# [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message 5 messages from 2015-07-04 to 2015-07-11. Participants: Chris Jones, Jeff King, Johannes Schindelin. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/39779 ## Chris Jones, 2015-07-04 23:39 Subject: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message Message-ID: <1436053144.3463091.315316457.1BAF8BA7@webmail.messagingengine.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/1436053144.3463091.315316457.1BAF8BA7%40webmail.messagingengine.com ``` Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single commit is given instead of a range. Currently, when given a command like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?". Instead, what is needed is a range of commits to rewrite. This makes it give an error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of commits". Signed-off-by: Chris W Jones --- git-filter-branch.sh | 2 +- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/git-filter-branch.sh b/git-filter-branch.sh index 5b3f63d..78e7499 100755 --- a/git-filter-branch.sh +++ b/git-filter-branch.sh @@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ git rev-parse --no-flags --revs-only --symbolic-full-name \ sed -e '/^^/d' "$tempdir"/raw-heads >"$tempdir"/heads test -s "$tempdir"/heads || - die "Which ref do you want to rewrite?" + die "You didn't provide a valid range of commits." GIT_INDEX_FILE="$(pwd)/../index" export GIT_INDEX_FILE -- 1.9.3 ``` ## Jeff King, 2015-07-05 13:07 Subject: Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message Message-ID: <20150705130706.GA5435@peff.net> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/20150705130706.GA5435%40peff.net In-Reply-To: <1436053144.3463091.315316457.1BAF8BA7@webmail.messagingengine.com> ``` On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote: > Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single > commit is given instead of a range. Currently, when given a command > like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will > give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?". Instead, what > is needed is a range of commits to rewrite. This makes it give an > error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of > commits". Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your range must be a ref. -Peff ``` ## Johannes Schindelin, 2015-07-05 14:41 Subject: Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/aca69b93d8ab5f3c610d6201ed4334e1%40www.dscho.org In-Reply-To: <20150705130706.GA5435@peff.net> ``` Hi, On 2015-07-05 15:07, Jeff King wrote: > On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote: > >> Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single >> commit is given instead of a range. Currently, when given a command >> like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will >> give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?". Instead, what >> is needed is a range of commits to rewrite. This makes it give an >> error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of >> commits". > > Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think > your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step > further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your > range must be a ref. I agree, and would even further suggest to use the "did not" form instead of the abbreviated "didn't" one. Thanks, Dscho ``` ## Chris Jones, 2015-07-11 02:04 Subject: Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message Message-ID: <1436580240.2553376.320852705.0F1D7187@webmail.messagingengine.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/1436580240.2553376.320852705.0F1D7187%40webmail.messagingengine.com In-Reply-To: ``` How does "You did not provide a valid range of commits. At least one tip in your range must be a ref." sound? -- Chris http://christopherjones.us/ On Sun, Jul 5, 2015, at 10:41 AM, Johannes Schindelin wrote: > Hi, > > On 2015-07-05 15:07, Jeff King wrote: > > On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote: > > > >> Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single > >> commit is given instead of a range. Currently, when given a command > >> like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will > >> give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?". Instead, what > >> is needed is a range of commits to rewrite. This makes it give an > >> error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of > >> commits". > > > > Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think > > your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step > > further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your > > range must be a ref. > > I agree, and would even further suggest to use the "did not" form instead > of the abbreviated "didn't" one. > > Thanks, > Dscho ``` ## Johannes Schindelin, 2015-07-11 08:16 Subject: Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/e753df13e78f23744fce015ca58be47a%40www.dscho.org In-Reply-To: <1436580240.2553376.320852705.0F1D7187@webmail.messagingengine.com> ``` Hi Chris, On 2015-07-11 04:04, Chris Jones wrote: > How does "You did not provide a valid range of commits. > At least one tip in your range must be a ref." sound? Maybe a bit shorter, as well as less accusing (which "You did not...!" may sound): filter-branch requires a valid commit range. Ciao, Dscho ```