Re: [PATCH 5/5] Add a --version option to sparse

[Ramsay Jones <ramsay@ramsay1.demon.co.uk>]

Christopher Li wrote:
> I don't mind sparse has a version number. Some thing like 4.2.0 etc.
> I would rather not mix that version number with the git commit hash.

The commit hash is only part of the version number string when you
build in a git repo and your HEAD does not reference a release
commit (as indicated by a tag object on this commit).

Note that the "dist" make target already uses 'git describe' to check
that the release tag and VERSION makefile variable agree.

$ git checkout master
$ git describe
0.4.1-99-g37f041a
$ git checkout 0.4.1
Note: moving to '0.4.1' which isn't a local branch
If you want to create a new branch from this checkout, you may do so
(now or later) by using -b with the checkout command again. Example:
  git checkout -b <new_branch_name>
HEAD is now at a02aeb3... Makefile: VERSION=0.4.1
$ git describe
0.4.1
$ 

[Note that I don't check for locally modified files and add "-dirty"
to the version string like git does; that is partly what I meant by
"minimal implementation"]

> The git commit hash has very limited usage. I think just print it as
> part of the generic verbose printing is good enough. Add the printing in
> handle_switch_v_finalize() so other executable can get it as well.
> 

Hmm, Oops! Now I remember... ahem *blush*, I had intended to modify
this patch before publishing it. (As I said before, this is quite an
old patch; I had a TODO to fix it up).

However, the fixup I have in mind involves moving most of the handling
of the --version option out of the library and into the sparse executable.
(i.e. more or less the opposite of what you suggest above for -v ;-) ).

My intent with this patch was to provide sparse (the program) with a
version number; *not* the sparse library, which is a separate issue.
(If a library version number is implemented, then the sparse program
version number *could* be the same number, of course). I did not
consider the other example programs built with sparse, but I suppose
they could all share the same version number if necessary.

However, you would not want sparse (the library) to force *all*
applications built with the library to handle the --version option
by printing the sparse (the program) version string and exiting!

So, the library should just set a version_option seen flag and let
the application process this flag itself.

Hmm, I don't have time tonight to re-write the patch, but I will
send a new version soon.

ATB,
Ramsay Jones