From: Pablo Sabater <pabloosabaterr@gmail.com>
To: git@vger.kernel.org
Cc: christian.couder@gmail.com, karthik.188@gmail.com,
jltobler@gmail.com, ayu.chandekar@gmail.com,
siddharthasthana31@gmail.com, chandrapratap3519@gmail.com,
Pablo Sabater <pabloosabaterr@gmail.com>
Subject: [GSoC RFC PATCH] graph: add --graph-max option to limit displayed columns
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2026 14:34:26 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <20260316133426.117684-1-pabloosabaterr@gmail.com> (raw)
When there are multiple branches, --graph-max modifies the maximum
amount of columns that will be displayed.
Add "--graph-max=<n>" option to cap how many columns will be shown,
columns after the limit are replaced with a single '.'. Changes only
the output rendering.
Define MINIMUM_GRAPH_COLUMNS constant to validate the option value.
The commit character '*' is always shown no matter what the limit is.
Signed-off-by: Pablo Sabater <pabloosabaterr@gmail.com>
---
This addresses the TODO at graph.c:
TODO:
- Limit the number of columns, similar to the way gitk does.
If we reach more than a specified number of columns, omit
sections of some columns.
About the design of how this would have to be:
- Should '--graph-max' by itself be enough to implicitly work like '--graph' so
'git log --graph-max=3' works without needing to write '--graph'?
- graph_max_columns by default is set to 0, meaning no limit, and any other
positive value becomes a limit. Is this a good design? it cannot be negative,
shouldn't it be a uint32_t instead, I left it as a int because of the other
variables like this that are int. like skip_count, max_count, etc.
- Is '--graph-max' a good name?
- Is '.' a good char for truncation?
- Should '/' to outside branches be shown?
- What should it be done when a commit is in a column that is truncated?
known limitations:
- Post merge lines have some trouble with the padding.
I added two tests for example, but I will add better test coverage as design
choices are more clear. testing on the Git repo itself is a good example also.
graph.c | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
graph.h | 2 ++
revision.c | 7 +++++
revision.h | 1 +
t/t4215-log-skewed-merges.sh | 56 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5 files changed, 109 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
diff --git a/graph.c b/graph.c
index 26f6fbf000..7ae0ab61b7 100644
--- a/graph.c
+++ b/graph.c
@@ -42,14 +42,6 @@ static void graph_padding_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct strbuf *sb);
static void graph_show_strbuf(struct git_graph *graph,
FILE *file,
struct strbuf const *sb);
-
-/*
- * TODO:
- * - Limit the number of columns, similar to the way gitk does.
- * If we reach more than a specified number of columns, omit
- * sections of some columns.
- */
-
struct column {
/*
* The parent commit of this column.
@@ -317,6 +309,12 @@ struct git_graph {
struct strbuf prefix_buf;
};
+static int graph_is_truncated(struct git_graph *graph, int col)
+{
+ int max = graph->revs->graph_max_columns;
+ return max > 0 && col >= max;
+}
+
static const char *diff_output_prefix_callback(struct diff_options *opt, void *data)
{
struct git_graph *graph = data;
@@ -846,6 +844,10 @@ static void graph_output_padding_line(struct git_graph *graph,
* Output a padding row, that leaves all branch lines unchanged
*/
for (i = 0; i < graph->num_new_columns; i++) {
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ break;
+ }
graph_line_write_column(line, &graph->new_columns[i], '|');
graph_line_addch(line, ' ');
}
@@ -903,6 +905,9 @@ static void graph_output_pre_commit_line(struct git_graph *graph,
seen_this = 1;
graph_line_write_column(line, col, '|');
graph_line_addchars(line, ' ', graph->expansion_row);
+ } else if (seen_this && graph_is_truncated(graph, i)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ break;
} else if (seen_this && (graph->expansion_row == 0)) {
/*
* This is the first line of the pre-commit output.
@@ -1013,6 +1018,7 @@ static void graph_output_commit_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct graph_line
* children that we have already processed.)
