# Empty name in fast-import stream.

1 messages from 2012-10-30 to 2012-10-30. Participants: Alexander Usov.
Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/31974

## Alexander Usov, 2012-10-30 00:16

Subject: Empty name in fast-import stream.
Message-ID: <CAH_EFyZc3gjOVDKKeVAFuU_KMtf9utr=jEaiRfjujtkTZAGoAA@mail.gmail.com>
URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAH_EFyZc3gjOVDKKeVAFuU_KMtf9utr%3DjEaiRfjujtkTZAGoAA%40mail.gmail.com

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Hi,

I'm working now on converting large repo to git, and stumbled upon a
case where fast-import from old git creates incorrect commit objects.
The case is following: when exporting the commit where the only thing
I know about committer is email, fast-import spec dictates following
format:

committer <foo@bar.com> 123456789 +100

with just 1 space between committer and opening brace. Apparently
git-fast-import in 1.7.1 would produce a commit object with just 1
space in there too. And git-fsck in newer versions of git would
complain about this commit object.

The workaround I found is to emit 2 spaces between committer and
opening bracket. Such stream is accepted by both 1.7.1 and 1.8 and
they both produce correct commit objects.

I'm wondering if it is worth changing git-fast-import manual page to
have following rule for committer (and author):

('author' SP <name>? SP LT <email> GT SP <when> LF)?
'committer' SP <name>? SP LT <email> GT SP <when> LF

This format results in the fast-import streams which are correctly
handled by both old and newer git versions.

-- 
Best regards,
  Alexander.

```