Re: [PATCH] Allow 'git cmd -h' outside of repository

On 8/29/08, Johannes Schindelin [off-list ref] wrote:

Hi,


 On Thu, 28 Aug 2008, SZEDER Gábor wrote:

 > Printing usage strings of git commands should obviously not depend on
 > the command being run inside a git repository.  However, in case of a
 > command requiring a repository, the command line options are parsed only
 > after it is ensured that the command was started inside a repository,
 > resulting in a 'fatal: Not a git repository' if 'git cmd -h' wasn't
 > executed inside a repository.
 >
 > To get around this issue, we will check early for the presence of '-h'
 > option, and skip ensuring that the command is run inside a repository.


You miss the fact that "git grep -h" does not mean "show usage".  Oh, and
 "git ls-remote -h" neither.  Three times's a charm: "git show-ref -h" does
 not show the help either.

 I am also not quite certain if we should not just tout "git help <cmd>" as
 the official way to request help.

No we should not (at least to me), usage strings are shorter and don't
require man.  As for allowing "git cmd -h" outside repository, I think
Jeff's idea of refactoring setup procedure, setting up if possible but
not barfing, would solve it.
-- 
Duy