Merge branch 'master' of git://repo.or.cz/git/fastimport

[git.git] / Documentation / git-format-patch.txt

diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
index 493cac22dbe16dd5bdb9eed8f91f93ea184fa622..84eabebe0bc767112805d2d35c68ad000d8e1003 100644 (file)
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ git-format-patch - Prepare patches for e-mail submission
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git-format-patch' [-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--attach]
-                  [-s | --signoff] [--diff-options] [--start-number <n>]
+'git-format-patch' [<common diff options>] [-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout]
+                  [--attach] [--thread] [-s | --signoff] [--start-number <n>]
+                  [--in-reply-to=Message-Id] [--suffix=.<sfx>]
+                  [--ignore-if-in-upstream]
                   <since>[..<until>]
 
 DESCRIPTION
@@ -19,7 +21,9 @@ DESCRIPTION
 Prepare each commit between <since> and <until> with its patch in
 one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
 If ..<until> is not specified, the head of the current working
-tree is implied.
+tree is implied.  For a more complete list of ways to spell
+<since> and <until>, see "SPECIFYING REVISIONS" section in
+gitlink:git-rev-parse[1].
 
 The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
 for use with gitlink:git-am[1].
@@ -35,13 +39,18 @@ they are created in the current working directory.
 If -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first line
 is formatted as "[PATCH n/m] Subject".
 
+If given --thread, git-format-patch will generate In-Reply-To and
+References headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
+as replies to the first mail; this also generates a Message-Id header to
+reference.
 
 OPTIONS
 -------
+include::diff-options.txt[]
+
 -o|--output-directory <dir>::
        Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
-       current working directory. This option is ignored if
-       --stdout is specified.
+       current working directory.
 
 -n|--numbered::
        Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
@@ -64,14 +73,44 @@ OPTIONS
 --attach::
        Create attachments instead of inlining patches.
 
+--thread::
+       Add In-Reply-To and References headers to make the second and
+       subsequent mails appear as replies to the first.  Also generates
+       the Message-Id header to reference.
+
+--in-reply-to=Message-Id::
+       Make the first mail (or all the mails with --no-thread) appear as a
+       reply to the given Message-Id, which avoids breaking threads to
+       provide a new patch series.
+
+--ignore-if-in-upstream::
+       Do not include a patch that matches a commit in
+       <until>..<since>.  This will examine all patches reachable
+       from <since> but not from <until> and compare them with the
+       patches being generated, and any patch that matches is
+       ignored.
+
+--suffix=.<sfx>::
+       Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
+       filenames, use specifed suffix.  A common alternative is
+       `--suffix=.txt`.
++
+Note that you would need to include the leading dot `.` if you
+want a filename like `0001-description-of-my-change.patch`, and
+the first letter does not have to be a dot.  Leaving it empty would
+not add any suffix.
 
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------
 You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each
-message in the repository configuration as follows:
+message in the repository configuration.  Also you can specify
+the default suffix different from the built-in one:
 
+------------
 [format]
         headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
+        suffix = .txt
+------------
 
 
 EXAMPLES
@@ -96,6 +135,9 @@ git-format-patch -M -B origin::
        understand renaming patches, so use it only when you know
        the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
 
+git-format-patch -3::
+       Extract three topmost commits from the current branch
+       and format them as e-mailable patches.
 
 See Also
 --------