patchgit: add -N as a short option for --no-pager

> In modern setups, less, the pager, uses alternate screen to show
> the content. When it is closed, it switches back to the original
> screen, and all content is gone.
>
> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> available. Provide a short option, -N, to make the option easier
> accessible.
>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
> ---

> diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
> index 4767860e72..17b50b0dc6 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git.txt
> @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>  [verse]
>  'git' [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
>      [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
> -    [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
> +    [-p|--paginate|-N|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
>      [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
>      [--super-prefix=<path>]
>      <command> [<args>]
> @@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ foo.bar= ...`) sets `foo.bar` to the empty string which `git config
>  	configuration options (see the "Configuration Mechanism" section
>  	below).
>  
> +-N::
>  --no-pager::
>  	Do not pipe Git output into a pager.

> Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org> writes:
> 
> > In modern setups, less, the pager, uses alternate screen to show
> > the content. When it is closed, it switches back to the original
> > screen, and all content is gone.
> >
> > It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> > the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> > it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> > available. Provide a short option, -N, to make the option easier
> > accessible.
> >
> > Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
> > ---
> 
> Heh, I used to append "|cat", which is four keystrokes that is a bit
> shorter than " --no-pager", but that is only acceptable when you do
> not care about colored output ;-)
> 
> I am not absolutely certain about the choice of a single letter. I
> already checked we do not use "git -N cmd" for anything else right
> now, so I am certain about the availability, but I am not sure if
> capital 'N' is the best choice, when the other side is lowercase 'p'
> (and more importantly, the other side 'p' has mneomonic value for
> 'pagination', but 'N' merely stands for 'no' and could be negating
> anything, not related to pagination). But I agree that a short-hand
> would be welcome.
> 

> > diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
> > index 4767860e72..17b50b0dc6 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/git.txt
> > +++ b/Documentation/git.txt
> > @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
> >  [verse]
> >  'git' [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
> >      [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
> > -    [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
> > +    [-p|--paginate|-N|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
> >      [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
> >      [--super-prefix=<path>]
> >      <command> [<args>]
> > @@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ foo.bar= ...`) sets `foo.bar` to the empty string which `git config
> >  	configuration options (see the "Configuration Mechanism" section
> >  	below).
> >  
> > +-N::
> >  --no-pager::
> >  	Do not pipe Git output into a pager.

> Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org> writes:
>> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
>> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
>> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
>> available. Provide a short option, -N, to make the option easier
>> accessible.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
>> ---
> 
> Heh, I used to append "|cat", which is four keystrokes that is a bit
> shorter than " --no-pager", but that is only acceptable when you do
> not care about colored output ;-)
> 
> I am not absolutely certain about the choice of a single letter. I
> already checked we do not use "git -N cmd" for anything else right
> now, so I am certain about the availability, but I am not sure if
> capital 'N' is the best choice, when the other side is lowercase 'p'
> (and more importantly, the other side 'p' has mneomonic value for
> 'pagination', but 'N' merely stands for 'no' and could be negating
> anything, not related to pagination). But I agree that a short-hand
> would be welcome.

> 
>> diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
>> index 4767860e72..17b50b0dc6 100644
>> --- a/Documentation/git.txt
>> +++ b/Documentation/git.txt
>> @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>>   [verse]
>>   'git' [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
>>       [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
>> -    [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
>> +    [-p|--paginate|-N|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
>>       [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
>>       [--super-prefix=<path>]
>>       <command> [<args>]

> Hi Hannes,
> 
> On Wed, 25 Apr 2018, Johannes Sixt wrote:
> 
>> Am 25.04.2018 um 02:05 schrieb Junio C Hamano:
>>> Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org> writes:
>>>> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
>>>> the terminal.
> 
> I ran `git log` and then hit `q`, and the latest screen contents were
> still visible in all of these scenarios:
> 
> - in a Linux VM via SSH client
> 
> - in Git Bash on Windows
> 
> - in Git CMD on Windows
> 
> Granted, this is only the latest screen, but that is usually good enough
> here.
> 
> Is anything different happening in your setups?

> 
> I considered -P, but thought that it would better be reserved for
> something related to "paths". We have --{html,man,info}-path, which
> would be served better with -[HMI]. That leaves --exec-path, which we
> would probably abbreviate as -x or -X. So, -P is perhaps not that bad
> after all.
> 

> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> available. Provide a short option, -N, to make the option easier
> accessible.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
> ---
>   Documentation/git.txt | 3 ++-
>   git.c                 | 4 ++--
>   2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
> index 4767860e72..17b50b0dc6 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git.txt
> @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>   [verse]
>   'git' [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
>       [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
> -    [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
> +    [-p|--paginate|-N|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
>       [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
>       [--super-prefix=<path>]
>       <command> [<args>]
> @@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ foo.bar= ...`) sets `foo.bar` to the empty string which `git config
>   	configuration options (see the "Configuration Mechanism" section
>   	below).
>   
> +-N::
>   --no-pager::
>   	Do not pipe Git output into a pager.
>   
> diff --git a/git.c b/git.c
> index ceaa58ef40..9e2d78f442 100644
> --- a/git.c
> +++ b/git.c
> @@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
>   const char git_usage_string[] =
>   	N_("git [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]\n"
>   	   "           [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]\n"
> -	   "           [-p | --paginate | --no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]\n"
> +	   "           [-p | --paginate | -N | --no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]\n"
>   	   "           [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]\n"
>   	   "           <command> [<args>]");
>   
> @@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static int handle_options(const char ***argv, int *argc, int *envchanged)
>   			exit(0);
>   		} else if (!strcmp(cmd, "-p") || !strcmp(cmd, "--paginate")) {
>   			use_pager = 1;
> -		} else if (!strcmp(cmd, "--no-pager")) {
> +		} else if (!strcmp(cmd, "-N") || !strcmp(cmd, "--no-pager")) {
>   			use_pager = 0;
>   			if (envchanged)
>   				*envchanged = 1;
> 

> On 24/04/18 17:59, Johannes Sixt wrote:
>>
>> In modern setups, less, the pager, uses alternate screen to show
>> the content. When it is closed, it switches back to the original
>> screen, and all content is gone.
> 
> Are you setting LESS explicitly in the environment?
> 
>  From the git config man page:
> When the LESS environment variable is unset, Git sets it to FRX (if LESS 
> environment variable is set, Git does not change it at all).
> 
>  From the less man page the X option:
> Disables  sending the termcap initialization and deinitialization 
> strings to the terminal.  This is sometimes desirable if the 
> deinitialization string does something unnecessary, like clearing the 
> screen.
> 
> So with the default setup the output should remain on the screen.

> It is possible to configure 'less', the pager, to use an alternate
> screen to show the content, for example, by setting LESS=RS in the
> environment. When it is closed in this configuration, it switches
> back to the original screen, and all content is gone.
>
> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> available. Provide a short option, -P, to make the option easier
> accessible.

>> available. Provide a short option, -P, to make the option easier
>> accessible.
>
> s/easier accessible/easier to access/
> --- or ---
> s/easier accessible/more easily accessible/
> --- or ---
> s/easier accessible/more accessible/
>
> The patch itself looks fine.

> It is possible to configure 'less', the pager, to use an alternate
> screen to show the content, for example, by setting LESS=RS in the
> environment. When it is closed in this configuration, it switches
> back to the original screen, and all content is gone.
> 
> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> available. Provide a short option, -P, to make the option easier
> accessible.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
> ---
>  Given the positive feedback, I resurrect the patch.
> 
>  Changes since v1:
>  - Use -P instead of -N
>  - Commit message changed as proposed by Kaartic