# Re: \[PATCHv5 8/8\] clone: recursive and reference option triggers submodule alternates

- From: Stefan Beller \<hidden\>
- Date: 2016-08-23 23:03:28 
- List: git
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/git/2016/08/7694145
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/git/2016/08/7693537/t.md

```text
>> +
>> +       if (option_recursive) {
>> +               if (option_required_reference.nr &&
>> +                   option_optional_reference.nr)
>> +                       die(_("clone --recursive is not compatible with "
>> +                             "both --reference and --reference-if-able"));
>
> So if you have multiple references that don't all match we basically
> just refuse to allow recursive?
>
> Would it be better to simply assume that we want to die on missing
> references instead of failing the clone here?

The new config options are per repo (or even set globally), and not
per alternate. And as we communicate the [if-able] part via the config
options to the submodules it is not feasible to transport both
kinds of (reference-or-die and reference-but-ignore-misses).

That is why I introduced this check in the first place. If we'd go back
to the drawing board and come up with a solution that is on a
"per alternate" basis we could allow such things.

> That is, treat it so
> that multiple reference and reference-if-able will die, and only info
> if we got only reference-if-able?
>
> Probably what's here is fine, and mixing reference and
> reference-if-able doesn't make much sense.

I think the reference-if-able doesn't make sense for one project alone
as you can easily script around that, but is only useful if you have
submodules in a partially checked out superproject that you want
to reference to.

Thanks,
Stefan
```