[PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[Chris Jones]

Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single
commit is given instead of a range.  Currently, when given a command
like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will
give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?".  Instead, what
is needed is a range of commits to rewrite.  This makes it give an
error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of
commits".

Signed-off-by: Chris W Jones <chris@christopherjones.us>
---
 git-filter-branch.sh | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/git-filter-branch.sh b/git-filter-branch.sh
index 5b3f63d..78e7499 100755
--- a/git-filter-branch.sh
+++ b/git-filter-branch.sh
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ git rev-parse --no-flags --revs-only
--symbolic-full-name \
 sed -e '/^^/d' "$tempdir"/raw-heads >"$tempdir"/heads
 
 test -s "$tempdir"/heads ||
-       die "Which ref do you want to rewrite?"
+       die "You didn't provide a valid range of commits."
 
 GIT_INDEX_FILE="$(pwd)/../index"
 export GIT_INDEX_FILE
-- 
1.9.3

Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[Jeff King]

On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote:

> Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single
> commit is given instead of a range.  Currently, when given a command
> like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will
> give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?".  Instead, what
> is needed is a range of commits to rewrite.  This makes it give an
> error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of
> commits".

Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think
your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step
further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your
range must be a ref.

-Peff

Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[Johannes Schindelin]

Hi,

On 2015-07-05 15:07, Jeff King wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote:
> 
>> Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single
>> commit is given instead of a range.  Currently, when given a command
>> like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will
>> give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?".  Instead, what
>> is needed is a range of commits to rewrite.  This makes it give an
>> error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of
>> commits".
> 
> Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think
> your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step
> further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your
> range must be a ref.

I agree, and would even further suggest to use the "did not" form instead of the abbreviated "didn't" one.

Thanks,
Dscho

Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[Chris Jones]

How does "You did not provide a valid range of commits.  
At least one tip in your range must be a ref." sound?

-- 
Chris
http://christopherjones.us/

On Sun, Jul 5, 2015, at 10:41 AM, Johannes Schindelin wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> On 2015-07-05 15:07, Jeff King wrote:
> > On Sat, Jul 04, 2015 at 07:39:04PM -0400, Chris Jones wrote:
> > 
> >> Make git filter-branch output a useful error message when a single
> >> commit is given instead of a range.  Currently, when given a command
> >> like git filter-branch --msg-filter 'echo "TEST"' -- abc123, it will
> >> give the message "Which ref do you want to rewrite?".  Instead, what
> >> is needed is a range of commits to rewrite.  This makes it give an
> >> error message that says "You didn't provide a valid range of
> >> commits".
> > 
> > Yeah, I agree the current message is a little confusing, and I think
> > your message is an improvement. I wonder if we can even go a step
> > further, like mentioning that at least one of the positive tips in your
> > range must be a ref.
> 
> I agree, and would even further suggest to use the "did not" form instead
> of the abbreviated "didn't" one.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dscho

Re: [PATCH] git-filter-branch.sh: clarify an error message

[Johannes Schindelin]

Hi Chris,

On 2015-07-11 04:04, Chris Jones wrote:
> How does "You did not provide a valid range of commits.  
> At least one tip in your range must be a ref." sound?

Maybe a bit shorter, as well as less accusing (which "You did not...!" may sound):

    filter-branch requires a valid commit range.

Ciao,
Dscho