*/
seen_this = 0;
+
for (i = 0; i <= graph->num_columns; i++) {
struct column *col = &graph->columns[i];
struct commit *col_commit;
@@ -1028,8 +1034,14 @@ static void graph_output_commit_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct graph_line
seen_this = 1;
graph_output_commit_char(graph, line);
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i))
+ break;
+
if (graph->num_parents > 2)
graph_draw_octopus_merge(graph, line);
+ } else if (seen_this && graph_is_truncated(graph, i)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ break;
} else if (seen_this && (graph->edges_added > 1)) {
graph_line_write_column(line, col, '\\');
} else if (seen_this && (graph->edges_added == 1)) {
@@ -1109,9 +1121,15 @@ static void graph_output_post_merge_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct graph_l
int par_column;
int idx = graph->merge_layout;
char c;
+ int truncated = 0;
seen_this = 1;
for (j = 0; j < graph->num_parents; j++) {
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i + j)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ truncated = 1;
+ break;
+ }
par_column = graph_find_new_column_by_commit(graph, parents->item);
assert(par_column >= 0);
@@ -1125,10 +1143,15 @@ static void graph_output_post_merge_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct graph_l
}
parents = next_interesting_parent(graph, parents);
}
+ if (truncated)
+ break;
if (graph->edges_added == 0)
graph_line_addch(line, ' ');
-
} else if (seen_this) {
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ break;
+ }
if (graph->edges_added > 0)
graph_line_write_column(line, col, '\\');
else
@@ -1279,6 +1302,12 @@ static void graph_output_collapsing_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct graph_l
*/
for (i = 0; i < graph->mapping_size; i++) {
int target = graph->mapping[i];
+
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i / 2)) {
+ graph_line_addstr(line, ". ");
+ break;
+ }
+
if (target < 0)
graph_line_addch(line, ' ');
else if (target * 2 == i)
@@ -1372,6 +1401,11 @@ static void graph_padding_line(struct git_graph *graph, struct strbuf *sb)
for (i = 0; i < graph->num_columns; i++) {
struct column *col = &graph->columns[i];
+ if (graph_is_truncated(graph, i)) {
+ graph_line_addch(&line, '.');
+ break;
+ }
+
graph_line_write_column(&line, col, '|');
if (col->commit == graph->commit && graph->num_parents > 2) {
diff --git a/graph.h b/graph.h
index 3fd1dcb2e9..9a4551dd29 100644
--- a/graph.h
+++ b/graph.h
@@ -262,4 +262,6 @@ void graph_show_commit_msg(struct git_graph *graph,
FILE *file,
struct strbuf const *sb);
+#define MINIMUM_GRAPH_COLUMNS 1
+
#endif /* GRAPH_H */
diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index 31808e3df0..ba5088be14 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -2605,6 +2605,13 @@ static int handle_revision_opt(struct rev_info *revs, int argc, const char **arg
} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-graph")) {
graph_clear(revs->graph);
revs->graph = NULL;
+ } else if (skip_prefix(arg, "--graph-max=", &optarg)) {
+ revs->graph_max_columns = strtoul(optarg, NULL, 10);
+ if (revs->graph_max_columns < MINIMUM_GRAPH_COLUMNS) {
+ die(_("minimum columns is %d, unable to set below %d"),
+ MINIMUM_GRAPH_COLUMNS,
+ revs->graph_max_columns);
+ }
} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--encode-email-headers")) {
revs->encode_email_headers = 1;
} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-encode-email-headers")) {
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index 69242ecb18..6442129c14 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ struct rev_info {
/* Display history graph */
struct git_graph *graph;
+ int graph_max_columns;
/* special limits */
int skip_count;
diff --git a/t/t4215-log-skewed-merges.sh b/t/t4215-log-skewed-merges.sh
index 28d0779a8c..6266de4e2b 100755
--- a/t/t4215-log-skewed-merges.sh
+++ b/t/t4215-log-skewed-merges.sh
@@ -370,4 +370,60 @@ test_expect_success 'log --graph with multiple tips' '
EOF
'
+test_expect_success 'log --graph --graph-max=2 only two columns' '
+ check_graph --graph-max=2 M_7 <<-\EOF
+ *-. 7_M4
+ |\ .
+ | | * 7_G
+ | | * 7_F
+ | * . 7_E
+ | * . 7_D
+ * | . 7_C
+ | |/
+ |/|
+ * | 7_B
+ |/
+ * 7_A
+ EOF
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'log --graph --graph-max=3 only three columns' '
+ check_graph --graph-max=3 M_1 M_3 M_5 M_7 <<-\EOF
+ * 7_M1
+ |\
+ | | * 7_M2
+ | | |.
