Re: [PATCH] git: add -N as a short option for --no-pager

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

Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org> writes:

> In modern setups, less, the pager, uses alternate screen to show
> the content. When it is closed, it switches back to the original
> screen, and all content is gone.
>
> It is not uncommon to request that the output remains visible in
> the terminal. For this, the option --no-pager can be used. But
> it is a bit cumbersome to type, even when command completion is
> available. Provide a short option, -N, to make the option easier
> accessible.
>
> Signed-off-by: Johannes Sixt <j6t@kdbg.org>
> ---

Heh, I used to append "|cat", which is four keystrokes that is a bit
shorter than " --no-pager", but that is only acceptable when you do
not care about colored output ;-)

I am not absolutely certain about the choice of a single letter. I
already checked we do not use "git -N cmd" for anything else right
now, so I am certain about the availability, but I am not sure if
capital 'N' is the best choice, when the other side is lowercase 'p'
(and more importantly, the other side 'p' has mneomonic value for
'pagination', but 'N' merely stands for 'no' and could be negating
anything, not related to pagination). But I agree that a short-hand
would be welcome.

> diff --git a/Documentation/git.txt b/Documentation/git.txt
> index 4767860e72..17b50b0dc6 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git.txt
> @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>  [verse]
>  'git' [--version] [--help] [-C <path>] [-c <name>=<value>]
>      [--exec-path[=<path>]] [--html-path] [--man-path] [--info-path]
> -    [-p|--paginate|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
> +    [-p|--paginate|-N|--no-pager] [--no-replace-objects] [--bare]
>      [--git-dir=<path>] [--work-tree=<path>] [--namespace=<name>]
>      [--super-prefix=<path>]
>      <command> [<args>]
> @@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ foo.bar= ...`) sets `foo.bar` to the empty string which `git config
>  	configuration options (see the "Configuration Mechanism" section
>  	below).
>  
> +-N::
>  --no-pager::
>  	Do not pipe Git output into a pager.