Re: [PATCH 16/20] sparse-checkout: toggle sparse index from builtin

On 2/24/2021 2:11 PM, Martin Ågren wrote:

On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 at 00:57, Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget
[off-list ref] wrote:

quoted

+that is not completely understood by other tools. Enabling sparse index
+enables the `extensions.spareseIndex` config value, which might cause

s/sparese/sparse

Thanks!

 

quoted

+other tools to stop working with your repository. If you have trouble with
+this compatibility, then run `git sparse-checkout sparse-index disable` to
+remove this config and rewrite your index to not be sparse.

While I'm commenting on this..:

There are several "layers" here, for lack of a better term. "Enabling foo
enables bar which may cause baz. If you fail due to baz, try dropping
bar by dropping foo." If I remove any mention of the config variable from
your text, I get the following.

 Enabling sparse index might cause other tools to stop working with your
 repository. If you have trouble with this compatibility, then run `git
 sparse-checkout sparse-index disable` to rewrite your index to not be
 sparse.

I'm tempted to suggest such a rewrite to relieve readers of knowing of
the middle step, which you could say is more of an implementation
detail. But if we think that the symptoms / error messages might involve
"extensions.sparseIndex" or, as would be the case with an older Git
installation,

  fatal: unknown repository extensions found:
          sparseindex

maybe there is some value in mentioning the config item by name. Just
thinking out loud, really, and I don't have any strong opinion. I only
came here to point out the typo in the docs.

 
I agree that the layers are confusing. We could rearrange and have
a similar flow to what you recommend by mentioning the extension at
the end:

**WARNING:** Using a sparse index requires modifying the index in a way
that is not completely understood by other tools. If you have trouble with
this compatibility, then run `git sparse-checkout sparse-index disable` to
rewrite your index to not be sparse. Older versions of Git will not
understand the `sparseIndex` repository extension and may fail to interact
with your repository until it is disabled.

Thanks,
-Stolee