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There are "git checkout [-p][<tree-ish>][--][<paths>...]" in the SYNOPSIS section, and "git checkout [-p][<tree-ish>][--]<paths>..." as the header for the section that explains the "check out paths from index/tree-ish" mode. It is unclear if we require at least one path, or it is entirely optional. Actually, both are wrong. Without the "-p(atch)" option, you must have <pathspec> (otherwise, with a commit that is a <tree-ish>, you would be checking out that commit to build a new history on top of it). With it, it is already clear that you are checking out paths, it is optional. In other words, you cannot omit both. The source of the confusion is that -p(atch) is described as if it is just another "optional" part and its description is lumped together with the non patch mode, even though the actual end user experience is vastly different. Let's split the entry into two, and describe the regular mode and the patch mode separately. This allows us to make it clear that the regular mode MUST be given at least one pathspec, that the patch mode can be invoked with either '-p' or '--patch' but one of these must be given, and that the pathspec is entirely optional in the patch mode. Also, revamp the explanation of "checkout paths" by removing extraneous description at the beginning, that says "checking out paths is not checking out a branch". Explaining what it is for and when the user wants to use it upfront is the most direct way to help the readers. Noticed-by: Robert P J Day Helped-by: Jonathan Nieder <jrnieder@gmail.com> Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>maint
Junio C Hamano
7 years ago
1 changed files with 16 additions and 14 deletions
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