Subject: [PATCH v2 09/13] config: format paths gently

From: "Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 23:55:14 +0000

From: Derrick Stolee <[email-masked]>

Move the logic for formatting path config values into a helper method
and use gentle parsing when needed.

Signed-off-by: Derrick Stolee <[email-masked]>
---
 builtin/config.c | 35 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-)

diff --git a/builtin/config.c b/builtin/config.c
index 0c539ff98e..4664651dd2 100644
--- a/builtin/config.c
+++ b/builtin/config.c
@@ -314,6 +314,28 @@ static int format_config_bool_or_str(struct strbuf *buf,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int format_config_path(struct strbuf *buf,
+			      const char *key_,
+			      const char *value_,
+			      int gently)
+{
+	char *v;
+	if (gently) {
+		if (git_parse_maybe_pathname(value_, &v) < 0)
+			return -1;
+	} else if (git_config_pathname(&v, key_, value_) < 0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (v)
+		strbuf_addstr(buf, v);
+	else
+		return 1; /* :(optional)no-such-file */
+
+	free(v);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Format the configuration key-value pair (`key_`, `value_`) and
  * append it into strbuf `buf`.  Returns a negative value on failure,
@@ -347,16 +369,9 @@ static int format_config(const struct config_display_options *opts,
 			res = format_config_bool_or_int(buf, key_, value_, kvi, gently);
 		else if (opts->type == TYPE_BOOL_OR_STR)
 			res = format_config_bool_or_str(buf, value_);
-		else if (opts->type == TYPE_PATH) {
-			char *v;
-			if (git_config_pathname(&v, key_, value_) < 0)
-				return -1;
-			if (v)
-				strbuf_addstr(buf, v);
-			else
-				return 1; /* :(optional)no-such-file */
-			free((char *)v);
-		} else if (opts->type == TYPE_EXPIRY_DATE) {
+		else if (opts->type == TYPE_PATH)
+			res = format_config_path(buf, key_, value_, gently);
+		else if (opts->type == TYPE_EXPIRY_DATE) {
 			timestamp_t t;
 			if (git_config_expiry_date(&t, key_, value_) < 0)
 				return -1;
-- 
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