doc branch: provide examples for listing remote tracking branches

The availability of these pattern selections is not obvious from the man pages, as per mail thread <87lfz3vcbt.fsf@evledraar.gmail.com>. Provide examples. Re-order the `git branch` synopsis to emphasise the `--list <pattern>` pairing. Also expand and reposition the `all/remotes` options. Split the over-long description into three parts so that the <pattern> description can be seen. Clarify that the `all/remotes` options require the --list if patterns are to be used. Add examples of listing remote tracking branches that match a pattern, including `git for-each-ref` which has more options. Improve the -a/-r warning message. The message confused this author as the combined -a and -r options had not been given, though a pattern had. Specifically guide the user that maybe they needed the --list option to enable a remote branch pattern selection. Signed-off-by: Philip Oakley <philipoakley@iee.org> Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

Philip Oakley committed May 29, 2019 at 00:16 UTC 1fde99cfc766353237ff1ca4829ba8d71ccebc87
2 files changed +28 -7
Documentation/git-branch.txt
+26 -6
@@ -8,12 +8,14 @@ git-branch - List, create, or delete branches
8 SYNOPSIS
9 --------
10 [verse]
11 -'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color] [-r | -a]
12 - [--list] [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]]
11 +'git branch' [--color[=<when>] | --no-color]
12 + [-v [--abbrev=<length> | --no-abbrev]]
13 [--column[=<options>] | --no-column] [--sort=<key>]
14 [(--merged | --no-merged) [<commit>]]
15 [--contains [<commit]] [--no-contains [<commit>]]
16 - [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>] [<pattern>...]
16 + [--points-at <object>] [--format=<format>]
17 + [(-r | --remotes) | (-a | --all)]
18 + [--list] [<pattern>...]
19 'git branch' [--track | --no-track] [-f] <branchname> [<start-point>]
20 'git branch' (--set-upstream-to=<upstream> | -u <upstream>) [<branchname>]
21 'git branch' --unset-upstream [<branchname>]
@@ -28,11 +30,15 @@ DESCRIPTION
30 If `--list` is given, or if there are no non-option arguments, existing
31 branches are listed; the current branch will be highlighted with an
32 asterisk. Option `-r` causes the remote-tracking branches to be listed,
31 -and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches. If a `<pattern>`
33 +and option `-a` shows both local and remote branches.
34 +
35 +If a `<pattern>`
36 is given, it is used as a shell wildcard to restrict the output to
37 matching branches. If multiple patterns are given, a branch is shown if
34 -it matches any of the patterns. Note that when providing a
35 -`<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command is interpreted
38 +it matches any of the patterns.
39 +
40 +Note that when providing a
41 +`<pattern>`, you must use `--list`; otherwise the command may be interpreted
42 as branch creation.
43
44 With `--contains`, shows only the branches that contain the named commit
@@ -149,10 +155,12 @@ This option is only applicable in non-verbose mode.
155 -r::
156 --remotes::
157 List or delete (if used with -d) the remote-tracking branches.
158 + Combine with `--list` to match the optional pattern(s).
159
160 -a::
161 --all::
162 List both remote-tracking branches and local branches.
163 + Combine with `--list` to match optional pattern(s).
164
165 -l::
166 --list::
@@ -314,6 +322,18 @@ $ git branch -D test <2>
322 <2> Delete the "test" branch even if the "master" branch (or whichever branch
323 is currently checked out) does not have all commits from the test branch.
324
325 +Listing branches from a specific remote::
326 ++
327 +------------
328 +$ git branch -r -l '<remote>/<pattern>' <1>
329 +$ git for-each-ref 'refs/remotes/<remote>/<pattern>' <2>
330 +------------
331 ++
332 +<1> Using `-a` would conflate <remote> with any local branches you happen to
333 + have been prefixed with the same <remote> pattern.
334 +<2> `for-each-ref` can take a wide range of options. See linkgit:git-for-each-ref[1]
335 +
336 +Patterns will normally need quoting.
337
338 NOTES
339 -----
builtin/branch.c
+2 -1
@@ -810,7 +810,8 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
810 strbuf_release(&buf);
811 } else if (argc > 0 && argc <= 2) {
812 if (filter.kind != FILTER_REFS_BRANCHES)
813 - die(_("-a and -r options to 'git branch' do not make sense with a branch name"));
813 + die(_("The -a, and -r, options to 'git branch' do not take a branch name.\n"
814 + "Did you mean to use: -a|-r --list <pattern>?"));
815
816 if (track == BRANCH_TRACK_OVERRIDE)
817 die(_("the '--set-upstream' option is no longer supported. Please use '--track' or '--set-upstream-to' instead."));