refs: make errno output explicit for read_raw_ref_fn

This makes it explicit how alternative ref backends should report errors in
read_raw_ref_fn.

read_raw_ref_fn needs to supply a credible errno for a number of cases. These
are primarily:

1) The files backend calls read_raw_ref from lock_raw_ref, and uses the
resulting error codes to create/remove directories as needed.

2) ENOENT should be translated in a zero OID, optionally with REF_ISBROKEN set,
returning the last successfully resolved symref. This is necessary so
read_raw_ref("HEAD") on an empty repo returns refs/heads/main (or the default branch
du-jour), and we know on which branch to create the first commit.

Make this information flow explicit by adding a failure_errno to the signature
of read_raw_ref. All errnos from the files backend are still propagated
unchanged, even though inspection suggests only ENOTDIR, EISDIR and ENOENT are
relevant.

Signed-off-by: Han-Wen Nienhuys <hanwen@google.com>
Signed-off-by: Ævar Arnfjörð Bjarmason <avarab@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

refs.c

@@ -1682,7 +1682,7 @@ int refs_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 	}
 
 	return ref_store->be->read_raw_ref(ref_store, refname, oid, referent,
-					   type);
+					   type, &errno);
 }
 
 /* This function needs to return a meaningful errno on failure */

refs/debug.c

@@ -238,15 +238,14 @@ debug_ref_iterator_begin(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *prefix,
 
 static int debug_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
 			      struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
-			      unsigned int *type)
+			      unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct debug_ref_store *drefs = (struct debug_ref_store *)ref_store;
 	int res = 0;
 
 	oidcpy(oid, null_oid());
-	errno = 0;
 	res = drefs->refs->be->read_raw_ref(drefs->refs, refname, oid, referent,
-					    type);
+					    type, failure_errno);
 
 	if (res == 0) {
 		trace_printf_key(&trace_refs, "read_raw_ref: %s: %s (=> %s) type %x: %d\n",
@@ -254,7 +253,7 @@ static int debug_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
 	} else {
 		trace_printf_key(&trace_refs,
 				 "read_raw_ref: %s: %d (errno %d)\n", refname,
-				 res, errno);
+				 res, *failure_errno);
 	}
 	return res;
 }

refs/files-backend.c

@@ -341,9 +341,9 @@ static struct ref_cache *get_loose_ref_cache(struct files_ref_store *refs)
 	return refs->loose;
 }
 
-static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			      const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			      struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
+static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			      struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			      unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct files_ref_store *refs =
 		files_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_READ, "read_raw_ref");
@@ -354,7 +354,6 @@ static int files_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 	struct stat st;
 	int fd;
 	int ret = -1;
-	int save_errno;
 	int remaining_retries = 3;
 
 	*type = 0;
@@ -459,10 +458,9 @@ stat_ref:
 	ret = parse_loose_ref_contents(buf, oid, referent, type);
 
 out:
-	save_errno = errno;
+	*failure_errno = errno;
 	strbuf_release(&sb_path);
 	strbuf_release(&sb_contents);
-	errno = save_errno;
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -540,6 +538,7 @@ static int lock_raw_ref(struct files_ref_store *refs,
 	struct strbuf ref_file = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int attempts_remaining = 3;
 	int ret = TRANSACTION_GENERIC_ERROR;
+	int failure_errno;
 
 	assert(err);
 	files_assert_main_repository(refs, "lock_raw_ref");
@@ -610,7 +609,9 @@ retry:
 	if (hold_lock_file_for_update_timeout(
 			    &lock->lk, ref_file.buf, LOCK_NO_DEREF,
 			    get_files_ref_lock_timeout_ms()) < 0) {
-		if (errno == ENOENT && --attempts_remaining > 0) {
+		int myerr = errno;
+		errno = 0;
+		if (myerr == ENOENT && --attempts_remaining > 0) {
 			/*
 			 * Maybe somebody just deleted one of the
 			 * directories leading to ref_file.  Try
@@ -618,7 +619,7 @@ retry:
 			 */
 			goto retry;
 		} else {
-			unable_to_lock_message(ref_file.buf, errno, err);
+			unable_to_lock_message(ref_file.buf, myerr, err);
 			goto error_return;
 		}
 	}
@@ -628,9 +629,9 @@ retry:
 	 * fear that its value will change.
 	 */
 
