Re: [PATCH] scripts/get_maintainer.pl: Default to --no-rolestats when output not a terminal

[Joe Perches <joe@perches.com>]

On Fri, 2012-08-03 at 11:47 -0700, Josh Triplett wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 03, 2012 at 11:33:21AM -0700, Joe Perches wrote:
> > On Fri, 2012-08-03 at 11:27 -0700, Josh Triplett wrote:
> > > scripts/get_maintainer.pl defaults to showing --rolestats, which
> > > provides annotations explaining why each person or list might want to
> > > know about a patch.  This works well for interactive use, but breaks
> > > when used with git send-email's --to-cmd or --cc-cmd, resulting in
> > > malformed email headers and mails sent to some but not all recipients.
> > > 
> > > To avoid the need to explicitly pass --no-rolestats for batch use,
> > > enable --rolestats by default only when outputting to a terminal.
> > 
> > Hi Josh.
> > 
> > I think it's preferable to add --no-rolestats
> > to the uses that need them.
> 
> Why?
> 
> > I have different scripts that I use for git send-email
> > options --to-cmd and --cc-cmd
> [...snip scripts...]
> 
> You've submitted enough patches that you've automated as much of the
> process as you can; I don't think that makes the defaults less
> error-prone.

I think the default use of the get_maintainer script is
actually not scripted but interactive, where the user is
just trying to figure out who the maintainer is.

Anyone using get_maintainer in a scripted way should go
through the effort of figuring out in advance who will
be a recipient.

>   Given that you've had to explicitly add --no-rolestats to
> your scripts, that seems like evidence in *favor* of making this change.

Probably not.

> As it stands now, the current default of --rolestats makes the obvious
> command line of
> git send-email --to-cmd='scripts/get_maintainer.pl' *.patch
> send broken emails that go to some maintainers but not all.  I think it
> makes sense to change the default so that the obvious usage becomes the
> correct one.

There were some discussions awhile back in 2010 about the
preferred defaults.

Perhaps you can read those discussions about why the default
is the way it is.

cheers, Joe