[i];
> +		if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> +			continue;
> +		count++;
> +	}
This would be more readable IMO if it read like this:
	for (count = i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++)
		if (!(to_fetch[i]->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE))
			count++;
> +	if (count) {
> +		shim = get_shim(transport);

It would be much better to say "if (!count) return 0;" here rather than indenting a whole block of code, with no code after that.

Show 16 quoted lines
> +		for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> +			posn = to_fetch[i];
> +			if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> +				continue;
> +			write(shim->in, "fetch ", 6);
> +			write(shim->in, sha1_to_hex(posn->old_sha1), 40);
> +			write(shim->in, " ", 1);
> +			write(shim->in, posn->name, strlen(posn->name));
> +			write(shim->in, "\n", 1);
> +		}
> +		file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
> +		while (count) {
> +			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> +				exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> +
> +			count--;
while (count--)
Show 10 quoted lines
> +		}
> +	}
> +	return 0;
> +}
> +
> +static struct ref *get_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport, int for_push)
> +{
> +	struct child_process *shim;
> +	struct ref *ret = NULL;
> +	struct ref **end = &ret;

A better name for this is "tail", as is used at least in many parts of the Git source code already.

Show 6 quoted lines
> +	struct ref *posn;
> +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> +	FILE *file;
> +
> +	shim = get_shim(transport);
> +	write(shim->in, "list\n", 5);

What about the return value of this write()? It can indicate error or short write.

> +
> +	file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
No check for file != NULL?
Show 14 quoted lines
> +	while (1) {
> +		char *eov;
> +		if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> +			exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> +
> +		if (!*buf.buf)
> +			break;
> +
> +		eov = strchr(buf.buf, ' ');
> +		if (!eov)
> +			die("Malformed response in ref list: %s", buf.buf);
> +		*eov = '\0';
> +		*end = alloc_ref(eov + 1);
> +		if (eov) {
Did we not die 4 lines earlier if eov == NULL?
> +			if (buf.buf[0] == '@')
> +				(*end)->symref = xstrdup(buf.buf + 1);
> +			else
> +				get_sha1_hex(buf.buf, (*end)->old_sha1);

IMHO it is not at all clear what you are doing here. At least a little hint is in order if the code does not explain itself.

Show 11 quoted lines
> +		}
> +		end = &((*end)->next);
> +		strbuf_reset(&buf);
> +	}
> +	strbuf_release(&buf);
> +
> +	for (posn = ret; posn; posn = posn->next)
> +		resolve_remote_symref(posn, ret);
> +
> +	return ret;
> +}

Ciao, Dscho

Daniel Barkalow· Jul 28, 2009, 17:38 UTC · re: Johannes Schindelin · lore

Re: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Johannes Schindelin wrote:
Show 10 quoted lines
> Hi,
> 
> On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Daniel Barkalow wrote:
> 
> > transport_get() can call transport_shim_init() to have list and
> > fetch-ref operations handled by running a separate program as:
> 
> As I commented already, "shim" is a meaningless word in the context of 
> Git.  At _least_ call it something like "git-remote-<protocol>".  Even 
> "git-fetch-<protocol>" would be better than "shim".

I think git-remote-<protocol> is a good name; I'm not particularly tied to "shim", although I think this should be able to support push as well as fetch (that is, instead of http-push being a separate program that transport.c knows how to run, have that be handled by transport-side code that could support pushing with arbitrary protocols, and have the pushing code built into the curl handler). I do think that I want to form the command names differently depending on whether this is a helper that transports git objects to a remote git repository using a protocol that the helper is for, or a helper that interacts with a non-git remote repository where the helper is particular to the foreign scm.

Show 15 quoted lines
> > diff --git a/Documentation/git-shim.txt b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> > new file mode 100644
> > index 0000000..dd80c6d
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> > @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
> > +git-shim(1)
> > +============
> > +
> > +NAME
> > +----
> > +git-shim - Helper programs for interoperation with remote git
> 
> Actually, this is just one helper program, no?  Why can't it be integrated 
> into transport.c?

