Re: [bug-libunistring] patch: augmented .gitignore files

[Bruno Haible]

Thien-Thi Nguyen wrote:
> I don't think this warrants a ChangeLog entry, since there are no mentions
> of any .gitignore changes presently

Yes, I consider the .gitignore and .cvsignore files more to be artifacts of
the VCS, than actual parts of the source code.

> +/autom4te.cache

The autom4te.cache certainly should not be gitignored. Its presence can
cause trouble in subsequent builds that is hard to track down. Take it as
a reminder to arrange to remove this directory regularly, or prevent it
from existing in the first place:
  
http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/html_node/Customizing-autom4te.html

> 2009-05-02  Thien-Thi Nguyen  <address@hidden>  (tiny change)
> 
>         * .gitignore: Add some entries.
>         * lib/.gitignore: Likewise.
>         * tests/.gitignore: Likewise.

This does too much IMO. For example the rule to ignore "test-*" in all
subdirectories of tests/ is clearly going to bite at some point.

So I tried to do it with less wildcards, see attached patch.

But I'm still not happy with it, for two reasons:
  - The pattern *.o is too much: When I have files foo.o, zzz.o lying around,
    I want "git status" to remind me about them, so that I remove them.
  - The long list of compiled test files in tests/ will be tedious to maintain.
    Essentially I have to copy the generated CLEANFILES file list from
    tests/Makefile.in to .gitignore. That does not seem right.

So, I actually *don't* want to put all file created by "make" and removed
by "make distclean" into .gitignore.

You have three ways to make "git status" useful for you in this situation:

  - Do "make distclean" always, before "git status". (That's what I do.)

  - Always build in subdirectories, so-called VPATH builds. (Ralf seems to
    be doing this.)

  - As explained in the example of "man gitignore", put the *.o and *.a ignore
    rules into .git/info/exclude. This actually makes more sense to me than
    putting them into .gitignore, because some users care about leftover .o
    files and some don't. .git/info/exclude is made by each user, whereas
    .gitignore is the same for all users.

