Re: [PATCH] remote: allow "-t" with fetch mirrors

[Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>]

Jeff King <peff@peff.net> writes:

> Commit 13fc2c1 (remote: disallow some nonsensical option
> combinations, 2011-03-30) made it impossible to use "remote
> add -t foo --mirror". The argument was that specifying
> specific branches is useless because:
>
>   1. Push mirrors do not want a refspec at all.
>
>   2. The point of fetch mirroring is to use a broad refspec
>      like "refs/*", but using "-t" overrides that.
>
> Point (1) is valid; "-t" with push mirrors is useless. But
> point (2) ignored another side effect of using --mirror: it
> fetches the refs directly into the refs/ namespace as they
> are found upstream, instead of placing them in a
> separate-remote layout.

Hmmm, I still fail to see the point of ignoring "mirror" aspect and
constricting that with -t.

> So 13fc2c1 was overly constrictive, and disallowed
> reasonable specific-branch mirroring, like:
>
>   git remote add -t heads/foo -t heads/bar --mirror=fetch

I mildly disagree that it is "reasonable".  I would understand if it were
something like this:

  git remote add -t heads/foo:heads/foo -t heads/bar:heads/bar

I am not saying selective copying is bad or useless.  It would be useful
in some situations.  I am saying that is not a mirror, and reusing the
same --mirror option for a different meaning may introduce confusion.