Allow custom "comment char"

Some users do want to write a line that begin with a pound sign, #,
in their commit log message.  Many tracking system recognise
a token of #<bugid> form, for example.

The support we offer these use cases is not very friendly to the end
users.  They have a choice between

 - Don't do it.  Avoid such a line by rewrapping or indenting; and

 - Use --cleanup=whitespace but remove all the hint lines we add.

Give them a way to set a custom comment char, e.g.

    $ git -c core.commentchar="%" commit

so that they do not have to do either of the two workarounds.

[jc: although I started the topic, all the tests and documentation
updates, many of the call sites of the new strbuf_add_commented_*()
functions, and the change to git-submodule.sh scripted Porcelain are
from Ralf.]

Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Signed-off-by: Ralf Thielow <ralf.thielow@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

20 files changed, 284 insertions, 78 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index d5809e0e8c..e99b9f234e 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -528,6 +528,12 @@ core.editor::
 	variable when it is set, and the environment variable
 	`GIT_EDITOR` is not set.  See linkgit:git-var[1].
 
+core.commentchar::
+	Commands such as `commit` and `tag` that lets you edit
+	messages consider a line that begins with this character
+	commented, and removes them after the editor returns
+	(default '#').
+
 sequence.editor::
 	Text editor used by `git rebase -i` for editing the rebase insn file.
 	The value is meant to be interpreted by the shell when it is used.
diff --git a/Documentation/git-stripspace.txt b/Documentation/git-stripspace.txt
index a80d94650d..e6fdfcb994 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-stripspace.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-stripspace.txt
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@ OPTIONS
 -------
 -s::
 --strip-comments::
-	Skip and remove all lines starting with '#'.
+	Skip and remove all lines starting with comment character (default '#').
+
+-c::
+--comment-lines::
+	Prepend comment character and blank to each line. Lines will automatically
+	be terminated with a newline. On empty lines, only the comment character
+	will be prepended.
 
 EXAMPLES
 --------
diff --git a/Documentation/technical/api-strbuf.txt b/Documentation/technical/api-strbuf.txt
index 84686b5c69..2c59cb2259 100644
--- a/Documentation/technical/api-strbuf.txt
+++ b/Documentation/technical/api-strbuf.txt
@@ -156,6 +156,11 @@ then they will free() it.
 	Remove the bytes between `pos..pos+len` and replace it with the given
 	data.
 
+`strbuf_add_commented_lines`::
+
+	Add a NUL-terminated string to the buffer. Each line will be prepended
+	by a comment character and a blank.
+
 `strbuf_add`::
 
 	Add data of given length to the buffer.
@@ -229,6 +234,11 @@ which can be used by the programmer of the callback as she sees fit.
 
 	Add a formatted string to the buffer.
 
+`strbuf_commented_addf`::
+
+	Add a formatted string prepended by a comment character and a
+	blank to the buffer.
+
 `strbuf_fread`::
 
