Re: [PATCH v4 5/8] interpret-trailers: add --parse convenience option

On 15 August 2017 at 12:23, Jeff King [off-list ref] wrote:

 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git interpret-trailers' [--in-place] [--trim-empty] [(--trailer <token>[(=|:)<value>])...] [<file>...]
+'git interpret-trailers' [options] [(--trailer <token>[(=|:)<value>])...] [<file>...]
+'git interpret-trailers' [options] [--parse] [<file>...]

 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
-Help adding 'trailers' lines, that look similar to RFC 822 e-mail
+Help parsing or adding 'trailers' lines, that look similar to RFC 822 e-mail
 headers, at the end of the otherwise free-form part of a commit
 message.

 This command reads some patches or commit messages from either the
-<file> arguments or the standard input if no <file> is specified. Then
-this command applies the arguments passed using the `--trailer`
-option, if any, to the commit message part of each input file. The
-result is emitted on the standard output.
+<file> arguments or the standard input if no <file> is specified. If
+`--parse` is specified, the output consists of the parsed trailers.
+
+Otherwise, the this command applies the arguments passed using the
+`--trailer` option, if any, to the commit message part of each input
+file. The result is emitted on the standard output.

"the this"

I think I get why you use --parse above (and in the synopsis), although
it kind of feels like it should be --only-input or perhaps "--only-input
(or --parse)".

--only-input is sort of not covered by the "--parse"-part above, and it
is sort of not covered in the "Otherwise", since --only-input and
--trailer are incompatible. So it is sort of lost. :-) Probably doesn't
matter much. (I'm just thinking out loud without constructive ideas.)
Those who care about such details can continue reading..

Martin