[PATCH 0/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[PATCH 0/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[kristofferhaugsbakk]

From: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>

Topic name: kh/format-patch-range-diff-notes

Topic summary: Teach 'format-patch' options to tweak notes output in the
range diff independent of what notes are output in the patches.

See patch 3/3 for details.

This is motivated by wanting to turn off range diff notes, but the goal
here is to implement it in full generality.

(How many of us `git format-patch --notes` users are there out there? More
than a dozen?)

I have implemented this behavior for myself and used it for many
months. But that was hacky and only suitable for one person’s use.
So this is a completely new implementation. In other words: this is
new code, *not* tested for months.

§ CI

https://github.com/LemmingAvalanche/git/actions/runs/32762207178

I seem to have finally learned now that I ought to push to my public Git
tree for CI, not my private one. The latter seems to consistently give me
“insufficient funds” errors. But I don’t know.

[1/3] format-patch: simplify get_notes_arg parameters
[2/3] revision.h: rename struct member to reflect notes role
[3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

 Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc |  17 +++++
 builtin/log.c                       |  21 +++---
 log-tree.c                          |   2 +-
 revision.c                          |  13 ++++
 revision.h                          |   9 ++-
 t/t3206-range-diff.sh               | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 6 files changed, 156 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)


base-commit: 1a3e64c6c4a623626ff0687008732a8e007e2a1c
-- 
2.55.0.13.g85d2d65e389

[PATCH 1/3] format-patch: simplify get_notes_arg parameters

[kristofferhaugsbakk]

From: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>

85bd88a7 (revision: add rdiff_log_arg to rev_info, 2025-09-25) added
`rdiff_log_arg` to `struct rev_info`. I changed `get_notes_arg` by
simply replacing the first argument with an access on this struct
member. But the second argument was already `struct rev_info`. So I
should have just simplified to *only* passing that parameter. Let’s do
that now.

Now is also a good time to format this `for_each...` line since it’s
gotten quite long.

Signed-off-by: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>
---

Notes (testing):
    just compile tested

 builtin/log.c | 12 +++++++-----
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 350b35c5563..560af00e2fd 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -1333,16 +1333,18 @@ static int get_notes_refs(struct string_list_item *item, void *arg)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void get_notes_args(struct strvec *arg, struct rev_info *rev)
+static void get_notes_args(struct rev_info *rev)
 {
 	if (!rev->show_notes) {
-		strvec_push(arg, "--no-notes");
+		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_log_arg, "--no-notes");
 	} else if (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes > 0 ||
 		   (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes == -1 &&
 		    !rev->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs.nr)) {
-		strvec_push(arg, "--notes");
+		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_log_arg, "--notes");
 	} else {
-		for_each_string_list(&rev->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs, get_notes_refs, arg);
+		for_each_string_list(&rev->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs,
+				     get_notes_refs,
+				     &rev->rdiff_log_arg);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2404,7 +2406,7 @@ int cmd_format_patch(int argc,
 		rev.rdiff_title = diff_title(&rdiff_title, reroll_count,
 					     _("Range-diff:"),
 					     _("Range-diff against v%d:"));
-		get_notes_args(&(rev.rdiff_log_arg), &rev);
+		get_notes_args(&rev);
 	}
 
 	/*
-- 
2.55.0.13.g85d2d65e389

[PATCH 2/3] revision.h: rename struct member to reflect notes role

[kristofferhaugsbakk]

From: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>

The `struct rev_info` member `rdiff_log_arg` is only used to pass
`--[no-]notes` options to git-range-diff(1), which in turn passes it
on to git-log(1). The “log” in the name is fine since other code paths
could choose to use it to pass something else on to git-range-diff(1)
(as long as it makes sense to git-log(1)). However, we will in the next
commit change `revision.c:handle_revision_opt` to push and clear this
`strvec` based on notes options that the user passes. That means that
only one type of git-log(1) option will be suitable for it. So let’s
rename it to `rdiff_notes_arg`.

This structure member got its “log” name in 85bd88a7 (revision: add
rdiff_log_arg to rev_info, 2025-09-25), which was based on the renaming
of the `range-diff.c` variable `other_arg` to `log_arg`.[1] Now, in
`range-diff.c` this `log_arg` really is used for multiple different
git-log(1) options, namely `--[no-]notes` and `--remerge-diff`. But we
can keep this `rev_info` member notes-only.

