[RFC PATCH 2/3] setup: introduce new helper 'is_git_directory_verbose'

@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ int get_common_dir_noenv(struct strbuf *sb, const char *gitdir)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int validate_headref(const char *path)
+static int validate_headref(const char *path, struct strbuf *err)
 {
 	struct stat st;
 	char buffer[256];

@@ -356,14 +356,32 @@ static int validate_headref(const char *path)
 	int fd;
 	ssize_t len;
 
-	if (lstat(path, &st) < 0)
+	if (lstat(path, &st) < 0) {
+		if (err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err, _("could not stat HEAD at '%s'"), path
+			);
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	/* Make sure it is a "refs/.." symlink */
 	if (S_ISLNK(st.st_mode)) {
 		len = readlink(path, buffer, sizeof(buffer)-1);
 		if (len >= 5 && !memcmp("refs/", buffer, 5))
 			return 0;
+		if (len == -1 && err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err,
+				_("could not read the symlink HEAD at '%s'"),
+				path
+			);
+		else if (err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err,
+				_("HEAD is a symlink ('%s') but target"
+				  " lives outside refs/"),
+				path
+			);
 		return -1;
 	}
 

@@ -371,13 +389,23 @@ static int validate_headref(const char *path)
 	 * Anything else, just open it and try to see if it is a symbolic ref.
 	 */
 	fd = open(path, O_RDONLY);
-	if (fd < 0)
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		if (err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err, _("could not open HEAD at '%s'"), path
+			);
 		return -1;
+	}
 	len = read_in_full(fd, buffer, sizeof(buffer)-1);
 	close(fd);
 
-	if (len < 0)
+	if (len < 0) {
+		if (err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err, _("could not read HEAD at '%s'"), path
+			);
 		return -1;
+	}
 	buffer[len] = '\0';
 
 	/*

@@ -396,9 +424,88 @@ static int validate_headref(const char *path)
 	if (get_oid_hex_any(buffer, &oid) != GIT_HASH_UNKNOWN)
 		return 0;
 
+	if (err)
+		strbuf_addf(
+			err,
+			_("HEAD at '%s' does not point to a valid"
+			  " symbolic link or an object ID"),
+			path
+		);
+
 	return -1;
 }
 
+/*
+ * A variant of is_git_directory that gives additional
+ * context via 'err' about why a given suspect is not
+ * a valid git repository.
+ */
+static int is_git_directory_verbose(const char *suspect, struct strbuf *err)
+{
+	struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
+	char *objdir;
+	int ret = 0;
+	size_t len;
+
+	/* Check worktree-related signatures */
+	strbuf_addstr(&path, suspect);
+	strbuf_complete(&path, '/');
+	strbuf_addstr(&path, "HEAD");
+	if (validate_headref(path.buf, err))
+		goto done;
+
+	strbuf_reset(&path);
+	get_common_dir(&path, suspect);
+	len = path.len;
+
+	/* Check non-worktree-related signatures */
+	objdir = getenv(DB_ENVIRONMENT);
+	if (objdir) {
+		if (access(objdir, X_OK)) {
+			if (err)
+				strbuf_addf(
+					err,
+					_("cannot access object directory '%s'"
+					  " set via $%s\n"),
+				objdir,
+				DB_ENVIRONMENT
+			);
+			goto done;
+		}
+	}
+	else {
+		strbuf_setlen(&path, len);
+		strbuf_addstr(&path, "/objects");
+		if (access(path.buf, X_OK)) {
+			if (err)
+				strbuf_addf(
+					err,
+					_("cannot access object directory '%s'"),
+					path.buf
+				);
+			goto done;
+		}
+	}
+
+	strbuf_setlen(&path, len);
+	strbuf_addstr(&path, "/refs");
+	if (access(path.buf, X_OK)) {
+		if (err)
+			strbuf_addf(
+				err,
+				_("cannot access refs directory '%s'"),
+				path.buf
+			);
+		goto done;
+	}
+
+	ret = 1;
+done:
+	strbuf_release(&path);
+	return ret;
+
+}
+
 /*
  * Test if it looks like we're at a git directory.
  * We want to see:

@@ -412,42 +519,7 @@ static int validate_headref(const char *path)
  */
 int is_git_directory(const char *suspect)
 {
-	struct strbuf path = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int ret = 0;
-	size_t len;
-
-	/* Check worktree-related signatures */
-	strbuf_addstr(&path, suspect);
-	strbuf_complete(&path, '/');
-	strbuf_addstr(&path, "HEAD");
-	if (validate_headref(path.buf))
-		goto done;
-
-	strbuf_reset(&path);
-	get_common_dir(&path, suspect);
-	len = path.len;
-
-	/* Check non-worktree-related signatures */
-	if (getenv(DB_ENVIRONMENT)) {
-		if (access(getenv(DB_ENVIRONMENT), X_OK))
-			goto done;
-	}
-	else {
-		strbuf_setlen(&path, len);
-		strbuf_addstr(&path, "/objects");
-		if (access(path.buf, X_OK))
-			goto done;
-	}
-
-	strbuf_setlen(&path, len);
-	strbuf_addstr(&path, "/refs");
-	if (access(path.buf, X_OK))
-		goto done;
-
-	ret = 1;
-done:
-	strbuf_release(&path);
-	return ret;
+	return is_git_directory_verbose(suspect, NULL);
 }
 
 int is_nonbare_repository_dir(struct strbuf *path)