Re: [PATCH] format-patch: remove existing output-directory

John Keeping [off-list ref] writes:

On Fri, Jun 14, 2013 at 06:45:19PM +0530, Ramkumar Ramachandra wrote:

quoted

John Keeping wrote:

quoted

I don't think this is the correct behaviour.  I can think of cases where
I would want to output multiple things into the same directory.

format.cleanOutputDirectory = true|false?

Maybe, but I was thinking of something more like:

    Output directory is not empty, use "--allow-non-empty-dir" if you
    really want to proceed.

Using that configuration variable lets someone shoot themselves in the
foot quite badly if they forget that they have set it and set the output
directory to somewhere containing important data.

Yes.  format.refuseToOutputToNonEmpty that defaults to false and
gives your error message is a sensible way to go.