† 1: in 71fd6c69 (range-diff: rename other_arg to log_arg, 2025-09-25)

Signed-off-by: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>
---

Notes (testing):
    just compile tested

 builtin/log.c | 10 +++++-----
 log-tree.c    |  2 +-
 revision.h    |  4 ++--
 3 files changed, 8 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 560af00e2fd..28a93c45463 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -1336,15 +1336,15 @@ static int get_notes_refs(struct string_list_item *item, void *arg)
 static void get_notes_args(struct rev_info *rev)
 {
 	if (!rev->show_notes) {
-		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_log_arg, "--no-notes");
+		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_notes_arg, "--no-notes");
 	} else if (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes > 0 ||
 		   (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes == -1 &&
 		    !rev->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs.nr)) {
-		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_log_arg, "--notes");
+		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_notes_arg, "--notes");
 	} else {
 		for_each_string_list(&rev->notes_opt.extra_notes_refs,
 				     get_notes_refs,
-				     &rev->rdiff_log_arg);
+				     &rev->rdiff_notes_arg);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
 			.dual_color = 1,
 			.max_memory = RANGE_DIFF_MAX_MEMORY_DEFAULT,
 			.diffopt = &opts,
-			.log_arg = &rev->rdiff_log_arg
+			.log_arg = &rev->rdiff_notes_arg
 		};
 
 		repo_diff_setup(the_repository, &opts);
@@ -2569,7 +2569,7 @@ int cmd_format_patch(int argc,
 	rev.diffopt.no_free = 0;
 	release_revisions(&rev);
 	format_config_release(&cfg);
-	strvec_clear(&rev.rdiff_log_arg);
+	strvec_clear(&rev.rdiff_notes_arg);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/log-tree.c b/log-tree.c
index 83a3c4bf9b1..fd6ddf32af4 100644
--- a/log-tree.c
+++ b/log-tree.c
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ static void show_diff_of_diff(struct rev_info *opt)
 			.dual_color = 1,
 			.max_memory = RANGE_DIFF_MAX_MEMORY_DEFAULT,
 			.diffopt = &opts,
-			.log_arg = &opt->rdiff_log_arg
+			.log_arg = &opt->rdiff_notes_arg
 		};
 
 		memcpy(&dq, &diff_queued_diff, sizeof(diff_queued_diff));
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index acf6d06b241..39cca04d9e5 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ struct rev_info {
 	/* range-diff */
 	const char *rdiff1;
 	const char *rdiff2;
-	struct strvec rdiff_log_arg;
+	struct strvec rdiff_notes_arg;
 	int creation_factor;
 	const char *rdiff_title;
 
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ struct rev_info {
 	.expand_tabs_in_log = -1, \
 	.commit_format = CMIT_FMT_DEFAULT, \
 	.expand_tabs_in_log_default = 8, \
-	.rdiff_log_arg = STRVEC_INIT, \
+	.rdiff_notes_arg = STRVEC_INIT, \
 }
 
 /**
-- 
2.55.0.13.g85d2d65e389

[PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[kristofferhaugsbakk]

From: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>

git-format-patch(1) passes on the notes behavior that it is using for
the patches to git-range-diff(1). In turn you get the same Git notes
displayed in the range diff as the ones you used to generate the
patches. And that makes sense in most cases.

However, I often make notes between series versions that mostly prepend
to the original. They end up looking like this:

    v3:
    [desc.]
    v2:
    [descr.]
    v1:
    [descr.]

These notes are meant for the git-format-patch(1) output since they
document the iterations. But including them also includes them in the
range diff. And they have nothing useful to say there.

So it would be useful to turn off range diff notes handling with
something like `--no-range-diff-notes`. This could then be turned on
again with `--range-diff-notes`.

An off/on switch is enough for this behavior. However, a bare (no arg)
option (together with the negation) is not consistent with `--[no-]notes
[=<ref>]` and could cause confusion. And we are both conceptually and
literally constructing an argument list to pass on to git-range-diff(1),
which does have the same option format as git-format-patch(1). Moreover,
it is useful to be able to specify exactly what notes you want
git-format-patch(1) and git-range-diff(1) to use.[1] So let’s generalize
it so that you can pass in whatever notes refs you want.

But now we are faced with a problem that `--notes` does not have; how do
we distinguish an empty `struct string_list` meaning these two things?:

• No such options given
• `--no-range-diff-notes`

Well, we can’t. Therefore we need `rdiff_override_notes` to set whenever
any of these options are given.

