Re: [PATCH v3 0/2] git-gui: change to display the combined diff in the case of conflicts.

[Johannes Sixt <j.sixt@viscovery.net>]

Am 3/30/2010 17:34, schrieb Jon Seymour:
> This variant of the patch uses git diff -c instead of git diff HEAD,
> at Johannes Sixt's suggestion.
> 
> The diff displayed in case of a merge conflict now shows the
> differences between the merge result and each of the local and remote
> heads and thus now also allows the user to assess the consequences of
> "Use Remote Version" by showing how the merge result affects the state
> of the local branch.
> 
> I have avoided using gmail client to forward this version of  patch
> because of documented word-wrapping issues, so hopefully this will
> apply cleanly.
> 
> [PATCH v3 1/2] git-gui: Introduce is_unmerged global variable to
> encapsulate its derivation.
> [PATCH v3 2/2] git-gui: change to display the combined diff in the
> case of conflicts.

I looked at the result, but it does not convince me. In my case, I have a
large file that has many changes between the "maint" and "master"
branches. Whenever there are conflicts after merging "maint" to "master",
I see all these changes, and really they *are* uninteresting.

But I, too, think that to offer "Use local version" and "Use remote
version" is *very* dangerous in a modify/modify conflict, particularly to
new-comers. I have only ever found these commands useful in the case of
modify/delete conflicts (and they are actually very handy in this case).

Even when the user sees all changes and can make a decision whether "Use
local" or "remote version" is really wanted, it is not at all obvious
which of the changes shown belong the "local" and which to "remote".

Therefore, I suggest to keep the original --cc display, but do not offer
"Use local version" and "Use remote version" when there is a modify/modify
conflict. The user is already offered "Run mergetool", and it is the safe
option besides editing the file.

-- Hannes