Re: [GSoC][PATCH] submodule: port submodule subcommand 'add' from shell to C

[Kaartic Sivaraam <kaartic.sivaraam@gmail.com>]

On 26-08-2020 14:57, Shourya Shukla wrote:
> On 8/25/20, Kaartic Sivaraam <kaartic.sivaraam@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> This part results in a difference in error message in shell and C
>> versions.
>>
>> -- 8< --
>> $ # Shell version
>> $ git submodule add ../subm1 sub
>> A git directory for 'sub' is found locally with remote(s):
>>   origin        /me/subm1
>> If you want to reuse this local git directory instead of cloning again from
>>   /me/subm1
>> use the '--force' option. If the local git directory is not the correct
>> repo
>> or you are unsure what this means choose another name with the '--name'
>> option.
>> $
>> $ # C version
>> $ git submodule add ../subm1 sub
>> A git directory for 'sub' is found locally with remote(s):
>>   origin        /me/subm1
>> error: If you want to reuse this local git directory instead of cloning
>> again from
>>    /me/subm1
>> use the '--force' option. If the local git directory is not the correct
>> repo
>> or you are unsure what this means choose another name with the '--name'
>> option.
>> -- >8 --
>>
>> Note how the third line is oddly prefixed by a `error` unlike the rest
>> of the lines. It would be nice if we could weed out that inconsistency.
>> We could probably use `advise()` for printing the last four lines and
>> `error()` for the lines above them.
> 
> Understood. I will correct this part. BTW, you surely are talking
> about error() on
> the first 2 lines? I think fprintf(stderr, _()) is OK for them otherwise they
> will be prefixed by 'error:' which will not be in line with the shell version.
> 

Yes. It's better to prefix them with `error` because well... it is an
error. I realize the shell version didn't explicitly do this but that
doesn't necessarily mean the error message was helpful without the
prefix. AFAIK, many Git commands prefix their error messages with
`fatal` or `error` which makes it easy to distinguish error messages
from actual program output in the terminal. So, it's good to do the same
here.

-- 
Sivaraam