Re: [PATCH] make slash-rules more readable

[Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>]

"Dr. Adam Nielsen" <admin@in-ici.net> writes:

> gitignore.txt: make slash-rules more readable
>
> Remove meta-rule in a paragraph for trailing-slash.
> Be precise whenever a trailing slash would make a 
> difference. Improve paragraph for pattern without slash. 
> Remove rule for leading slash because its now redundant. 
> Instead, add examples for leading slash and asterix in 
> example section.
>
> Signed-off-by: Dr. Adam Nielsen <admin@in-ici.net>
>
> ---
>  Documentation/gitignore.txt | 71 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++-----------
>  1 file changed, 50 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

I think the updated text is readable, except for one nit.

Specifically, if you took my suggestion in an earlier review to
explicitly say that leading slash is merely a workaround for a
string without slash to anchor the pattern to the directory and
it should be treated as if it does not exist otherwise, then ...

> + - The pattern `doc/frotz` and `/doc/frotz` have the same effect
> +   in any `.gitignore` file. Both pattern contain a non-trailing
> +   slash and thus match relative to the location of the
> +   `.gitignore` file.

... this paragraph wouldn't have been necessary.  

Besides, one extra reason why these two have the same effect is not
given in the updated text to explain away "To which substring of
path 'doc/frotz' does that leading slash in /doc/frotz match?"

The updated text does not seem to explain that the leading slash is
merely to pretend that the pattern "contains a slash so it does not
apply in a subdirectory" and for the purpose of pattern matching the
slash does not participate in the textual match, which seems to have
been lost in the updated patch, relative to the suggestions raised
in the review of earlier rounds.

The updated description on trailing slash as type specifier
(i.e. directory-only) is much easier to follow compared to the
earlier rounds of this patch, I would think.

Thanks.