-	if (files_read_raw_ref(&refs->base, refname,
-			       &lock->old_oid, referent, type)) {
-		if (errno == ENOENT) {
+	if (files_read_raw_ref(&refs->base, refname, &lock->old_oid, referent,
+			       type, &failure_errno)) {
+		if (failure_errno == ENOENT) {
 			if (mustexist) {
 				/* Garden variety missing reference. */
 				strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s'",
@@ -654,7 +655,7 @@ retry:
 				 *   reference named "refs/foo/bar/baz".
 				 */
 			}
-		} else if (errno == EISDIR) {
+		} else if (failure_errno == EISDIR) {
 			/*
 			 * There is a directory in the way. It might have
 			 * contained references that have been deleted. If
@@ -692,13 +693,13 @@ retry:
 					goto error_return;
 				}
 			}
-		} else if (errno == EINVAL && (*type & REF_ISBROKEN)) {
+		} else if (failure_errno == EINVAL && (*type & REF_ISBROKEN)) {
 			strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s': "
 				    "reference broken", refname);
 			goto error_return;
 		} else {
 			strbuf_addf(err, "unable to resolve reference '%s': %s",
-				    refname, strerror(errno));
+				    refname, strerror(failure_errno));
 			goto error_return;
 		}
 

refs/packed-backend.c

@@ -724,9 +724,9 @@ static struct snapshot *get_snapshot(struct packed_ref_store *refs)
 	return refs->snapshot;
 }
 
-static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			       const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			       struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type)
+static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			       struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			       unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno)
 {
 	struct packed_ref_store *refs =
 		packed_downcast(ref_store, REF_STORE_READ, "read_raw_ref");
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ static int packed_read_raw_ref(struct ref_store *ref_store,
 
 	if (!rec) {
 		/* refname is not a packed reference. */
-		errno = ENOENT;
+		*failure_errno = ENOENT;
 		return -1;
 	}
 

refs/refs-internal.h

@@ -620,11 +620,15 @@ typedef int reflog_expire_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
  * properly-formatted or even safe reference name. NEITHER INPUT NOR
  * OUTPUT REFERENCE NAMES ARE VALIDATED WITHIN THIS FUNCTION.
  *
- * Return 0 on success. If the ref doesn't exist, set errno to ENOENT
- * and return -1. If the ref exists but is neither a symbolic ref nor
- * an object ID, it is broken; set REF_ISBROKEN in type, and return -1
- * (errno should not be ENOENT) If there is another error reading the
- * ref, set errno appropriately and return -1.
+ * Return 0 on success, or -1 on failure. If the ref exists but is neither a
+ * symbolic ref nor an object ID, it is broken. In this case set REF_ISBROKEN in
+ * type, and return -1 (failure_errno should not be ENOENT)
+ *
+ * failure_errno provides errno codes that are interpreted beyond error
+ * reporting. The following error codes have special meaning:
+ *    * ENOENT: the ref doesn't exist
+ *    * EISDIR: ref name is a directory
+ *    * ENOTDIR: ref prefix is not a directory
  *
  * Backend-specific flags might be set in type as well, regardless of
  * outcome.
@@ -638,9 +642,9 @@ typedef int reflog_expire_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
  * - in all other cases, referent will be untouched, and therefore
  *   refname will still be valid and unchanged.
  */
-typedef int read_raw_ref_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store,
-			    const char *refname, struct object_id *oid,
-			    struct strbuf *referent, unsigned int *type);
+typedef int read_raw_ref_fn(struct ref_store *ref_store, const char *refname,
+			    struct object_id *oid, struct strbuf *referent,
+			    unsigned int *type, int *failure_errno);
 
 struct ref_storage_be {
 	struct ref_storage_be *next;