 	Read a given size of data from a FILE* pointer to the buffer.
diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 873f624d1c..3548271c47 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -706,11 +706,11 @@ static int edit_branch_description(const char *branch_name)
 	read_branch_desc(&buf, branch_name);
 	if (!buf.len || buf.buf[buf.len-1] != '\n')
 		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
-	strbuf_addf(&buf,
-		    "# Please edit the description for the branch\n"
-		    "#   %s\n"
-		    "# Lines starting with '#' will be stripped.\n",
-		    branch_name);
+	strbuf_commented_addf(&buf,
+		    "Please edit the description for the branch\n"
+		    "  %s\n"
+		    "Lines starting with '%c' will be stripped.\n",
+		    branch_name, comment_line_char);
 	fp = fopen(git_path(edit_description), "w");
 	if ((fwrite(buf.buf, 1, buf.len, fp) < buf.len) || fclose(fp)) {
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
diff --git a/builtin/commit.c b/builtin/commit.c
index d6dd3df8b1..f95f64abff 100644
--- a/builtin/commit.c
+++ b/builtin/commit.c
@@ -733,15 +733,15 @@ static int prepare_to_commit(const char *index_file, const char *prefix,
 		if (cleanup_mode == CLEANUP_ALL)
 			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
 				_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
-				" Lines starting\nwith '#' will be ignored, and an empty"
-				" message aborts the commit.\n"));
+				  " Lines starting\nwith '%c' will be ignored, and an empty"
+				  " message aborts the commit.\n"), comment_line_char);
 		else /* CLEANUP_SPACE, that is. */
 			status_printf(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
 				_("Please enter the commit message for your changes."
-				" Lines starting\n"
-				"with '#' will be kept; you may remove them"
-				" yourself if you want to.\n"
-				"An empty message aborts the commit.\n"));
+				  " Lines starting\n"
+				  "with '%c' will be kept; you may remove them"
+				  " yourself if you want to.\n"
+				  "An empty message aborts the commit.\n"), comment_line_char);
 		if (only_include_assumed)
 			status_printf_ln(s, GIT_COLOR_NORMAL,
 					"%s", only_include_assumed);
diff --git a/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c b/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
index e2e27b2c40..d6d2e1b6c0 100644
--- a/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
+++ b/builtin/fmt-merge-msg.c
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ static void fmt_tag_signature(struct strbuf *tagbuf,
 	strbuf_complete_line(tagbuf);
 	if (sig->len) {
 		strbuf_addch(tagbuf, '\n');
-		strbuf_add_lines(tagbuf, "# ", sig->buf, sig->len);
+		strbuf_add_commented_lines(tagbuf, sig->buf, sig->len);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/builtin/merge.c b/builtin/merge.c
index 3a31c4bc25..d7baa2683c 100644
--- a/builtin/merge.c
+++ b/builtin/merge.c
@@ -788,17 +788,16 @@ static const char merge_editor_comment[] =
 N_("Please enter a commit message to explain why this merge is necessary,\n"
    "especially if it merges an updated upstream into a topic branch.\n"
    "\n"
-   "Lines starting with '#' will be ignored, and an empty message aborts\n"
+   "Lines starting with '%c' will be ignored, and an empty message aborts\n"
    "the commit.\n");
 
 static void prepare_to_commit(struct commit_list *remoteheads)
 {
 	struct strbuf msg = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *comment = _(merge_editor_comment);
 	strbuf_addbuf(&msg, &merge_msg);
 	strbuf_addch(&msg, '\n');
 	if (0 < option_edit)
-		strbuf_add_lines(&msg, "# ", comment, strlen(comment));
+		strbuf_commented_addf(&msg, _(merge_editor_comment), comment_line_char);
 	write_merge_msg(&msg);
 	if (run_hook(get_index_file(), "prepare-commit-msg",
 		     git_path("MERGE_MSG"), "merge", NULL, NULL))
diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 453457adb9..57748a6fb6 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -92,10 +92,7 @@ static const char * const git_notes_get_ref_usage[] = {
 };
 
 static const char note_template[] =
-	"\n"
-	"#\n"
-	"# Write/edit the notes for the following object:\n"
-	"#\n";
+	"\nWrite/edit the notes for the following object:\n";
 
 struct msg_arg {
 	int given;
@@ -129,7 +126,7 @@ static void write_commented_object(int fd, const unsigned char *object)
 		{"show", "--stat", "--no-notes", sha1_to_hex(object), NULL};
 	struct child_process show;
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
-	FILE *show_out;
+	struct strbuf cbuf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	/* Invoke "git show --stat --no-notes $object" */
 	memset(&show, 0, sizeof(show));
@@ -142,21 +139,14 @@ static void write_commented_object(int fd, const unsigned char *object)
 		die(_("unable to start 'show' for object '%s'"),
 		    sha1_to_hex(object));
 
-	/* Open the output as FILE* so strbuf_getline() can be used. */
-	show_out = xfdopen(show.out, "r");
-	if (show_out == NULL)
-		die_errno(_("can't fdopen 'show' output fd"));
+	if (strbuf_read(&buf, show.out, 0) < 0)
+		die_errno(_("could not read 'show' output"));
+	strbuf_add_commented_lines(&cbuf, buf.buf, buf.len);
+	write_or_die(fd, cbuf.buf, cbuf.len);
 
