Re: [PATCH/RFC] checkout --detached test: write supporting files before start of tests

On Fri, Apr 13, 2012 at 06:25:35PM -0500, Jonathan Nieder wrote:

As a general rule, git's tests use the following layout:

 - first, setting the --help description and including test-lib
   and other libraries

 - next, writing static files and setting variables that will last
   through the entire script, and defining helper functions

 - next, the test assertions themselves

This way it is visually obvious where the code for each test assertion
begins and ends and there is no temptation to use command substitution
to do nontrivial work outside of the test_expect_success / failure
blocks.

Signed-off-by: Jonathan Nieder <redacted>

I agree with that general rule, although:

-cat >expect <<'EOF'
-Your branch is behind 'master' by 1 commit, and can be fast-forwarded.
-EOF
 test_expect_success 'tracking count is accurate after orphan check' '
+	cp master-1-ahead.message expect &&
 	reset &&
 	git branch child master^ &&
 	git config branch.child.remote . &&

it is quote common to keep expected output closer to its test, and this
expectation is only useful for this one test.  If anything, should this
not be moving the cat inside the test_expect_success? Or is there some
follow-on patch I am missing that is also going to use the message?

-Peff