[Outreachy] Microproject idea: modernize a file-existence check in t/t0081-find-pack.sh

[Outreachy] Microproject idea: modernize a file-existence check in t/t0081-find-pack.sh

[Immaculate Mecha]

Hi,

I'm preparing a microproject contribution for Outreachy and have been
exploring a small test cleanup in Git.

In t/t0081-find-pack.sh, line 35 currently uses:

test -f "$head_commit_pack" &&

I'm considering replacing it with Git's test helper:

test_path_is_file "$head_commit_pack" &&

I checked the file's history using git blame and confirmed that this
is the only test -f, test -e, or test -d check in that script.

Would this be an appropriate and useful microproject, or is there a
reason to leave this check as it is?

I have cloned Git, built it with NO_RUST=1, and run the test suite. I
have not made any changes to the source yet.

Thank you for your time.

Re: [Outreachy] Microproject idea: modernize a file-existence check in t/t0081-find-pack.sh

[Okhuomon Ajayi]

On Thu, Oct 29, 2026 at 9:10 AM Immaculate Mecha
<immaculatemecha87@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I'm preparing a microproject contribution for Outreachy and have been
> exploring a small test cleanup in Git.
>
> In t/t0081-find-pack.sh, line 35 currently uses:
>
> test -f "$head_commit_pack" &&
>
> I'm considering replacing it with Git's test helper:
>
> test_path_is_file "$head_commit_pack" &&
>
> I checked the file's history using git blame and confirmed that this
> is the only test -f, test -e, or test -d check in that script.
>
> Would this be an appropriate and useful microproject, or is there a
> reason to leave this check as it is?


Hi Immaculate,

Welcome! I think Shashank S already changed this exact line in t0081

https://lore.kernel.org/git/pull.2254.v2.git.1792061236183.gitgitgadget@gmail.com/

Before choosing a microproject, it helps to search the list archive
at https://lore.kernel.org/git/ for the file name, and to check the
"What's cooking" reports, to make sure nobody is already working on
it.

Good luck!
Okhuomon

Re: [Outreachy] Microproject idea: modernize a file-existence check in t/t0081-find-pack.sh

[Immaculate Mecha]

Hi,

Thank you for the welcome and for pointing me to the existing work.
I'll review the mailing-list archive and the What's cooking reports
more carefully before choosing another microproject.

Best,
Immaculate


On Thu, Oct 29, 2026 at 12:03 PM Okhuomon Ajayi
<okhuomonajayi54@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Thu, Oct 29, 2026 at 9:10 AM Immaculate Mecha
> <immaculatemecha87@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm preparing a microproject contribution for Outreachy and have been
> > exploring a small test cleanup in Git.
> >
> > In t/t0081-find-pack.sh, line 35 currently uses:
> >
> > test -f "$head_commit_pack" &&
> >
> > I'm considering replacing it with Git's test helper:
> >
> > test_path_is_file "$head_commit_pack" &&
> >
> > I checked the file's history using git blame and confirmed that this
> > is the only test -f, test -e, or test -d check in that script.
> >
> > Would this be an appropriate and useful microproject, or is there a
> > reason to leave this check as it is?
>
>
> Hi Immaculate,
>
> Welcome! I think Shashank S already changed this exact line in t0081
>
> https://lore.kernel.org/git/pull.2254.v2.git.1792061236183.gitgitgadget@gmail.com/
>
> Before choosing a microproject, it helps to search the list archive
> at https://lore.kernel.org/git/ for the file name, and to check the
> "What's cooking" reports, to make sure nobody is already working on
> it.
>
> Good luck!
> Okhuomon

Re: [Outreachy] Microproject idea: modernize a file-existence check in t/t0081-find-pack.sh

[Junio C Hamano]

Okhuomon Ajayi <okhuomonajayi54@gmail.com> writes:

> Before choosing a microproject, it helps to search the list archive
> at https://lore.kernel.org/git/ for the file name, and to check the
> "What's cooking" reports, to make sure nobody is already working on
> it.

Great advice.  Reading others' patches and reviews they have
received will prepare a newcomer to avoid making the same mistakes
as they already have made.  Reading Documentation/SubmittingPatches
would also help, but that goes without saying ;-)