From 89dd32aedcb52a77240f3923a687edc8a61662e7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Junio C Hamano Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2017 00:12:34 -0700 Subject: check-ref-format doc: --branch validates and expands "git check-ref-format --branch $name" feature was originally introduced (and was advertised) as a way for scripts to take any end-user supplied string (like "master", "@{-1}" etc.) and see if it is usable when Git expects to see a branch name, and also obtain the concrete branch name that the at-mark magic expands to. Emphasize that "see if it is usable" role in the description and clarify that the @{...} expansion only occurs when run from within a repository. [jn: split out from a larger patch] Helped-by: Jeff King Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano Signed-off-by: Jonathan Nieder Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano --- Documentation/git-check-ref-format.txt | 9 ++++++++- 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-check-ref-format.txt b/Documentation/git-check-ref-format.txt index 92777cef25..cf0a0b7df2 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-check-ref-format.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-check-ref-format.txt @@ -77,7 +77,14 @@ reference name expressions (see linkgit:gitrevisions[7]): . at-open-brace `@{` is used as a notation to access a reflog entry. -With the `--branch` option, it expands the ``previous branch syntax'' +With the `--branch` option, the command takes a name and checks if +it can be used as a valid branch name (e.g. when creating a new +branch). The rule `git check-ref-format --branch $name` implements +may be stricter than what `git check-ref-format refs/heads/$name` +says (e.g. a dash may appear at the beginning of a ref component, +but it is explicitly forbidden at the beginning of a branch name). +When run with `--branch` option in a repository, the input is first +expanded for the ``previous branch syntax'' `@{-n}`. For example, `@{-1}` is a way to refer the last branch you were on. This option should be used by porcelains to accept this syntax anywhere a branch name is expected, so they can act as if you -- cgit v1.2.1