[PATCH 0/3] Assorted improvements salvaged from an earlier series

[PATCH 0/3] Assorted improvements salvaged from an earlier series

[Dragan Simic]

This series contains patches salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for
which it has been concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of
possible issues with various git scripts. [2]

Changes introduced to the patches are described separately in each patch.

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/T/#u
[2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/

Dragan Simic (3):
  grep: perform some minor code and comment cleanups
  grep docs: describe --recurse-submodules further and improve
    formatting a bit
  grep docs: describe --no-index further and improve formatting a bit

 Documentation/config/grep.txt |  2 +-
 Documentation/git-grep.txt    | 36 +++++++++++++++++++++--------------
 builtin/grep.c                | 21 ++++++++------------
 3 files changed, 31 insertions(+), 28 deletions(-)

[PATCH 1/3] grep: perform some minor code and comment cleanups

[Dragan Simic]

Move some variable definitions around, and reflow one comment block, to
make the code a bit neater after spotting those slightly unpolished areas.
There are no functional changes to the source code.

Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
---

Notes:
    This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for which it has been
    concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
    with various git scripts. [2]
    
    Compared to the previous version, there are no changes in this version.
    As expected and as already discussed, patches like this one inevitably
    raise a few eyebrows. [3][4][5]
    
    [1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/T/#u
    [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/
    [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAPig+cQ6Y2oOaPkKFsD41beXLHjhD++nmf59xrcswpb6_Q-sdA@mail.gmail.com/
    [4] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqjzlzt61d.fsf@gitster.g/#t
    [5] https://lore.kernel.org/git/24093dca675c49cfde39f6d6efca2342@manjaro.org/

 builtin/grep.c | 21 ++++++++-------------
 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/grep.c b/builtin/grep.c
index 982bcfc4b1df..af89c8b5cb19 100644
--- a/builtin/grep.c
+++ b/builtin/grep.c
@@ -623,13 +623,13 @@ static int grep_tree(struct grep_opt *opt, const struct pathspec *pathspec,
 		     struct tree_desc *tree, struct strbuf *base, int tn_len,
 		     int check_attr)
 {
-	struct repository *repo = opt->repo;
-	int hit = 0;
+	int hit = 0, name_base_len = 0;
+	int old_baselen = base->len;
 	enum interesting match = entry_not_interesting;
+	struct repository *repo = opt->repo;
 	struct name_entry entry;
-	int old_baselen = base->len;
 	struct strbuf name = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int name_base_len = 0;
+
 	if (repo->submodule_prefix) {
 		strbuf_addstr(&name, repo->submodule_prefix);
 		name_base_len = name.len;
@@ -890,19 +890,15 @@ static int pattern_callback(const struct option *opt, const char *arg,
 
 int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
-	int hit = 0;
+	int hit = 0, seen_dashdash = 0, use_index = 1;
 	int cached = 0, untracked = 0, opt_exclude = -1;
-	int seen_dashdash = 0;
 	int external_grep_allowed__ignored;
+	int i, dummy, allow_revs;
 	const char *show_in_pager = NULL, *default_pager = "dummy";
 	struct grep_opt opt;
 	struct object_array list = OBJECT_ARRAY_INIT;
 	struct pathspec pathspec;
 	struct string_list path_list = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP;
-	int i;
-	int dummy;
-	int use_index = 1;
-	int allow_revs;
 
 	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "cached", &cached,
@@ -1059,9 +1055,8 @@ int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		recurse_submodules = 0;
 
 	/*
-	 * skip a -- separator; we know it cannot be
-	 * separating revisions from pathnames if
-	 * we haven't even had any patterns yet
+	 * skip a -- separator; we know it cannot be separating revisions
+	 * from pathnames if we haven't even had any patterns yet
 	 */
 	if (argc > 0 && !opt.pattern_list && !strcmp(argv[0], "--")) {
 		argv++;

[PATCH 2/3] grep docs: describe --recurse-submodules further and improve formatting a bit

[Dragan Simic]

Clarify that --recurse-submodules cannot be used together with --untracked,
and improve the formatting in a couple of places, to make it visually clear
that those are the commands or the names of configuration options.

While there, change a couple of "<tree>" placeholders to "_<tree>_", to help
with an ongoing translation improvement effort. [1]

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/CAPig+cQc8W4JOpB+TMP=czketU1U7wcY_x9bsP5T=3-XjGLhRQ@mail.gmail.com/

Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
---

Notes:
    This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [2] for which it has been
    concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
    with various git scripts. [3]
    
    Compared to the previous version, this version adds some more small
    formatting improvements of the same kind, and also changes a couple of
    "<tree>" placeholders to "_<tree>_", as suggested by Eric Sunshine. [1]
    
    [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/T/#u
    [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/

 Documentation/config/grep.txt |  2 +-
 Documentation/git-grep.txt    | 10 +++++-----
 2 files changed, 6 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/config/grep.txt b/Documentation/config/grep.txt
index e521f20390ce..10041f27b0c8 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/grep.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/grep.txt
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ grep.fullName::
 	If set to true, enable `--full-name` option by default.
 
