threads / discuss / 3882

Support "git cmd --help" syntax

Subject: Support "git cmd --help" syntax

## tl;dr

5 messages between Apr 15, 2006 and Apr 19, 2006.

replies: 4people: 3as markdown or json

Linus Torvalds· Apr 15, 2006, 18:13 UTC · lore

The "--help" argument is special, in that it is (along with "--version") in that is taken by the "git" program itself rather than the sub-command, and thus we've had the syntax "git --help cmd".

However, as anybody who has ever used CVS or some similar devil-spawn program, it's confusing as h*ll when options before the sub-command act differently from options after the sub-command, so this quick hack just makes it acceptable to do "git cmd --help" instead, and get the exact same result.

It may be hacky, but it's simple and does the trick.

Of course, this does not help if you use one of the non-builtin commands without using the "git" helper. Ie you won't be getting a man-page just because you do "git-rev-list --help". Don't expect us to be quite _that_ helpful.

Signed-off-by: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>
---

diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
index 78ed403..13c6d51 100644
--- a/git.c
+++ b/git.c
@@ -411,6 +411,12 @@ static void handle_internal_command(int 
 	};
 	int i;
 
+	/* Turn "git cmd --help" into "git help cmd" */
+	if (argc > 1 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--help")) {
+		argv[1] = argv[0];
+		argv[0] = cmd = "help";
+	}
+
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(commands); i++) {
 		struct cmd_struct *p = commands+i;
 		if (strcmp(p->cmd, cmd))

Junio C Hamano· Apr 15, 2006, 20:54 UTC · re: Linus Torvalds · lore

Re: Support "git cmd --help" syntax

Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> writes:

Show 7 quoted lines

> However, as anybody who has ever used CVS or some similar devil-spawn 
> program, it's confusing as h*ll when options before the sub-command act 
> differently from options after the sub-command, so this quick hack just 
> makes it acceptable to do "git cmd --help" instead, and get the exact same 
> result.
>
> It may be hacky, but it's simple and does the trick.

Tried "git commit --help" with and without the patch?

I am not sure if we want to "help" migrants from CVS or some similar program by shooting ourselves in the foot.

Linus Torvalds· Apr 15, 2006, 21:07 UTC · re: Junio C Hamano · lore

Re: Support "git cmd --help" syntax

On Sat, 15 Apr 2006, Junio C Hamano wrote:

> 
> Tried "git commit --help" with and without the patch?

I get a usage message without the patch.

With the patch, I get the man-page.

IOW, I don't see your point.

I'd have expected that to be an improvement. You can always get the usage message with "git commit --huh?", so it's not like you've lost anything.

Now, if you have _not_ done

	make prefix=/usr/share install-doc

or similar, then yes, you get something less than helpful (along the lines of "No manual entry for git-commit"), and I agree that we could/should improve on that somehow.

			Linus

Junio C Hamano· Apr 16, 2006, 01:24 UTC · re: Linus Torvalds · lore

Re: Support "git cmd --help" syntax

Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> writes:

> I'd have expected that to be an improvement. You can always get the usage 
> message with "git commit --huh?", so it's not like you've lost anything.

Fair enough.  I'd say I am convinced now.

Jakub Narebski· Apr 19, 2006, 21:40 UTC · re: Linus Torvalds · lore

Re: Support "git cmd --help" syntax

Linus Torvalds wrote:

> [...] You can always get the usage
> message with "git commit --huh?", so it's not like you've lost anything.

Or "git commit --usage".

-- 
Jakub Narebski
Warsaw, Poland