Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH 3/4] .clang-format: do not enforce a ColumnLimit

From: Junio C Hamano <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2022 16:30:42 -0700

Eric Sunshine <[email-masked]> writes:

> So, even if you manually wrap the code to fit nicely in 80
> columns, if clang-format is set to 132 columns, then it will
> automatically reflow your nicely hand-wrapped 80-column code out
> to 132 columns, which I think is not what we'd want (at least
> those of us who always work in 80-column terminals and
> editors). But perhaps there is a configuration knob which disables
> clang-format's "reflow-to-occupy-full-width" behavior? brian?

Agreed.

We should keep in mind that there is no single good fill-column.

When we say "wrap your lines at around 80 columns", we mean that
when there is a good place to fold at around column 65 and the next
good place is at column 82, then it is OK to go slightly over 80 and
wrap at 82, which may be better than wrapping at 65.  If the last
good place to wrap is at column 72 and the long function call at the
end of the line makes you go past the 82nd column, wrapping at
column 72 might be better.

I wonder if there is an automated formatter that understands this
kind of shades of gray and lets us express that.

Thanks.