No, this defines a pattern of helper programs, all of which should behave as documented by the same man page, so that the same code can run any of them.

Show 19 quoted lines
> > +COMMANDS
> > +--------
> > +
> > +Commands are given by the caller on the helper's standard input, one per line.
> > +
> > +'list'::
> > +	Lists the refs, one per line, if the format "<value>
> > +	<name>". The value is either a hex sha1 hash or "@<dest>" for
> > +	symrefs. After the complete list, outputs a blank line.
> > +
> > +'fetch' ref::
> > +	Fetches the given ref, writing the necessary objects to the
> > +	database. Outputs a blank line when the fetch is complete.
> > ++
> 
> So you allow only 'list' and 'fetch'.  That is very limiting, and you do 
> not even foresee a method to ask for the helper's capabilities.  We 
> already saw how much pain that caused in the transport protocol, so please 
> do not repeat the mistake here.

I'll put the "capabilities" command back in; I dropped it from this subset of the foreign vcs helper protocol because there's not much variation possible when the remote repository must be a git repository.

Show 27 quoted lines
> > diff --git a/transport-shim.c b/transport-shim.c
> > new file mode 100644
> > index 0000000..2518aba
> > --- /dev/null
> > +++ b/transport-shim.c
> > @@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
> > +#include "cache.h"
> > +#include "transport.h"
> > +
> > +#include "run-command.h"
> > +#include "commit.h"
> > +#include "diff.h"
> > +#include "revision.h"
> > +
> > +struct shim_data
> > +{
> > +	const char *name;
> > +	struct child_process *shim;
> > +};
> > +
> > +static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
> > +{
> > +	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> > +	if (!data->shim) {
> 
> Why can't the caller check for this?  Would this not make much more sense 
> to begin with?

Depending on the order that the user of transport.c calls commands, the helper may or may not already be running (and it may or may not have been closed by the previous command, in the future extension of also handling importers which produce a fast-import stream). The caller could check for the connection already being constructed, but all callers would have to add the same check.

Show 15 quoted lines
> > +static int disconnect_shim(struct transport *transport)
> > +{
> > +	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> > +	if (data->shim) {
> > +		write(data->shim->in, "\n", 1);
> > +		close(data->shim->in);
> > +		finish_command(data->shim);
> > +		free(data->shim->argv);
> > +		free(data->shim);
> > +		transport->data = NULL;
> > +	}
> > +	return 0;
> > +}
> 
> Why is this function returning anything?

Good point; we can't really fail to disconnect, and we've already determined that things haven't screwed up. It's left over from the pattern used by some of the native protocol code, where it may determine that the operation didn't work after all when the "I'm done" packet fails to produce the "goodbye" response.

Show 5 quoted lines
> > +static int fetch_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport,
> > +			       int nr_heads, const struct ref **to_fetch)
> 
> Do you fetch only the refs, or also their objects?  If the latter, the 
> name needs to be adjusted.

This is inherited from the transport.h naming, which made sense years ago (when it contrasted fetching objects by name of ref versus fetching objects by hash); it is fetching objects as specified by struct refs.

Show 20 quoted lines
> > +{
> > +	struct child_process *shim;
> > +	const struct ref *posn;
> > +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> > +	int i, count;
> > +	FILE *file;
> > +
> > +	count = 0;
> > +	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> > +		posn = to_fetch[i];
> > +		if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> > +			continue;
> > +		count++;
> > +	}
> 
> This would be more readable IMO if it read like this:
> 
> 	for (count = i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++)
> 		if (!(to_fetch[i]->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE))
> 			count++;

I think it's more readable to match the flow control of the later loop. This is a dry run of the main loop, counting the number of times we don't skip the important part. I think your version is a more readable way of counting the number of not-up-to-date items, but it's not nearly so readable a way of calculating how many times we'll reach the interesting part of the loop further down.

