On 2021.09.10 17:52, Junio C Hamano wrote: > Josh Steadmon <steadmon@xxxxxxxxxx> writes: > > > It can be helpful when creating a new branch to use the existing > > tracking configuration from the branch point. However, there is > > currently not a method to automatically do so. > > > > Teach branch.autoSetupMerge a new "inherit" option. When this is set, > > creating a new branch will cause the tracking configuration to default > > to the configuration of the branch point, if set. > > So, when a new branch N is forked from an existing branch A that > builds on branch B (which could be a local branch under refs/heads/ > or a remote-tracking branch under refs/remotes/), a plain-vanilla > auto-setup-merge makes N build on A but with 'inherit', N is marked > to build on B instead? > > I do not think it is wise to hide this useful feature behind a > configuration variable. > > Rather, this should be made available first to users who do not even > set the configuration and then as a convenience measure, made usable > via the configuration mechanism as well. > > The current "git branch --track N A" makes N build on A, so perhaps > "git branch --track=inherit N A" should make N build on whatever A > builds on. We may need to give a synonym --track=direct to the > traditional "build on the original branch that was used to specfy > the fork point" while doing so. > > And then on top of that, we can add configuration variable handling. > > Depending on the value of branch.autoSetupMerge, "git branch -b" and > "git checkout -b" would pretend as if "--track" or "--track=inherit" > were given, or something along that line. The end result may be the > same for those who only use the configuration variables, but it > would give us some flexibility to countermand the configuration from > the command line. Those who set branch.autoSetupMerge to 'inherit' > cannot say "git checkout -b N --track=direct A" to express "With > this single invocation alone I am making N build on A, even though I > know I usually make N build on whatever A builds on" if you give > only the configuration variable. > > Thanks. Thanks for the feedback. I've added "--track=direct" and "--track=inherit" flags in V3, which I'll send out shortly. I am a bit skeptical of the value of having "--track=direct" when just "--track" still works, but I'll leave it up to the list to decide.
