Re: To page or not to page

Jeff King [off-list ref] writes:

So how about this:

 - keep a global use_pager = { 0 (explicit no), 1 (explicit yes), -1
   (unknown) }

 - if git-foo, lookup config for pager.foo

 - otherwise we have "git [options] foo"; look for -p / --no-pager; if
   none found, then lookup config for "foo"

 - before proceeding further, "commit" the pager choice by running it
   (if 1), munging GIT_PAGER=cat (if 0), or doing nothing (if -1)

 - before handling an internal command, if use_pager is -1 and the
   command defaults to a pager, we run it then

The patch below implements this.

It would be nice to actually defer running the pager until we are about
to run a git command. I.e., never "commit" to the pager until we are
actually running an internal command or exec'ing an external command.
That way it would be safe to make an alias that called "--no-pager"
(which is currently disallowed).

Ok, I agree that this is a less nice (as you mention ablve) but a workable
compromise with the reality.