However, we may also want to turn *off* this override. Just like how we
can countermand any notes ref we pass in:

    --notes=custom --no-notes

To that end, let’s make `--range-diff-notes` when the list of options is
empty special. Then it means: go back to using whatever git-format-
patch(1) wants to use.

Now, `--notes` is a bit special in that it has an optional
argument. Implementing this with a parse-options callback is not
user-friendly; the following does *not* mean what it looks like:

    --parse-option --another-option

Namely, it is not a bare `--parse-option` followed by another
option. Rather, it’s one option:

    --parse-option=--another-option

And we need the bare `--range-diff-notes` form in order to turn off
notes overriding. For that reason, let’s implement these new options in
`revision.c:handle_revision_opt`, just like the `--notes` options are.

† 1: For example, let say we have two notes ref that are used for a
     patch series:

     1. testing. What the user has done to test this iteration.
     2. changelog. The same example from the introduction.

     You could include both notes on the patches but only show `testing` in
     the range diff.

***

Note that using `--creation-factor` without `--range-diff` will cause
the command to die. But this is not the case for `--[no-]range-diff-
notes`. Yes, we could introduce struct member `rdiff_notes_arg_used` or
something in order to detect the same condition. Or turn `rdiff_notes_
override` into a tri-state `int`. But the extra code is not worth that
in my opinion.

Signed-off-by: Kristoffer Haugsbakk <code@khaugsbakk.name>
---

Notes (testing):
    CI: https://github.com/LemmingAvalanche/git/actions/runs/32762207178

 Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc |  17 +++++
 builtin/log.c                       |   5 +-
 revision.c                          |  13 ++++
 revision.h                          |   5 ++
 t/t3206-range-diff.sh               | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 5 files changed, 144 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
index 191f64b77d1..e0ba435dfcf 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
@@ -378,6 +378,23 @@ case is to show comparison with an older iteration of the same
 topic and the tool should find more correspondence between the two
 sets of patches.
 
+`--range-diff-notes[=<ref>]`::
+`--no-range-diff-notes`::
+	Used with `--range-diff`, tweak what notes to display in the
+	range diff. For example, you can use `--no-range-diff-notes` to
+	turn off all notes in the range diff. The default behavior is
+	to display the same notes in the range diff as on the patches
+	(see `--notes`).
++
+You may want to turn off this notes override after it has been
+activated. Use this sequence to do that:
++
+----
+--no-range-diff-notes --range-diff-notes
+----
++
+Now the range diff is back to displaying the same notes as the patches.
+
 `--notes[=<ref>]`::
 `--no-notes`::
 	Append the notes (see linkgit:git-notes[1]) for the commit
diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 28a93c45463..de997bc9ab0 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -1335,7 +1335,10 @@ static int get_notes_refs(struct string_list_item *item, void *arg)
 
