[PATCH] git-update-index.txt: reword possibly confusing example

Elijah Newren· Aug 8, 2018, 20:28 UTC · lore

The following phrase could be interpreted multiple ways:
  "To pretend you have a file with mode and sha1 at path"

In particular, I can think of two:
  1. Pretend we have some new file, which happens to have a given mode
     and sha1
  2. Pretend one of the files we are already tracking has a different
     mode and sha1 than what it really does

I think people could easily assume either case while reading, but the example command provided doesn't actually handle the first case, which caused some minor frustration to at least one user. Modify the example command so that it correctly handles both cases, and re-order the wording in a way that makes it more likely folks will assume the first interpretation. I believe the new example shouldn't pose any obstacles to those wanting the second interpretation (at worst, they pass an unnecessary extra flag).

Signed-off-by: Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com>
---
 Documentation/git-update-index.txt | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

Show changes to Documentation/git-update-index.txt +2 −2

diff --git a/Documentation/git-update-index.txt b/Documentation/git-update-index.txt
index 4e8e762e68..a9753e6557 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-update-index.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-update-index.txt
@@ -245,10 +245,10 @@ USING --CACHEINFO OR --INFO-ONLY
 current working directory.  This is useful for minimum-checkout
 merging.
 
-To pretend you have a file with mode and sha1 at path, say:
+To pretend you have a file at path with mode and sha1, say:
 
 ----------------
-$ git update-index --cacheinfo <mode>,<sha1>,<path>
+$ git update-index --add --cacheinfo <mode>,<sha1>,<path>
 ----------------
 
 `--info-only` is used to register files without placing them in the object

-- 
2.18.0.556.g1604670984

Junio C Hamano· Aug 8, 2018, 21:31 UTC · re: Elijah Newren · lore

Re: [PATCH] git-update-index.txt: reword possibly confusing example

Elijah Newren <newren@gmail.com> writes:

Show 15 quoted lines

> The following phrase could be interpreted multiple ways:
>   "To pretend you have a file with mode and sha1 at path"
>
> In particular, I can think of two:
>   1. Pretend we have some new file, which happens to have a given mode
>      and sha1
>   2. Pretend one of the files we are already tracking has a different
>      mode and sha1 than what it really does
>
> I think people could easily assume either case while reading, but the
> example command provided doesn't actually handle the first case, which
> caused some minor frustration to at least one user.  Modify the example
> command so that it correctly handles both cases, and re-order the
> wording in a way that makes it more likely folks will assume the first
> interpretation.

I do not think the rephrasing loses those who want to update an existing path, and is a good one.

Show 7 quoted lines

> -To pretend you have a file with mode and sha1 at path, say:
> +To pretend you have a file at path with mode and sha1, say:
>  
>  ----------------
> -$ git update-index --cacheinfo <mode>,<sha1>,<path>
> +$ git update-index --add --cacheinfo <mode>,<sha1>,<path>
>  ----------------

patchgit-update-index.txt: reword possibly confusing example