 grep.fallbackToNoIndex::
-	If set to true, fall back to git grep --no-index if git grep
+	If set to true, fall back to `git grep --no-index` if `git grep`
 	is executed outside of a git repository.  Defaults to false.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
index 0d0103c780af..f64f40e9775a 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
@@ -64,9 +64,9 @@ OPTIONS
 --recurse-submodules::
 	Recursively search in each submodule that is active and
 	checked out in the repository.  When used in combination with the
-	<tree> option the prefix of all submodule output will be the name of
-	the parent project's <tree> object. This option has no effect
-	if `--no-index` is given.
+	_<tree>_ option the prefix of all submodule output will be the name of
+	the parent project's _<tree>_ object.  This option cannot be used together
+	with `--untracked`, and it has no effect if `--no-index` is specified.
 
 -a::
 --text::
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ providing this option will cause it to die.
 	Use \0 as the delimiter for pathnames in the output, and print
 	them verbatim. Without this option, pathnames with "unusual"
 	characters are quoted as explained for the configuration
-	variable core.quotePath (see linkgit:git-config[1]).
+	variable `core.quotePath` (see linkgit:git-config[1]).
 
 -o::
 --only-matching::
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ EXAMPLES
 NOTES ON THREADS
 ----------------
 
-The `--threads` option (and the grep.threads configuration) will be ignored when
+The `--threads` option (and the `grep.threads` configuration) will be ignored when
 `--open-files-in-pager` is used, forcing a single-threaded execution.
 
 When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree objects), running

[PATCH 3/3] grep docs: describe --no-index further and improve formatting a bit

[Dragan Simic]

Improve the description of --no-index, to make a bit more clear what this
option actually does under the hood, and how it is meant to be used.  Describe
the dependency between --no-index and either of the --cached and --untracked
options, which cannot be used together.

As part of that, shuffle a couple of the options, to make the documentation
flow a bit better;  it makes more sense to describe first the options that
have something in common, and to after that describe an option that has some
dependency on the already described options.

While there, improve the descriptions of grep worker threads a bit, to give
them better context.  Adjust the language a bit, to avoid addressing the
reader, and perform some minor formatting improvements, to make it clear
it's the git commands, command parameters, and configuration option names.

Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
---

Notes:
    This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for which it has been
    concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
    with various git scripts. [2]
    
    Compared to the previous version, this version continues the effort to
    improve the description of --no-index, by also incorporating the possible
    improvements pointed out by Junio. [3]  This version also improves the
    wording of some related descriptions, mainly related to grep.threads,
    and performs some additional small formatting improvements.
    
    [1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/T/#u
    [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/
    [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqwmpzrqfv.fsf@gitster.g/

 Documentation/git-grep.txt | 26 +++++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
 	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
 	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
-	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --untracked] | <tree>...]
+	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-index] | <tree>...]
 	   [--] [<pathspec>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
@@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ OPTIONS
 	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
 	blobs registered in the index file.
 
---no-index::
-	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
-
 --untracked::
 	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
 	tree, search also in untracked files.
 
+--no-index::
+	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
+	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
+	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,
+	with the additional benefits, such as using multiple worker threads
+	to speed up searches.
++
+This option cannot be used together with `--cached` or `--untracked`.
+See also `grep.fallbackToNoIndex` in 'CONFIGURATION' below.
+
 --no-exclude-standard::
 	Also search in ignored files by not honoring the `.gitignore`
 	mechanism. Only useful with `--untracked`.
@@ -248,8 +255,9 @@ providing this option will cause it to die.
 	a non-zero status.
 
 --threads <num>::
-	Number of grep worker threads to use.
-	See `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION' for more information.
+	Number of `grep` worker threads to use, to speed up searches.
+	See 'NOTES ON THREADS' and `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION'
+	for more information.
 
 -f <file>::
 	Read patterns from <file>, one per line.
@@ -336,9 +344,9 @@ The `--threads` option (and the `grep.threads` configuration) will be ignored wh
 `--open-files-in-pager` is used, forcing a single-threaded execution.
 