Show 5 quoted lines
> > +	if (count) {
> > +		shim = get_shim(transport);
> 
> It would be much better to say "if (!count) return 0;" here rather than 
> indenting a whole block of code, with no code after that.
True.
Show 18 quoted lines
> > +		for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> > +			posn = to_fetch[i];
> > +			if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> > +				continue;
> > +			write(shim->in, "fetch ", 6);
> > +			write(shim->in, sha1_to_hex(posn->old_sha1), 40);
> > +			write(shim->in, " ", 1);
> > +			write(shim->in, posn->name, strlen(posn->name));
> > +			write(shim->in, "\n", 1);
> > +		}
> > +		file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
> > +		while (count) {
> > +			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> > +				exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> > +
> > +			count--;
> 
> while (count--)

I don't like decrement operators used with values, except for the common string idioms. But I like:

	for (; count; count--)
		if ...
Show 13 quoted lines
> > +		}
> > +	}
> > +	return 0;
> > +}
> > +
> > +static struct ref *get_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport, int for_push)
> > +{
> > +	struct child_process *shim;
> > +	struct ref *ret = NULL;
> > +	struct ref **end = &ret;
> 
> A better name for this is "tail", as is used at least in many parts of the 
> Git source code already.
True.
Show 9 quoted lines
> > +	struct ref *posn;
> > +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> > +	FILE *file;
> > +
> > +	shim = get_shim(transport);
> > +	write(shim->in, "list\n", 5);
> 
> What about the return value of this write()?  It can indicate error or 
> short write.

Yeah, I should use write_in_full(), although we know at this point that shim->in is a pipe which has been drained entirely.

> > +
> > +	file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
> 
> No check for file != NULL?
I don't think this can fail, if setting up the child process didn't fail.
Show 16 quoted lines
> > +	while (1) {
> > +		char *eov;
> > +		if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> > +			exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> > +
> > +		if (!*buf.buf)
> > +			break;
> > +
> > +		eov = strchr(buf.buf, ' ');
> > +		if (!eov)
> > +			die("Malformed response in ref list: %s", buf.buf);
> > +		*eov = '\0';
> > +		*end = alloc_ref(eov + 1);
> > +		if (eov) {
> 
> Did we not die 4 lines earlier if eov == NULL?

Yeah, I confused myself while paring down the vcs output parsing code. I think I actually want to future-proof this code to allow the helper to add space-separated flags after the name, and I don't want this test.

Show 7 quoted lines
> > +			if (buf.buf[0] == '@')
> > +				(*end)->symref = xstrdup(buf.buf + 1);
> > +			else
> > +				get_sha1_hex(buf.buf, (*end)->old_sha1);
> 
> IMHO it is not at all clear what you are doing here.  At least a little 
> hint is in order if the code does not explain itself.

It's parsing the output of the "list" command, as given in the documentation. Item starting with a '@' is a symref, otherwise it is a sha1.

Show 16 quoted lines
> > +		}
> > +		end = &((*end)->next);
> > +		strbuf_reset(&buf);
> > +	}
> > +	strbuf_release(&buf);
> > +
> > +	for (posn = ret; posn; posn = posn->next)
> > +		resolve_remote_symref(posn, ret);
> > +
> > +	return ret;
> > +}
> 
> Ciao,
> Dscho
> 
> 
Johannes Schindelin· Jul 29, 2009, 22:02 UTC · re: Daniel Barkalow · lore

Re: [PATCH 1/3 v2] Add support for external programs for handling native fetches

Hi,
On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Daniel Barkalow wrote:
Show 12 quoted lines
> On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Johannes Schindelin wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, 28 Jul 2009, Daniel Barkalow wrote:
> > 
> > > transport_get() can call transport_shim_init() to have list and
> > > fetch-ref operations handled by running a separate program as:
> > 
> > As I commented already, "shim" is a meaningless word in the context of 
> > Git.  At _least_ call it something like "git-remote-<protocol>".  Even 
> > "git-fetch-<protocol>" would be better than "shim".
> 
> I think git-remote-<protocol> is a good name;
Good.
> I think this should be able to support push as well as fetch
So you agree that it should be extensible.  Also good.
Show 5 quoted lines
> I do think that I want to form the command names differently depending 
> on whether this is a helper that transports git objects to a remote git 
> repository using a protocol that the helper is for, or a helper that 
> interacts with a non-git remote repository where the helper is 
> particular to the foreign scm.

