Re: [Outreachy kernel] Help maintain the First Patch Tutorial

[Karolina Drobnik <karolinadrobnik@gmail.com>]

Hi,

I noticed that the information in the "sending patchsets" section is
slightly outdated. I updated the `git format-patch` listing and added
information on how to actually send the patches.

What do you think about this draft?


Thanks,
Karolina

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<<Anchor(git_format_patch_patchset)>>
== Using git format-patch to send patchsets ==

First, use {{{`git log --pretty=oneline --abbrev-commit`}}} to figure
out the first commit ID you want to send. For example, say that my tree
had this git log history:

{{{
b7ca36a Docs: Move ref to Frohwalt Egerer to end of REPORTING-BUGS
bf6adaf Docs: Add a tips section to REPORTING-BUGS.
bc6bed4 Docs: Expectations for bug reporters and maintainers
2c97a63 Docs: Add info on supported kernels to REPORTING-BUGS.
7883a25 Docs: Add "Gather info" section to REPORTING-BUGS.
d60418b Docs: Step-by-step directions for reporting bugs.
3b12c21 Trivial: docs: Remove six-space indentation in REPORTING-BUGS.
bb33db7 Merge branches 'timers-urgent-for-linus', 'irq-urgent-for-
linus' and 'core-urgent-for-linus' of
git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip
41ef2d5 Linux 3.9-rc7
}}}

The first commit I want to send as part of the patchset has commit ID
3b12c21. The last patch I want to send has commit ID b7ca36a. 
So, I want to pass the commit range {{{3b12c21^..b7ca36a}}} to {{{git
format-patch}}}. (Remember, the {{{git format-patch}}} range starting
commit must be the commit ''before'' the first commit you want to send,
so we use the '^' to specify the patch before commit 3b12c21). The
command will look something like this:

{{{
git format-patch -o /tmp/ --cover-letter -n --thread=shallow
3b12c21^..b7ca36a
}}}

Again, the -o flag specifies where to put the email files. The -n flag
says to add numbering to each patch (e.g. [PATCH 2/5]). The `--
thread=shallow` flag specifies that all patches will be In-Reply-To
your cover letter.

That will output files into /tmp:
{{{
/tmp/0000-cover-letter.patch
/tmp/0001-Trivial-docs-Remove-six-space-indentation-in-REPORTI.patch
/tmp/0002-Docs-Step-by-step-directions-for-reporting-bugs.patch
/tmp/0003-Docs-Add-Gather-info-section-to-REPORTING-BUGS.patch
/tmp/0004-Docs-Add-info-on-supported-kernels-to-REPORTING-BUGS.patch
/tmp/0005-Docs-Expectations-for-bug-reporters-and-maintainers.patch
/tmp/0006-Docs-Add-a-tips-section-to-REPORTING-BUGS.patch
/tmp/0007-Docs-Move-ref-to-Frohwalt-Egerer-to-end-of-REPORTING.patch
}}}

To send them as a patchset, you need to provide a path that matches all
of these files. In this case, the `git send-email` command would look
like this:

{{{
git send-email --to <outreachy mailing list if required> --cc
<addresses from get_maintainer.pl output> /tmp/*
}}}

If you would like to test your patchset emails before sending them, you
can add `--dry-run` option that will execute the command without
sending the actual emails.