 When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree objects), running
-with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if `--textconv`
-is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you experience low
-performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
+with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if `--textconv`
+is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low performance is
+experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
 
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------

Re: [PATCH 3/3] grep docs: describe --no-index further and improve formatting a bit

[Jean-Noël AVILA]

On Wednesday, 20 March 2024 22:08:46 CET Dragan Simic wrote:
> Improve the description of --no-index, to make a bit more clear what this
> option actually does under the hood, and how it is meant to be used.  
Describe
> the dependency between --no-index and either of the --cached and --untracked
> options, which cannot be used together.
> 
> As part of that, shuffle a couple of the options, to make the documentation
> flow a bit better;  it makes more sense to describe first the options that
> have something in common, and to after that describe an option that has some
> dependency on the already described options.
> 
> While there, improve the descriptions of grep worker threads a bit, to give
> them better context.  Adjust the language a bit, to avoid addressing the
> reader, and perform some minor formatting improvements, to make it clear
> it's the git commands, command parameters, and configuration option names.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
> ---
> 
> Notes:
>     This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for which it has been
>     concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
>     with various git scripts. [2]
>     
>     Compared to the previous version, this version continues the effort to
>     improve the description of --no-index, by also incorporating the 
possible
>     improvements pointed out by Junio. [3]  This version also improves the
>     wording of some related descriptions, mainly related to grep.threads,
>     and performs some additional small formatting improvements.
>     
>     [1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/
T/#u
>     [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/
d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/
>     [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqwmpzrqfv.fsf@gitster.g/
> 
>  Documentation/git-grep.txt | 26 +++++++++++++++++---------
>  1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>  	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
>  	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
>  	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
> -	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --
untracked] | <tree>...]
> +	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-
index] | <tree>...]

This change gives precedence to some option in alternatives, which seems 
weird.

>  	   [--] [<pathspec>...]
>  
>  DESCRIPTION
> @@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ OPTIONS
>  	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
>  	blobs registered in the index file.
>  
> ---no-index::
> -	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
> -
>  --untracked::
>  	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
>  	tree, search also in untracked files.
>  
> +--no-index::
> +	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
> +	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
> +	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,

Auto-referencing the git-grep manpage in itself is useless.

> +	with the additional benefits, such as using multiple worker threads
> +	to speed up searches.
> ++
> +This option cannot be used together with `--cached` or `--untracked`.
> +See also `grep.fallbackToNoIndex` in 'CONFIGURATION' below.
> +
>  --no-exclude-standard::
>  	Also search in ignored files by not honoring the `.gitignore`
>  	mechanism. Only useful with `--untracked`.
> @@ -248,8 +255,9 @@ providing this option will cause it to die.
>  	a non-zero status.
>  
>  --threads <num>::
> -	Number of grep worker threads to use.
> -	See `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION' for more information.
> +	Number of `grep` worker threads to use, to speed up searches.
> +	See 'NOTES ON THREADS' and `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION'
> +	for more information.
>  
>  -f <file>::
>  	Read patterns from <file>, one per line.
> @@ -336,9 +344,9 @@ The `--threads` option (and the `grep.threads` 
configuration) will be ignored wh
>  `--open-files-in-pager` is used, forcing a single-threaded execution.
>  
>  When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree objects), 
running
> -with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if `--
textconv`
> -is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you experience low
> -performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
> +with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if `--
textconv`
> +is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low performance 
is
> +experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.

I'm not native speaker, but I'm not sure the switch to passive form is 
helpful. In Simplified English, passive form is considered harmful and difficult 
to translate because the subject is elided.

>  
>  CONFIGURATION
>  -------------
> 
> 

Otherwise, thank you for helping converge to a more standardized format of 
manpages.

Re: [PATCH 3/3] grep docs: describe --no-index further and improve formatting a bit

[Dragan Simic]

Hello Jean-Noël,

On 2024-03-23 20:26, Jean-Noël AVILA wrote:
> On Wednesday, 20 March 2024 22:08:46 CET Dragan Simic wrote:
>> diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
>> --- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> +++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>>  	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
>>  	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
>>  	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
>> -	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --
> untracked] | <tree>...]
>> +	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-
> index] | <tree>...]
> 
> This change gives precedence to some option in alternatives, which 
> seems
> weird.

As explained in the patch description, it isn't about the precedence,
but about grouping together the options that have something in common.
In more detail, --cached and --untracked have something in common,
i.e. they both leave git-grep in the usual state, in which it treats
the directory as a local git repository, unlike --no-index that makes
git-grep treat the directory not as a git repository.

>> @@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ OPTIONS
>>  	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
>>  	blobs registered in the index file.
>> 
>> ---no-index::
>> -	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
>> -
>>  --untracked::
>>  	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
>>  	tree, search also in untracked files.
>> 
>> +--no-index::
>> +	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
>> +	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
>> +	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,
> 
> Auto-referencing the git-grep manpage in itself is useless.

Please note this isn't a link, it just mentions the operation.  Though,
I agree that rewording it a bit might be beneficial.

>>  When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree 
>> objects),
> running
>> -with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if 
>> `--
> textconv`
>> -is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you 
>> experience low
>> -performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
>> +with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if 
>> `--
> textconv`
>> +is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low 
>> performance
> is
>> +experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
> 
> I'm not native speaker, but I'm not sure the switch to passive form is
> helpful. In Simplified English, passive form is considered harmful and
> difficult to translate because the subject is elided.

In general, not addressing the user/reader directly is preferred in
technical documentation, because it eliminates the possible element
of persuading the user to do something.  In other words, we should be
telling the user what our software can do, instead of telling the
user what to do.