diff mbox series

[3/3] grep docs: describe --no-index further and improve formatting a bit

Message ID 264643a638fd1ee9970f96e7aa4914c37e30b3d2.1710968761.git.dsimic@manjaro.org (mailing list archive)
State Superseded
Headers show
Series Assorted improvements salvaged from an earlier series | expand

Commit Message

Dragan Simic March 20, 2024, 9:08 p.m. UTC
Improve the description of --no-index, to make a bit more clear what this
option actually does under the hood, and how it is meant to be used.  Describe
the dependency between --no-index and either of the --cached and --untracked
options, which cannot be used together.

As part of that, shuffle a couple of the options, to make the documentation
flow a bit better;  it makes more sense to describe first the options that
have something in common, and to after that describe an option that has some
dependency on the already described options.

While there, improve the descriptions of grep worker threads a bit, to give
them better context.  Adjust the language a bit, to avoid addressing the
reader, and perform some minor formatting improvements, to make it clear
it's the git commands, command parameters, and configuration option names.

Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
---

Notes:
    This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for which it has been
    concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
    with various git scripts. [2]
    
    Compared to the previous version, this version continues the effort to
    improve the description of --no-index, by also incorporating the possible
    improvements pointed out by Junio. [3]  This version also improves the
    wording of some related descriptions, mainly related to grep.threads,
    and performs some additional small formatting improvements.
    
    [1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/T/#u
    [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/
    [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqwmpzrqfv.fsf@gitster.g/

 Documentation/git-grep.txt | 26 +++++++++++++++++---------
 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

Comments

Jean-Noël AVILA March 23, 2024, 7:26 p.m. UTC | #1
On Wednesday, 20 March 2024 22:08:46 CET Dragan Simic wrote:
> Improve the description of --no-index, to make a bit more clear what this
> option actually does under the hood, and how it is meant to be used.  
Describe
> the dependency between --no-index and either of the --cached and --untracked
> options, which cannot be used together.
> 
> As part of that, shuffle a couple of the options, to make the documentation
> flow a bit better;  it makes more sense to describe first the options that
> have something in common, and to after that describe an option that has some
> dependency on the already described options.
> 
> While there, improve the descriptions of grep worker threads a bit, to give
> them better context.  Adjust the language a bit, to avoid addressing the
> reader, and perform some minor formatting improvements, to make it clear
> it's the git commands, command parameters, and configuration option names.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Dragan Simic <dsimic@manjaro.org>
> ---
> 
> Notes:
>     This patch is salvaged from my earlier series, [1] for which it has been
>     concluded to be not acceptable for merging, because of possible issues
>     with various git scripts. [2]
>     
>     Compared to the previous version, this version continues the effort to
>     improve the description of --no-index, by also incorporating the 
possible
>     improvements pointed out by Junio. [3]  This version also improves the
>     wording of some related descriptions, mainly related to grep.threads,
>     and performs some additional small formatting improvements.
>     
>     [1] https://lore.kernel.org/git/cover.1710781235.git.dsimic@manjaro.org/
T/#u
>     [2] https://lore.kernel.org/git/
d8475579f014a90b27efaf6207bc6fb0@manjaro.org/
>     [3] https://lore.kernel.org/git/xmqqwmpzrqfv.fsf@gitster.g/
> 
>  Documentation/git-grep.txt | 26 +++++++++++++++++---------
>  1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
> --- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> +++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
> @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>  	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
>  	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
>  	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
> -	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --
untracked] | <tree>...]
> +	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-
index] | <tree>...]

This change gives precedence to some option in alternatives, which seems 
weird.

>  	   [--] [<pathspec>...]
>  
>  DESCRIPTION
> @@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ OPTIONS
>  	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
>  	blobs registered in the index file.
>  
> ---no-index::
> -	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
> -
>  --untracked::
>  	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
>  	tree, search also in untracked files.
>  
> +--no-index::
> +	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
> +	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
> +	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,

Auto-referencing the git-grep manpage in itself is useless.

> +	with the additional benefits, such as using multiple worker threads
> +	to speed up searches.
> ++
> +This option cannot be used together with `--cached` or `--untracked`.
> +See also `grep.fallbackToNoIndex` in 'CONFIGURATION' below.
> +
>  --no-exclude-standard::
>  	Also search in ignored files by not honoring the `.gitignore`
>  	mechanism. Only useful with `--untracked`.
> @@ -248,8 +255,9 @@ providing this option will cause it to die.
>  	a non-zero status.
>  
>  --threads <num>::
> -	Number of grep worker threads to use.
> -	See `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION' for more information.
> +	Number of `grep` worker threads to use, to speed up searches.
> +	See 'NOTES ON THREADS' and `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION'
> +	for more information.
>  
>  -f <file>::
>  	Read patterns from <file>, one per line.
> @@ -336,9 +344,9 @@ The `--threads` option (and the `grep.threads` 
configuration) will be ignored wh
>  `--open-files-in-pager` is used, forcing a single-threaded execution.
>  
>  When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree objects), 
running
> -with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if `--
textconv`
> -is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you experience low
> -performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
> +with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if `--
textconv`
> +is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low performance 
is
> +experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.

