Why not do: > -def describe(rev='HEAD', tree=None): > - process = subprocess.Popen(['git', 'describe', '--always', '--long', rev], > +def describe(rev='HEAD', tree=None, get_long=False): > + cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--always'] > + > + if (get_long): > + cmd.append('--long') > + > + cmd.append(rev) def describe(rev='HEAD', tree=None, extra_args=[]): cmd = ['git', 'describe', '--always'] cmd.extend(extra_args) if rev is not None: cmd.append(rev) process = ... that way you can do bpgit.describe(rev=None, extra_args=['--dirty']) or bpgit.describe(extra_args=['--long']) and don't need two different patches. johannes -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe backports" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html