Subject: Re: [RFC/PATCH] Teach git mergetool to use custom commands defined at config time

From: Theodore Tso <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:49:42 -0500

On Sun, Feb 17, 2008 at 08:59:31AM +0100, Steffen Prohaska wrote:
>
> I am not upset at all and I really appreciate Charles work for
> adding a generic mechanism.  I was just wondering why not taking
> the direct way of adding tools to git-mergetool one by one until
> we eventually have a rather complete list of supported tools.
> This would be the easiest solution for end users if their
> preferred tool is supported.  It is also easier to add support
> for a specific tool than a generic mechanism.

I have no objection to a generic mechanism, but I don't see the value
of Charles suggestion to rip out support for the existing tools
supported by git-mergetool.

I think it *would* be better to use %(foo) extrapolation that
environment variables, so that it's not required for users to write
shell scripts unless absolutely necessary.

When we get around to rewriting git-mergetool in C, it might make
sense to put the tool support in the various shell scripts that are
installed in the git helper binary directory (i.e.,
git-mergetool-kdiff3, git-mergetool-meld, etc.)  That would make it
easier for users to create new shell scripts to support new tools if
necessary.

					- Ted