-	/* Prepend "# " to each output line and write result to 'fd' */
-	while (strbuf_getline(&buf, show_out, '\n') != EOF) {
-		write_or_die(fd, "# ", 2);
-		write_or_die(fd, buf.buf, buf.len);
-		write_or_die(fd, "\n", 1);
-	}
+	strbuf_release(&cbuf);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
-	if (fclose(show_out))
-		die_errno(_("failed to close pipe to 'show' for object '%s'"),
-			  sha1_to_hex(object));
+
 	if (finish_command(&show))
 		die(_("failed to finish 'show' for object '%s'"),
 		    sha1_to_hex(object));
@@ -170,6 +160,7 @@ static void create_note(const unsigned char *object, struct msg_arg *msg,
 
 	if (msg->use_editor || !msg->given) {
 		int fd;
+		struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 		/* write the template message before editing: */
 		path = git_pathdup("NOTES_EDITMSG");
@@ -181,11 +172,16 @@ static void create_note(const unsigned char *object, struct msg_arg *msg,
 			write_or_die(fd, msg->buf.buf, msg->buf.len);
 		else if (prev && !append_only)
 			write_note_data(fd, prev);
-		write_or_die(fd, note_template, strlen(note_template));
+
+		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
+		strbuf_add_commented_lines(&buf, note_template, strlen(note_template));
+		strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
+		write_or_die(fd, buf.buf, buf.len);
 
 		write_commented_object(fd, object);
 
 		close(fd);
+		strbuf_release(&buf);
 		strbuf_reset(&(msg->buf));
 
 		if (launch_editor(path, &(msg->buf), NULL)) {
diff --git a/builtin/stripspace.c b/builtin/stripspace.c
index f16986c0ae..e981dfb9f0 100644
--- a/builtin/stripspace.c
+++ b/builtin/stripspace.c
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ static size_t cleanup(char *line, size_t len)
  *
  * If last line does not have a newline at the end, one is added.
  *
- * Enable skip_comments to skip every line starting with "#".
+ * Enable skip_comments to skip every line starting with comment
+ * character.
  */
 void stripspace(struct strbuf *sb, int skip_comments)
 {
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ void stripspace(struct strbuf *sb, int skip_comments)
 		eol = memchr(sb->buf + i, '\n', sb->len - i);
 		len = eol ? eol - (sb->buf + i) + 1 : sb->len - i;
 
-		if (skip_comments && len && sb->buf[i] == '#') {
+		if (skip_comments && len && sb->buf[i] == comment_line_char) {
 			newlen = 0;
 			continue;
 		}
@@ -66,21 +67,53 @@ void stripspace(struct strbuf *sb, int skip_comments)
 	strbuf_setlen(sb, j);
 }
 
+static void comment_lines(struct strbuf *buf)
+{
+	char *msg;
+	size_t len;
+
+	msg = strbuf_detach(buf, &len);
+	strbuf_add_commented_lines(buf, msg, len);
+	free(msg);
+}
+
+static const char *usage_msg = "\n"
+"  git stripspace [-s | --strip-comments] < input\n"
+"  git stripspace [-c | --comment-lines] < input";
+
 int cmd_stripspace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
 	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
 	int strip_comments = 0;
+	enum { INVAL = 0, STRIP_SPACE = 1, COMMENT_LINES = 2 } mode = STRIP_SPACE;
+
+	if (argc == 2) {
+		if (!strcmp(argv[1], "-s") ||
+			!strcmp(argv[1], "--strip-comments")) {
+			 strip_comments = 1;
+		} else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "-c") ||
+					 !strcmp(argv[1], "--comment-lines")) {
+			 mode = COMMENT_LINES;
+		} else {
+			mode = INVAL;
+		}
+	} else if (argc > 1) {
+		mode = INVAL;
+	}
+
+	if (mode == INVAL)
+		usage(usage_msg);
 
-	if (argc == 2 && (!strcmp(argv[1], "-s") ||
-				!strcmp(argv[1], "--strip-comments")))
-		strip_comments = 1;
-	else if (argc > 1)
-		usage("git stripspace [-s | --strip-comments] < input");
+	if (strip_comments || mode == COMMENT_LINES)
+		git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
 
 	if (strbuf_read(&buf, 0, 1024) < 0)
 		die_errno("could not read the input");
 