I think that is a rather bad decision: you should not _need_ to care on the transport.c side. If the helper handles fetching and/or pushing: fine. How it accomplishes that: don't care.

Show 19 quoted lines
> > > diff --git a/Documentation/git-shim.txt b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> > > new file mode 100644
> > > index 0000000..dd80c6d
> > > --- /dev/null
> > > +++ b/Documentation/git-shim.txt
> > > @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
> > > +git-shim(1)
> > > +============
> > > +
> > > +NAME
> > > +----
> > > +git-shim - Helper programs for interoperation with remote git
> > 
> > Actually, this is just one helper program, no?  Why can't it be integrated 
> > into transport.c?
> 
> No, this defines a pattern of helper programs, all of which should 
> behave as documented by the same man page, so that the same code can run 
> any of them.
See?  That description _is_ misleading.
Show 23 quoted lines
> > > +COMMANDS
> > > +--------
> > > +
> > > +Commands are given by the caller on the helper's standard input, one per line.
> > > +
> > > +'list'::
> > > +	Lists the refs, one per line, if the format "<value>
> > > +	<name>". The value is either a hex sha1 hash or "@<dest>" for
> > > +	symrefs. After the complete list, outputs a blank line.
> > > +
> > > +'fetch' ref::
> > > +	Fetches the given ref, writing the necessary objects to the
> > > +	database. Outputs a blank line when the fetch is complete.
> > > ++
> > 
> > So you allow only 'list' and 'fetch'.  That is very limiting, and you do 
> > not even foresee a method to ask for the helper's capabilities.  We 
> > already saw how much pain that caused in the transport protocol, so please 
> > do not repeat the mistake here.
> 
> I'll put the "capabilities" command back in; I dropped it from this 
> subset of the foreign vcs helper protocol because there's not much 
> variation possible when the remote repository must be a git repository.
Just because you do not foresee it now does not mean that it won't happen.

As I hinted at: it is rather likely that you do not foresee what kind of capability negotiation we'll want in the future.

Let's learn from history.
Show 34 quoted lines
> > > diff --git a/transport-shim.c b/transport-shim.c
> > > new file mode 100644
> > > index 0000000..2518aba
> > > --- /dev/null
> > > +++ b/transport-shim.c
> > > @@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
> > > +#include "cache.h"
> > > +#include "transport.h"
> > > +
> > > +#include "run-command.h"
> > > +#include "commit.h"
> > > +#include "diff.h"
> > > +#include "revision.h"
> > > +
> > > +struct shim_data
> > > +{
> > > +	const char *name;
> > > +	struct child_process *shim;
> > > +};
> > > +
> > > +static struct child_process *get_shim(struct transport *transport)
> > > +{
> > > +	struct shim_data *data = transport->data;
> > > +	if (!data->shim) {
> > 
> > Why can't the caller check for this?  Would this not make much more sense 
> > to begin with?
> 
> Depending on the order that the user of transport.c calls commands, the 
> helper may or may not already be running (and it may or may not have been 
> closed by the previous command, in the future extension of also handling 
> importers which produce a fast-import stream). The caller could check for 
> the connection already being constructed, but all callers would have to 
> add the same check.

Fair enough. That large deeply indented part that makes up the most part of the function is very ugly, though.

Show 9 quoted lines
> > > +static int fetch_refs_via_shim(struct transport *transport,
> > > +			       int nr_heads, const struct ref **to_fetch)
> > 
> > Do you fetch only the refs, or also their objects?  If the latter, the 
> > name needs to be adjusted.
> 
> This is inherited from the transport.h naming, which made sense years ago 
> (when it contrasted fetching objects by name of ref versus fetching 
> objects by hash); it is fetching objects as specified by struct refs.

It is actually not inherited from the naming, as the member you assign this function to does not contain the string "refs".

