Jacob Keller <jacob.e.keller@xxxxxxxxx> writes: > From: Jacob Keller <jacob.keller@xxxxxxxxx> > > The format.useAutoBase configuration option exists to allow users to > enable '--base=auto' for format-patch by default. > > This can sometimes lead to poor workflow, due to unexpected failures > when attempting to format an ancient patch: > > $ git format-patch -1 <an old commit> > fatal: base commit shouldn't be in revision list > > This can be very confusing, as it is not necessarily immediately obvious > that the user requested a --base (since this was in the configuration, > not on the command line). > > We do want --base=auto to fail when it cannot provide a suitable base, > as it would be equally confusing if a formatted patch did not include > the base information when it was requested. > > Teach format.useAutoBase a new mode, "whenAble". This mode will cause > format-patch to attempt to include a base commit when it can. However, > if no valid base commit can be found, then format-patch will continue > formatting the patch without a base commit. --base also learns the same > mode using the term "if-able". > > Add tests to cover the new mode of operation for --base. Two minor points. * would users get confused choosing between if-able and whenAble to use for the configuration and the command line option? * what if there is a branch called "if-able"? The same problem already exists with a refname "auto", and this makes it worse. I do not know what the best approach to solve the latter, but the former would be easier to solve by just picking one and sticking to it. Thanks.