-	stripspace(&buf, strip_comments);
+	if (mode == STRIP_SPACE)
+		stripspace(&buf, strip_comments);
+	else
+		comment_lines(&buf);
 
 	write_or_die(1, buf.buf, buf.len);
 	strbuf_release(&buf);
diff --git a/builtin/tag.c b/builtin/tag.c
index 9c3e0673d5..f8266888cc 100644
--- a/builtin/tag.c
+++ b/builtin/tag.c
@@ -246,19 +246,13 @@ static int do_sign(struct strbuf *buffer)
 }
 
 static const char tag_template[] =
-	N_("\n"
-	"#\n"
-	"# Write a tag message\n"
-	"# Lines starting with '#' will be ignored.\n"
-	"#\n");
+	N_("\nWrite a tag message\n"
+	"Lines starting with '%c' will be ignored.\n");
 
 static const char tag_template_nocleanup[] =
-	N_("\n"
-	"#\n"
-	"# Write a tag message\n"
-	"# Lines starting with '#' will be kept; you may remove them"
-	" yourself if you want to.\n"
-	"#\n");
+	N_("\nWrite a tag message\n"
+	"Lines starting with '%c' will be kept; you may remove them"
+	" yourself if you want to.\n");
 
 static int git_tag_config(const char *var, const char *value, void *cb)
 {
@@ -346,14 +340,18 @@ static void create_tag(const unsigned char *object, const char *tag,
 		if (fd < 0)
 			die_errno(_("could not create file '%s'"), path);
 
-		if (!is_null_sha1(prev))
+		if (!is_null_sha1(prev)) {
 			write_tag_body(fd, prev);
-		else if (opt->cleanup_mode == CLEANUP_ALL)
-			write_or_die(fd, _(tag_template),
-					strlen(_(tag_template)));
-		else
-			write_or_die(fd, _(tag_template_nocleanup),
-					strlen(_(tag_template_nocleanup)));
+		} else {
+			struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+			strbuf_addch(&buf, '\n');
+			if (opt->cleanup_mode == CLEANUP_ALL)
+				strbuf_commented_addf(&buf, _(tag_template), comment_line_char);
+			else
+				strbuf_commented_addf(&buf, _(tag_template_nocleanup), comment_line_char);
+			write_or_die(fd, buf.buf, buf.len);
+			strbuf_release(&buf);
+		}
 		close(fd);
 
 		if (launch_editor(path, buf, NULL)) {
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index c257953fa7..0b435a413f 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -562,6 +562,12 @@ extern int core_preload_index;
 extern int core_apply_sparse_checkout;
 extern int precomposed_unicode;
 
+/*
+ * The character that begins a commented line in user-editable file
+ * that is subject to stripspace.
+ */
+extern char comment_line_char;
+
 enum branch_track {
 	BRANCH_TRACK_UNSPECIFIED = -1,
 	BRANCH_TRACK_NEVER = 0,
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 7b444b68ab..d873c59574 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -717,6 +717,14 @@ static int git_default_core_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.editor"))
 		return git_config_string(&editor_program, var, value);
 
+	if (!strcmp(var, "core.commentchar")) {
+		const char *comment;
+		int ret = git_config_string(&comment, var, value);
+		if (!ret)
+			comment_line_char = comment[0];
+		return ret;
+	}
+
 	if (!strcmp(var, "core.askpass"))
 		return git_config_string(&askpass_program, var, value);
 
diff --git a/environment.c b/environment.c
index 85edd7f95a..a40c38be06 100644
--- a/environment.c
+++ b/environment.c
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ int precomposed_unicode = -1; /* see probe_utf8_pathname_composition() */
 struct startup_info *startup_info;
 unsigned long pack_size_limit_cfg;
 
+/*
+ * The character that begins a commented line in user-editable file
+ * that is subject to stripspace.
+ */
+char comment_line_char = '#';
+
 /* Parallel index stat data preload? */
 int core_preload_index = 0;
 
diff --git a/git-submodule.sh b/git-submodule.sh
index 22ec5b63b4..004c034bc0 100755
--- a/git-submodule.sh
+++ b/git-submodule.sh
@@ -976,12 +976,12 @@ cmd_summary() {
 	done |
 	if test -n "$for_status"; then
 		if [ -n "$files" ]; then
-			gettextln "# Submodules changed but not updated:"
+			gettextln "Submodules changed but not updated:" | git stripspace -c
 		else
-			gettextln "# Submodule changes to be committed:"
+			gettextln "Submodule changes to be committed:" | git stripspace -c
 		fi
-		echo "#"
-		sed -e 's|^|# |' -e 's|^# $|#|'
+		printf "\n" | git stripspace -c
+		git stripspace -c
 	else
 		cat
 	fi
diff --git a/strbuf.c b/strbuf.c
index 9a373bef70..48e9abb5c2 100644
--- a/strbuf.c
+++ b/strbuf.c
@@ -204,6 +204,54 @@ void strbuf_addf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, ...)
 	va_end(ap);
 }
 
