Re: [PATCH] doc: clarify usage of XDG_CONFIG_HOME config file

[Jacob Keller <jacob.keller@gmail.com>]

On Tue, Dec 12, 2017 at 7:20 AM, Todd Zullinger <tmz@pobox.com> wrote:
> Hi Jacob,
>
> Jacob Keller wrote:
>> The documentation for git config and how it reads the user specific
>> configuration file is misleading. In some places it implies that
>> $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config will always be read. In others, it implies
>> that only one of ~/.gitconfig and $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config will be
>> read.
>>
>> Improve the documentation explaining how the various configuration files
>> are read, and combined.
>>
>> Instead of referencing each file individually, reference each type of
>> location git will check. When discussing the user configuration, explain
>> how we switch between one of three choices. Ensure to note that only one
>> of the three choices is used.
>
> Perhaps it would read a little easier as "Make it clear ..."
> rather than "Ensure to note that ..." ?
>
>> +Note that git will only ever use one of these files as the global user
>> +configuration file at once. Additionally if you sometimes use an older version
>> +of git, it is best to only rely on `~/.gitconfig` as support for the others was
>> +added fairly recently.
>
> Is it really accurate to say these were added fairly
> recently?  It looks like XDG_CONFIG_HOME was added in
> 21cf322791 ("config: read (but not write) from
> $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config file", 2012-06-22) and
> 0e8593dc5b ("config: write to $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config
> file when appropriate", 2012-06-22) which are in 1.7.12.
>
> Would it be better to say something like "if you sometimes
> use a version of git prior to 1.7.12" here?
>

I copied this from the original and didn't look to see how accurate it
was. I'd be ok with dropping it now that we've had support for such a
long time.

Thanks,
Jake

> Or maybe we can drop "Additionally ..." altogether now?
> Someone using a 5 year old git version sometimes will
> hopefully know to check the documentation for that older
> version.
>
> --
> Todd
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Now don't say you can't swear off drinking; it's easy. I've done it a
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>