Show 22 quoted lines
> > > +{
> > > +	struct child_process *shim;
> > > +	const struct ref *posn;
> > > +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> > > +	int i, count;
> > > +	FILE *file;
> > > +
> > > +	count = 0;
> > > +	for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> > > +		posn = to_fetch[i];
> > > +		if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> > > +			continue;
> > > +		count++;
> > > +	}
> > 
> > This would be more readable IMO if it read like this:
> > 
> > 	for (count = i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++)
> > 		if (!(to_fetch[i]->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE))
> > 			count++;
> 
> I think it's more readable to match the flow control of the later loop. 
Yeah, right.  It was so readable that I bothered to comment.
 
Show 24 quoted lines
> > > +		for (i = 0; i < nr_heads; i++) {
> > > +			posn = to_fetch[i];
> > > +			if (posn->status & REF_STATUS_UPTODATE)
> > > +				continue;
> > > +			write(shim->in, "fetch ", 6);
> > > +			write(shim->in, sha1_to_hex(posn->old_sha1), 40);
> > > +			write(shim->in, " ", 1);
> > > +			write(shim->in, posn->name, strlen(posn->name));
> > > +			write(shim->in, "\n", 1);
> > > +		}
> > > +		file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
> > > +		while (count) {
> > > +			if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> > > +				exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> > > +
> > > +			count--;
> > 
> > while (count--)
> 
> I don't like decrement operators used with values, except for the common 
> string idioms. But I like:
> 
> 	for (; count; count--)
> 		if ...

Which is even more ugly than your current version. Just my personal taste, of course. Oh, and maybe also a little disagreement with the rest of Git's source.

Show 12 quoted lines
> > > +	struct ref *posn;
> > > +	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
> > > +	FILE *file;
> > > +
> > > +	shim = get_shim(transport);
> > > +	write(shim->in, "list\n", 5);
> > 
> > What about the return value of this write()?  It can indicate error or 
> > short write.
> 
> Yeah, I should use write_in_full(), although we know at this point that 
> shim->in is a pipe which has been drained entirely.
I am not at all sure that you can guarantee that at this point.
Show 5 quoted lines
> > > +	file = fdopen(shim->out, "r");
> > 
> > No check for file != NULL?
> 
> I don't think this can fail, if setting up the child process didn't fail.

Until somebody reports a segmentation fault because her operating system ran out of file descriptors.

In any case, I would rather be safe than sorry. It is not a good habit to get into, calling functions that can return NULL and not checking them (even if you try to be super-clever).

Show 20 quoted lines
> > > +	while (1) {
> > > +		char *eov;
> > > +		if (strbuf_getline(&buf, file, '\n') == EOF)
> > > +			exit(128); /* child died, message supplied already */
> > > +
> > > +		if (!*buf.buf)
> > > +			break;
> > > +
> > > +		eov = strchr(buf.buf, ' ');
> > > +		if (!eov)
> > > +			die("Malformed response in ref list: %s", buf.buf);
> > > +		*eov = '\0';
> > > +		*end = alloc_ref(eov + 1);
> > > +		if (eov) {
> > 
> > Did we not die 4 lines earlier if eov == NULL?
> 
> Yeah, I confused myself while paring down the vcs output parsing code. I 
> think I actually want to future-proof this code to allow the helper to 
> add space-separated flags after the name, and I don't want this test.

Yeah, why not making it hard on the reviewer for the slight possibility that some change will go in in the future, in the exact form you envisaged it now?

Show 11 quoted lines
> > > +			if (buf.buf[0] == '@')
> > > +				(*end)->symref = xstrdup(buf.buf + 1);
> > > +			else
> > > +				get_sha1_hex(buf.buf, (*end)->old_sha1);
> > 
> > IMHO it is not at all clear what you are doing here.  At least a little 
> > hint is in order if the code does not explain itself.
> 
> It's parsing the output of the "list" command, as given in the 
> documentation. Item starting with a '@' is a symref, otherwise it is a 
> sha1.
That's nice.

It would be even nicer if there was a comment in the patch so that future puzzled readers do not know that they have to search the mailing list to understand this code.

Ciao, Dscho

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