 static void get_notes_args(struct rev_info *rev)
 {
-	if (!rev->show_notes) {
+	if (rev->rdiff_override_notes) {
+		if (!rev->rdiff_notes_arg.nr)
+			strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_notes_arg, "--no-notes");
+	} else if (!rev->show_notes) {
 		strvec_push(&rev->rdiff_notes_arg, "--no-notes");
 	} else if (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes > 0 ||
 		   (rev->notes_opt.use_default_notes == -1 &&
diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index 50dc8b19913..1e21f2861cc 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -2625,6 +2625,19 @@ static int handle_revision_opt(struct rev_info *revs, int argc, const char **arg
 		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 1;
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-standard-notes")) {
 		revs->notes_opt.use_default_notes = 0;
+	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--no-range-diff-notes")) {
+		strvec_clear(&revs->rdiff_notes_arg);
+		revs->rdiff_override_notes = 1;
+	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--range-diff-notes")) {
+		/*
+		 * Allow the user to use '--no-range-diff-notes
+		 * --range-diff-notes' in order to go back to
+		 * using the 'format-patch' notes behavior
+		 */
+		revs->rdiff_override_notes = revs->rdiff_notes_arg.nr;
+	} else if (skip_prefix(arg, "--range-diff-notes=", &optarg)) {
+		strvec_pushf(&revs->rdiff_notes_arg, "--notes=%s", optarg);
+		revs->rdiff_override_notes = 1;
 	} else if (!strcmp(arg, "--oneline")) {
 		revs->verbose_header = 1;
 		get_commit_format("oneline", revs);
diff --git a/revision.h b/revision.h
index 39cca04d9e5..e8dbf774b00 100644
--- a/revision.h
+++ b/revision.h
@@ -351,6 +351,11 @@ struct rev_info {
 	/* range-diff */
 	const char *rdiff1;
 	const char *rdiff2;
+	/*
+	 * whether to use 'rdiff_notes_arg' or inherited
+	 * notes behavior
+	 */
+	bool rdiff_override_notes;
 	struct strvec rdiff_notes_arg;
 	int creation_factor;
 	const char *rdiff_title;
diff --git a/t/t3206-range-diff.sh b/t/t3206-range-diff.sh
index ef92704de39..db238d0a5a1 100755
--- a/t/t3206-range-diff.sh
+++ b/t/t3206-range-diff.sh
@@ -845,6 +845,111 @@ test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff with multiple notes' '
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --notes=custom --no-range-diff-notes' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note1" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev --notes=custom \
+		--no-range-diff-notes --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep "^Notes (custom):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep ! "## Notes (custom) ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --range-diff-notes uses --notes behavior' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note1" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev --notes=custom \
+		--range-diff-notes --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep "^Notes (custom):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep "## Notes (custom) ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --notes=patch --range-diff-notes=rdiff' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=patch remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=patch add -m "only for patch 1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=patch add -m "only for patch 2" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=rdiff remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=rdiff add -m "only for range diff 1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=rdiff add -m "only for range diff 2" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev --notes=patch \
+		--range-diff-notes=rdiff --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep "^Notes (patch):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep ! "^Notes (rdiff):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep "## Notes (rdiff) ##" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep ! "## Notes (patch) ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --no-range-diff-notes --range-diff-notes uses --notes behavior' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note1" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev --notes=custom \
+		--no-range-diff-notes --range-diff-notes --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep "^Notes (custom):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep "## Notes (custom) ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --range-diff-notes uses --notes behavior' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note1" topic &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note1" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev --notes=custom \
+		--range-diff-notes --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep "^Notes (custom):" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep "## Notes (custom) ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --no-range-diff-notes does not use default notes' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes remove topic unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes add -m "topic note1" topic &&
+	git notes add -m "unmodified note1" unmodified &&
+	test_when_finished "rm -f 000?-*" &&
+	git format-patch --range-diff=$prev \
+		--no-range-diff-notes --cover-letter \
+		main..unmodified >actual &&
+	test_grep ! "^Notes:" 0004-* &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" 0000-cover-letter* &&
+	test_grep ! "## Notes ##" 0000-cover-letter*
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --no-range-diff-notes on single patch' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove HEAD unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note (custom)" HEAD &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note (custom)" unmodified &&
+	git format-patch --notes=custom --range-diff=$prev \
+		--no-range-diff-notes -1 --stdout >actual &&
+	test_grep "Notes (custom):" actual &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" actual &&
+	test_grep ! "## Notes (custom) ##" actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'format-patch --range-diff --range-diff-notes=custom on single patch' '
+	test_when_finished "git notes --ref=custom remove HEAD unmodified || :" &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "topic note (custom)" HEAD &&
+	git notes --ref=custom add -m "unmodified note (custom)" unmodified &&
+	git format-patch --no-notes --range-diff=$prev \
+		--range-diff-notes=custom -1 --stdout >actual &&
+	test_grep ! "Notes (custom):" actual &&
+	test_grep "^Range-diff:" actual &&
+	test_grep "## Notes (custom) ##" actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success '--left-only/--right-only' '
 	git switch --orphan left-right &&
 	test_commit first &&
-- 
2.55.0.13.g85d2d65e389

Re: [PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[Junio C Hamano]

kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com writes:

> diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
> index 191f64b77d1..e0ba435dfcf 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
> +++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
> @@ -378,6 +378,23 @@ case is to show comparison with an older iteration of the same
>  topic and the tool should find more correspondence between the two
>  sets of patches.
>  
> +`--range-diff-notes[=<ref>]`::
> +`--no-range-diff-notes`::
> +	Used with `--range-diff`, tweak what notes to display in the
> +	range diff. For example, you can use `--no-range-diff-notes` to
> +	turn off all notes in the range diff. The default behavior is
> +	to display the same notes in the range diff as on the patches
> +	(see `--notes`).
> ++
> +You may want to turn off this notes override after it has been
> +activated. Use this sequence to do that:
> ++
> +----
> +--no-range-diff-notes --range-diff-notes
> +----
> ++
> +Now the range diff is back to displaying the same notes as the patches.
> +

Hmph, this is a bit too complex for me.  When I say

    $ git format-patch --no-notes --range-diff-notes ...

