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author | Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> | 2021-03-24 10:35:40 -0700 |
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committer | Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com> | 2021-03-24 12:14:23 -0700 |
commit | 28e29ee38b59c54d199c4ef42a77173e2090ccdb (patch) | |
tree | dbb169d857f66c7b44c9375be45f8058d76834a2 /Documentation/git-format-patch.txt | |
parent | Git 2.31 (diff) | |
download | tgif-28e29ee38b59c54d199c4ef42a77173e2090ccdb.tar.xz |
format-patch: give an overview of what a "patch" message is
The text says something called a "patch" is prepared one for each
commit, it is suitable for e-mail submission, and "am" is the
command to use it, but does not say what the "patch" really is.
The description in the page also refers to the "three-dash" line,
but it is unclear what it is, unless the reader is given a more
detailed overview of what the "patch" is.
Add a brief paragraph to give an overview of what the output looks
like.
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/git-format-patch.txt')
-rw-r--r-- | Documentation/git-format-patch.txt | 21 |
1 files changed, 19 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt index 3e49bf2210..5cd8578b6f 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt @@ -36,11 +36,28 @@ SYNOPSIS DESCRIPTION ----------- -Prepare each commit with its patch in -one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format. +Prepare each commit with its "patch" in +one "message" per commit, formatted to resemble a UNIX mailbox. The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or for use with 'git am'. +A "message" generated by the command consists of three parts: + +* A brief metadata header that begins with `From <commit>` + with a fixed `Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001` datestamp to help programs + like "file(1)" to recognize that the file is an output from this + command, fields that record the author identity, the author date, + and the title of the change (taken from the first paragraph of the + commit log message). + +* The second and subsequent paragraphs of the commit log message. + +* The "patch", which is the "diff -p --stat" output (see + linkgit:git-diff[1]) between the commit and its parent. + +The log message and the patch is separated by a line with a +three-dash line. + There are two ways to specify which commits to operate on. 1. A single commit, <since>, specifies that the commits leading |