Re: [PATCH v4 14/15] files-backend: remove submodule_allowed from files_downcast()

On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 7:11 PM, Michael Haggerty [off-list ref] wrote:

On 02/18/2017 02:33 PM, Nguyễn Thái Ngọc Duy wrote:

quoted

Since submodule or not is irrelevant to files-backend after the last
patch, remove the parameter from files_downcast() and kill
files_assert_main_repository().

PS. This implies that all ref operations are allowed for submodules. But
we may need to look more closely to see if that's really true...

I think you are jumping the gun here.

Even after your changes, there is still a significant difference between
the main repository and submodules: we have access to the object
database for the main repository, but not for submodules.

So, for example, the following don't work for submodules:

* `parse_object()` is used to ensure that references are only pointed at
valid objects, and that branches are only pointed at commit objects.

* `peel_object()` is used to write the peeled version of references in
`packed-refs`, and to peel references while they are being iterated
over. Since this doesn't work, I think you can't write `packed-refs` in
a submodule.

These limitations, I think, imply that submodule references have to be
treated as read-only.

Behind the scene submodule does add_submodule_odb(), which basically
makes the submodule's odb an alternate of in-core odb. So odb access
works. I was puzzled how submodules could by pass odb access at the
beginning only to find that out. technical/api-ref-iteration.txt also
mentions that you need to add_submodule_odb(), so I think it's
deliberate (albeit hacky) design.

When I was working on a patch series similar to yours, I introduced a
boolean "main_repository" flag in `struct ref_store`, and use that
member to implement `files_assert_main_repository()`. That way
`files_ref_store::submodule` can still be removed, which is the more
important goal from a design standpoint.

I could keep the submodule check back (and replace the submodule
string in files_ref_store with just a flag). But I really think all
backend functions work with submodule. Perhaps add some tests to
exercise/verify that files-backend-on-submodule works?
-- 
Duy