+static void add_lines(struct strbuf *out,
+			const char *prefix1,
+			const char *prefix2,
+			const char *buf, size_t size)
+{
+	while (size) {
+		const char *prefix;
+		const char *next = memchr(buf, '\n', size);
+		next = next ? (next + 1) : (buf + size);
+
+		prefix = (prefix2 && buf[0] == '\n') ? prefix2 : prefix1;
+		strbuf_addstr(out, prefix);
+		strbuf_add(out, buf, next - buf);
+		size -= next - buf;
+		buf = next;
+	}
+	strbuf_complete_line(out);
+}
+
+void strbuf_add_commented_lines(struct strbuf *out, const char *buf, size_t size)
+{
+	static char prefix1[3];
+	static char prefix2[2];
+
+	if (prefix1[0] != comment_line_char) {
+		sprintf(prefix1, "%c ", comment_line_char);
+		sprintf(prefix2, "%c", comment_line_char);
+	}
+	add_lines(out, prefix1, prefix2, buf, size);
+}
+
+void strbuf_commented_addf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	va_list params;
+	struct strbuf buf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	int incomplete_line = sb->len && sb->buf[sb->len - 1] != '\n';
+
+	va_start(params, fmt);
+	strbuf_vaddf(&buf, fmt, params);
+	va_end(params);
+
+	strbuf_add_commented_lines(sb, buf.buf, buf.len);
+	if (incomplete_line)
+		sb->buf[--sb->len] = '\0';
+
+	strbuf_release(&buf);
+}
+
 void strbuf_vaddf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 {
 	int len;
@@ -414,15 +462,7 @@ int strbuf_read_file(struct strbuf *sb, const char *path, size_t hint)
 void strbuf_add_lines(struct strbuf *out, const char *prefix,
 		      const char *buf, size_t size)
 {
-	while (size) {
-		const char *next = memchr(buf, '\n', size);
-		next = next ? (next + 1) : (buf + size);
-		strbuf_addstr(out, prefix);
-		strbuf_add(out, buf, next - buf);
-		size -= next - buf;
-		buf = next;
-	}
-	strbuf_complete_line(out);
+	add_lines(out, prefix, NULL, buf, size);
 }
 
 void strbuf_addstr_xml_quoted(struct strbuf *buf, const char *s)
diff --git a/strbuf.h b/strbuf.h
index ecae4e215f..958822c2dd 100644
--- a/strbuf.h
+++ b/strbuf.h
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ extern void strbuf_remove(struct strbuf *, size_t pos, size_t len);
 extern void strbuf_splice(struct strbuf *, size_t pos, size_t len,
                           const void *, size_t);
 
+extern void strbuf_add_commented_lines(struct strbuf *out, const char *buf, size_t size);
+
 extern void strbuf_add(struct strbuf *, const void *, size_t);
 static inline void strbuf_addstr(struct strbuf *sb, const char *s) {
 	strbuf_add(sb, s, strlen(s));
@@ -131,6 +133,8 @@ extern void strbuf_addbuf_percentquote(struct strbuf *dst, const struct strbuf *
 
 __attribute__((format (printf,2,3)))
 extern void strbuf_addf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, ...);
+__attribute__((format (printf, 2, 3)))
+extern void strbuf_commented_addf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, ...);
 __attribute__((format (printf,2,0)))
 extern void strbuf_vaddf(struct strbuf *sb, const char *fmt, va_list ap);
 