I'm not native speaker, but I'm not sure the switch to passive form is 
helpful. In Simplified English, passive form is considered harmful and difficult 
to translate because the subject is elided.

>  
>  CONFIGURATION
>  -------------
> 
> 

Otherwise, thank you for helping converge to a more standardized format of 
manpages.
Dragan Simic March 23, 2024, 7:46 p.m. UTC | #2
Hello Jean-Noël,

On 2024-03-23 20:26, Jean-Noël AVILA wrote:
> On Wednesday, 20 March 2024 22:08:46 CET Dragan Simic wrote:
>> diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
>> --- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> +++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
>> @@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
>>  	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
>>  	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
>>  	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
>> -	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --
> untracked] | <tree>...]
>> +	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-
> index] | <tree>...]
> 
> This change gives precedence to some option in alternatives, which 
> seems
> weird.

As explained in the patch description, it isn't about the precedence,
but about grouping together the options that have something in common.
In more detail, --cached and --untracked have something in common,
i.e. they both leave git-grep in the usual state, in which it treats
the directory as a local git repository, unlike --no-index that makes
git-grep treat the directory not as a git repository.

>> @@ -45,13 +45,20 @@ OPTIONS
>>  	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
>>  	blobs registered in the index file.
>> 
>> ---no-index::
>> -	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
>> -
>>  --untracked::
>>  	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
>>  	tree, search also in untracked files.
>> 
>> +--no-index::
>> +	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
>> +	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
>> +	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,
> 
> Auto-referencing the git-grep manpage in itself is useless.

Please note this isn't a link, it just mentions the operation.  Though,
I agree that rewording it a bit might be beneficial.

>>  When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree 
>> objects),
> running
>> -with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if 
>> `--
> textconv`
>> -is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you 
>> experience low
>> -performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
>> +with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if 
>> `--
> textconv`
>> +is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low 
>> performance
> is
>> +experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
> 
> I'm not native speaker, but I'm not sure the switch to passive form is
> helpful. In Simplified English, passive form is considered harmful and
> difficult to translate because the subject is elided.

In general, not addressing the user/reader directly is preferred in
technical documentation, because it eliminates the possible element
of persuading the user to do something.  In other words, we should be
telling the user what our software can do, instead of telling the
user what to do.
diff mbox series

Patch

diff --git a/Documentation/git-grep.txt b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
index f64f40e9775a..b144401b3698 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-grep.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-grep.txt
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@  SYNOPSIS
 	   [-f <file>] [-e] <pattern>
 	   [--and|--or|--not|(|)|-e <pattern>...]
 	   [--recurse-submodules] [--parent-basename <basename>]
-	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --no-index | --untracked] | <tree>...]
+	   [ [--[no-]exclude-standard] [--cached | --untracked | --no-index] | <tree>...]
 	   [--] [<pathspec>...]
 
 DESCRIPTION
@@ -45,13 +45,20 @@  OPTIONS
 	Instead of searching tracked files in the working tree, search
 	blobs registered in the index file.
 
---no-index::
-	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git.
-
 --untracked::
 	In addition to searching in the tracked files in the working
 	tree, search also in untracked files.
 
+--no-index::
+	Search files in the current directory that is not managed by Git,
+	or by ignoring that the current directory is managed by Git.  This
+	allows `git-grep(1)` to be used as the regular `grep(1)` utility,
+	with the additional benefits, such as using multiple worker threads
+	to speed up searches.
++
+This option cannot be used together with `--cached` or `--untracked`.
+See also `grep.fallbackToNoIndex` in 'CONFIGURATION' below.
+
 --no-exclude-standard::
 	Also search in ignored files by not honoring the `.gitignore`
 	mechanism. Only useful with `--untracked`.
@@ -248,8 +255,9 @@  providing this option will cause it to die.
 	a non-zero status.
 
 --threads <num>::
-	Number of grep worker threads to use.
-	See `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION' for more information.
+	Number of `grep` worker threads to use, to speed up searches.
+	See 'NOTES ON THREADS' and `grep.threads` in 'CONFIGURATION'
+	for more information.
 
 -f <file>::
 	Read patterns from <file>, one per line.
@@ -336,9 +344,9 @@  The `--threads` option (and the `grep.threads` configuration) will be ignored wh
 `--open-files-in-pager` is used, forcing a single-threaded execution.
 
 When grepping the object store (with `--cached` or giving tree objects), running
-with multiple threads might perform slower than single threaded if `--textconv`
-is given and there are too many text conversions. So if you experience low
-performance in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
+with multiple threads might perform slower than single-threaded if `--textconv`
+is given and there are too many text conversions.  Thus, if low performance is
+experienced in this case, it might be desirable to use `--threads=1`.
 
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------