I would expect that individual patches would not get notes, but the
range-diff will include them in the comparison.  But if
--range-diff-notes just falls back to default (i.e., inherit what
patches use), would I see the notes used in the range-diff?

Re: [PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[Kristoffer Haugsbakk]

On Tue, Aug 25, 2026, at 00:31, Junio C Hamano wrote:
> [snip]
>> +Now the range diff is back to displaying the same notes as the patches.
>> +
>
> Hmph, this is a bit too complex for me.  When I say
>
>     $ git format-patch --no-notes --range-diff-notes ...
>
> I would expect that individual patches would not get notes, but the
> range-diff will include them in the comparison.  But if
> --range-diff-notes just falls back to default (i.e., inherit what
> patches use), would I see the notes used in the range-diff?

You will not get patch notes and not get
range diff notes. That --range-diff-notes
told it to use the patch notes which you
just turned off/emptied the list.

Code-wise, the list of notes is cleared so you
you would have to change the --notes implementation
if you want to keep a sort of shadow list
of not-patch-notes-but-RD-notes.
And another problem, or fact, is that format-patch
does not show notes by default. So what should
--RD-notes show? The default notes?

Thanks

sent from mobile

Re: [PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[Junio C Hamano]

"Kristoffer Haugsbakk" <kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com> writes:

>> Hmph, this is a bit too complex for me.  When I say
>>
>>     $ git format-patch --no-notes --range-diff-notes ...
>>
>> I would expect that individual patches would not get notes, but the
>> range-diff will include them in the comparison.  But if
>> --range-diff-notes just falls back to default (i.e., inherit what
>> patches use), would I see the notes used in the range-diff?
>
> You will not get patch notes and not get
> range diff notes. That --range-diff-notes
> told it to use the patch notes which you
> just turned off/emptied the list.
>
> Code-wise, the list of notes is cleared so you
> you would have to change the --notes implementation
> if you want to keep a sort of shadow list
> of not-patch-notes-but-RD-notes.

IOW, the design of how these options interact does not support the
usecase I gave?

> And another problem, or fact, is that format-patch
> does not show notes by default. So what should
> --RD-notes show? The default notes?

I do not know.  My preference actually is not to introuce a new
option whose interaction with the existing --notes option cannot be
defined in simple terms.

Re: [PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[Kristoffer Haugsbakk]

On Fri, Aug 28, 2026, at 02:31, Junio C Hamano wrote:
> "Kristoffer Haugsbakk" <kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com> writes:
>
>>> Hmph, this is a bit too complex for me.  When I say
>>>
>>>     $ git format-patch --no-notes --range-diff-notes ...
>>>
>>> I would expect that individual patches would not get notes, but the
>>> range-diff will include them in the comparison.  But if
>>> --range-diff-notes just falls back to default (i.e., inherit what
>>> patches use), would I see the notes used in the range-diff?
>>
>> You will not get patch notes and not get
>> range diff notes. That --range-diff-notes
>> told it to use the patch notes which you
>> just turned off/emptied the list.
>>
>> Code-wise, the list of notes is cleared so you
>> you would have to change the --notes implementation
>> if you want to keep a sort of shadow list
>> of not-patch-notes-but-RD-notes.
>
> IOW, the design of how these options interact does not support the
> usecase I gave?

Correct as far as I understand the use case.

>
>> And another problem, or fact, is that format-patch
>> does not show notes by default. So what should
>> --RD-notes show? The default notes?
>
> I do not know.  My preference actually is not to introuce a new
> option whose interaction with the existing --notes option cannot be
> defined in simple terms.

Let's drop this topic then.

sent from mobile

Re: [PATCH 3/3] format-patch: learn --[no-]range-diff-notes

[Junio C Hamano]

"Kristoffer Haugsbakk" <kristofferhaugsbakk@fastmail.com> writes:

>> I do not know.  My preference actually is not to introuce a new
>> option whose interaction with the existing --notes option cannot be
>> defined in simple terms.
>
> Let's drop this topic then.

That is fine by me.  I was hoping that you'd come up with a way to
add this new option with simpler-to-explain interactions.  E.g.,
when only --notes exists on the command line, it is used as the
material compared by the range-diff and as the material inserted
into the final output, but when both options exist, they work
independently, i.e., --notes gets used only as the final output,
while --range-diff-notes gets used only for comparison material,
or something like that.