+ | | | * 7_H
+ | | | | * 7_M3
+ | | | | .
+ | | | | | * 7_J
+ | | | | * 7_I
+ | | | | | | * 7_M4
+ | |_|_|_|_|.
+ |/| | .
+ | | |_.
+ | |/|_.
+ | |/|_.
+ | |/| .
+ | | |/.
+ | | * . 7_G
+ | | | .
+ | | |/.
+ | | |/.
+ | | * . 7_F
+ | * | . 7_E
+ | | |/.
+ | |/| .
+ | * | . 7_D
+ | | |/
+ | |/|
+ * | | 7_C
+ | |/
+ |/|
+ * | 7_B
+ |/
+ * 7_A
+ EOF
+'
+
test_done
--
2.43.0
next reply other threads:[~2026-03-16 13:34 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 48+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-03-16 13:34 Pablo Sabater [this message]
2026-03-16 17:04 ` [GSoC RFC PATCH] graph: add --graph-max option to limit displayed columns Karthik Nayak
2026-03-16 19:48 ` Pablo
2026-03-17 22:09 ` [GSoC RFC PATCH v2] graph: add --max-columns " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-18 16:05 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-03-18 18:20 ` Pablo
2026-03-19 7:07 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-03-22 19:54 ` [GSoC PATCH WIP RFC v3 0/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Pablo Sabater
2026-03-22 20:37 ` [GSoC PATCH WIP RFC v3 1/3] " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-22 20:38 ` [GSoC PATCH WIP RFC v3 2/3] graph: truncate graph visual output Pablo Sabater
2026-03-22 20:38 ` [GSoC PATCH WIP RFC v3 3/3] graph: add documentation and testing about --graph-lane-limit Pablo Sabater
2026-03-22 22:09 ` [GSoC PATCH WIP RFC v3 1/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Junio C Hamano
2026-03-23 2:33 ` Pablo
2026-03-23 21:59 ` [GSoC PATCH v4 0/3] " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-23 21:59 ` [GSoC PATCH v4 1/3] " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-25 7:02 ` SZEDER Gábor
2026-03-25 10:03 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-03-25 12:29 ` Pablo
2026-03-23 21:59 ` [GSoC PATCH v4 2/3] graph: truncate graph visual output Pablo Sabater
2026-03-25 10:04 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-03-25 11:19 ` Pablo
2026-03-23 21:59 ` [GSoC PATCH v4 3/3] graph: add documentation and tests about --graph-lane-limit Pablo Sabater
2026-03-25 10:07 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-03-25 11:49 ` Pablo
2026-03-25 10:02 ` [GSoC PATCH v4 0/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Johannes Sixt
2026-03-25 12:28 ` Pablo
2026-03-25 17:44 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-03-25 17:58 ` Pablo
2026-03-25 17:43 ` [GSoC PATCH v5 0/2] " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-25 17:44 ` [GSoC PATCH v5 1/2] " Pablo Sabater
2026-03-25 22:11 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-03-27 14:22 ` Pablo
2026-03-27 16:07 ` Pablo
2026-03-27 16:34 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-03-25 17:44 ` [GSoC PATCH v5 2/2] graph: add documentation and tests about --graph-lane-limit Pablo Sabater
2026-03-28 0:11 ` [GSoC PATCH v6 0/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Pablo Sabater
2026-03-28 0:11 ` [GSoC PATCH v6 1/3] graph: limit the graph width to a hard-coded max Pablo Sabater
2026-03-28 0:11 ` [GSoC PATCH v6 2/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Pablo Sabater
2026-03-28 0:11 ` [GSoC PATCH v6 3/3] graph: add truncation mark to capped lanes Pablo Sabater
2026-03-31 22:14 ` [GSoC PATCH v6 0/3] graph: add --graph-lane-limit option Junio C Hamano
2026-04-01 8:36 ` Johannes Sixt
2026-04-01 14:42 ` Pablo
2026-04-01 16:49 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-04-02 5:53 ` Pablo
2026-04-02 19:55 ` Junio C Hamano
2026-04-03 18:56 ` Tian Yuchen
2026-04-03 19:13 ` Pablo
2026-04-03 20:15 ` Junio C Hamano
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