diff --git a/t/t0030-stripspace.sh b/t/t0030-stripspace.sh
index ccb0a3cb61..a8e84d8546 100755
--- a/t/t0030-stripspace.sh
+++ b/t/t0030-stripspace.sh
@@ -397,4 +397,39 @@ test_expect_success 'strip comments, too' '
 	test -z "$(echo "# comment" | git stripspace -s)"
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'strip comments with changed comment char' '
+	test ! -z "$(echo "; comment" | git -c core.commentchar=";" stripspace)" &&
+	test -z "$(echo "; comment" | git -c core.commentchar=";" stripspace -s)"
+'
+
+test_expect_success '-c with single line' '
+	printf "# foo\n" >expect &&
+	printf "foo" | git stripspace -c >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '-c with single line followed by empty line' '
+	printf "# foo\n#\n" >expect &&
+	printf "foo\n\n" | git stripspace -c >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '-c with newline only' '
+	printf "#\n" >expect &&
+	printf "\n" | git stripspace -c >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '--comment-lines with single line' '
+	printf "# foo\n" >expect &&
+	printf "foo" | git stripspace -c >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
+test_expect_success '-c with changed comment char' '
+	printf "; foo\n" >expect &&
+	printf "foo" | git -c core.commentchar=";" stripspace -c >actual &&
+	test_cmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t7502-commit.sh b/t/t7502-commit.sh
index 1a5cb6983c..6a2c67cd1a 100755
--- a/t/t7502-commit.sh
+++ b/t/t7502-commit.sh
@@ -447,4 +447,11 @@ use_template="-t template"
 
 try_commit_status_combo
 
+test_expect_success 'commit --status with custom comment character' '
+	test_when_finished "git config --unset core.commentchar" &&
+	git config core.commentchar ";" &&
+	try_commit --status &&
+	test_i18ngrep "^; Changes to be committed:" .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG
+'
+
 test_done
diff --git a/t/t7508-status.sh b/t/t7508-status.sh
index e313ef196e..a79c032ffd 100755
--- a/t/t7508-status.sh
+++ b/t/t7508-status.sh
@@ -1254,6 +1254,56 @@ test_expect_success ".git/config ignore=dirty doesn't suppress submodule summary
 '
 
 cat > expect << EOF
+; On branch master
+; Changes to be committed:
+;   (use "git reset HEAD <file>..." to unstage)
+;
+;	modified:   sm
+;
+; Changes not staged for commit:
+;   (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
+;   (use "git checkout -- <file>..." to discard changes in working directory)
+;
+;	modified:   dir1/modified
+;	modified:   sm (new commits)
+;
+; Submodule changes to be committed:
+;
+; * sm $head...$new_head (1):
+;   > Add bar
+;
+; Submodules changed but not updated:
+;
+; * sm $new_head...$head2 (1):
+;   > 2nd commit
+;
+; Untracked files:
+;   (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed)
+;
+;	.gitmodules
+;	dir1/untracked
+;	dir2/modified
+;	dir2/untracked
+;	expect
+;	output
+;	untracked
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success "status (core.commentchar with submodule summary)" '
+	test_when_finished "git config --unset core.commentchar" &&
+	git config core.commentchar ";" &&
+	git status >output &&
+	test_i18ncmp expect output
+'
+
+test_expect_success "status (core.commentchar with two chars with submodule summary)" '
+	test_when_finished "git config --unset core.commentchar" &&
+	git config core.commentchar ";;" &&
+	git status >output &&
+	test_i18ncmp expect output
+'
+
+cat > expect << EOF
 # On branch master
 # Changes not staged for commit:
 #   (use "git add <file>..." to update what will be committed)
diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 2a9658bad4..f6f197e985 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ static void status_vprintf(struct wt_status *s, int at_bol, const char *color,
 
 	strbuf_vaddf(&sb, fmt, ap);
 	if (!sb.len) {
-		strbuf_addch(&sb, '#');
+		strbuf_addch(&sb, comment_line_char);
 		if (!trail)
 			strbuf_addch(&sb, ' ');
 		color_print_strbuf(s->fp, color, &sb);
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static void status_vprintf(struct wt_status *s, int at_bol, const char *color,
 
 		strbuf_reset(&linebuf);
 		if (at_bol) {
-			strbuf_addch(&linebuf, '#');
+			strbuf_addch(&linebuf, comment_line_char);
 			if (*line != '\n' && *line != '\t')
 				strbuf_addch(&linebuf, ' ');
 		}
@@ -760,8 +760,10 @@ static void wt_status_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 
 	for (cp = sb.buf; (ep = strchr(cp, '\n')) != NULL; cp = ep + 1)
 		color_fprintf_ln(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s),
-				 "# %.*s", (int)(ep - cp), cp);
-	color_fprintf_ln(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "#");
+				 "%c %.*s", comment_line_char,
+				 (int)(ep - cp), cp);
+	color_fprintf_ln(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "%c",
+			 comment_line_char);
 }
 
 static int has_unmerged(struct wt_status *s)