Bruno


*** .gitignore.orig     2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- .gitignore  2009-05-03 15:41:32.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 11,13 ****
--- 11,22 ----
  /config.h.in
  /Makefile.in
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /config.cache
+ /config.log
+ /config.status
+ /config.h
+ /Makefile
+ /libtool
+ /stamp-h1
+ 
*** doc/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- doc/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:09:33.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 13,15 ****
--- 13,37 ----
  /libunistring_??.html
  /libunistring_abt.html
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make dvi ps pdf html-monolithic html-split"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /Makefile
+ /libunistring.aux
+ /libunistring.log
+ /libunistring.am
+ /libunistring.cp
+ /libunistring.cps
+ /libunistring.fn
+ /libunistring.ky
+ /libunistring.kys
+ /libunistring.pg
+ /libunistring.pgs
+ /libunistring.tp
+ /libunistring.vr
+ /libunistring.vrs
+ /libunistring.toc
+ /libunistring.dvi
+ /libunistring.ps
+ /libunistring.pdf
+ /libunistring.html
+ 
*** gnulib-local/.gitignore.orig        2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- gnulib-local/.gitignore     2009-05-03 14:53:37.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 1,3 ****
--- 1,6 ----
  # Files generate by the autotools:
  /Makefile.in
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /Makefile
+ 
*** lib/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:37:31.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 108,110 ****
--- 108,137 ----
  # Files generated by "make".
  /libunistring.sym
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /Makefile
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ /libunistring.la
+ /core
+ /*.stackdump
+ /alloca.h
+ /config.h
+ /configmake.h
+ /errno.h
+ /float.h
+ /iconv.h
+ /math.h
+ /stdbool.h
+ /stdint.h
+ /stdlib.h
+ /string.h
+ /unistd.h
+ /wchar.h
+ /wctype.h
+ /charset.alias
+ /ref-add.sed
+ /ref-del.sed
+ /exported.sh
+ 
*** lib/unicase/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unicase/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:04.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 74,76 ****
--- 74,82 ----
  /locale-languages.h
  /special-casing-table.h
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/uniconv/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/uniconv/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 22,24 ****
--- 22,30 ----
  /u8-strconv-to-enc.c
  /u8-strconv-to-locale.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/unictype/.gitignore.orig        2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unictype/.gitignore     2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 301,303 ****
--- 301,309 ----
  /pr_byname.h
  /scripts_byname.h
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/unilbrk/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unilbrk/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 14,16 ****
--- 14,22 ----
  /ulc-possible-linebreaks.c
  /ulc-width-linebreaks.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/uniname/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/uniname/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 3,5 ****
--- 3,11 ----
  /uniname.c
  /uninames.h
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/uninorm/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/uninorm/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 37,39 ****
--- 37,45 ----
  # Files generated by gperf:
  /composition-table.h
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/unistdio/.gitignore.orig        2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unistdio/.gitignore     2009-05-03 15:30:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 72,74 ****
--- 72,80 ----
  /ulc-vsnprintf.c
  /ulc-vsprintf.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/unistr/.gitignore.orig  2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unistr/.gitignore       2009-05-03 15:30:06.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 151,153 ****
--- 151,159 ----
  /u8-uctomb-aux.c
  /u8-uctomb.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
Changing permissions from . to 100644
*** lib/unistring/.gitignore.orig       2008-06-06 22:36:48.000000000 +0200
--- lib/unistring/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:40:57.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 0 ****
--- 1,9 ----
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ 
+ /iconveh.h
+ /localcharset.h
+ /stdbool.h
+ /stdint.h
+ /version.h
+ /woe32dll.h
+ 
*** lib/uniwbrk/.gitignore.orig 2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/uniwbrk/.gitignore      2009-05-03 15:30:06.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 9,11 ****
--- 9,17 ----
  /wbrktable.h
  /wordbreak-property.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** lib/uniwidth/.gitignore.orig        2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- lib/uniwidth/.gitignore     2009-05-03 15:30:06.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 8,10 ****
--- 8,16 ----
  /u8-width.c
  /width.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make" and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.dirstamp
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /*.lo
+ 
*** tests/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:26:20.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 63,65 ****
--- 63,136 ----
  # Files generate by the autotools:
  /Makefile.in
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /Makefile
+ /.deps
+ /.libs
+ /*.o
+ /libtests.a
+ /test-alloca-opt
+ /test-array-mergesort
+ /test-bidi_*
+ /test-block_*
+ /test-c-ctype
+ /test-c-strcasecmp
+ /test-c-strncasecmp
+ /test-canonical-decomposition
+ /test-categ_*
+ /test-combining
+ /test-compat-decomposition
+ /test-composition
+ /test-ctype_*
+ /test-decdigit
+ /test-decomposing-form
+ /test-decomposition
+ /test-digit
+ /test-environ
+ /test-errno
+ /test-frexpl-nolibm
+ /test-fseterr
+ /test-iconv
+ /test-isnand-nolibm
+ /test-isnanf-nolibm
+ /test-isnanl-nolibm
+ /test-locale
+ /test-locale-language
+ /test-localename
+ /test-malloca
+ /test-math
+ /test-mbrtowc
+ /test-mbsinit
+ /test-mirror
+ /test-nfc
+ /test-nfd
+ /test-nfkc
+ /test-nfkd
+ /test-numeric
+ /test-pr_*
+ /test-printf-frexp
+ /test-printf-frexpl
+ /test-scripts
+ /test-signbit
+ /test-stdbool
+ /test-stdint
+ /test-stdlib
+ /test-strerror
+ /test-striconveh
+ /test-striconveha
+ /test-string
+ /test-sy_c_*
+ /test-sy_java_*
+ /test-u16-*
+ /test-u32-*
+ /test-u8-*
+ /test-uc_*
+ /test-ulc-*
+ /test-uninames
+ /test-uninorm-filter-nfc
+ /test-unistd
+ /test-wchar
+ /test-wctype
+ /test-wcwidth
+ 
*** tests/unicase/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/unicase/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:04.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 52,54 ****
--- 52,60 ----
  /test-ulc-casecoll1.sh
  /test-ulc-casecoll2.sh
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/uniconv/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/uniconv/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:04.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 12,14 ****
--- 12,20 ----
  /test-u8-strconv-from-enc.c
  /test-u8-strconv-to-enc.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/unictype/.gitignore.orig      2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/unictype/.gitignore   2009-05-03 15:27:04.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 160,162 ****
--- 160,168 ----
  /test-sy_java_ident.c
  /test-sy_java_whitespace.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/unilbrk/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/unilbrk/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 8,10 ****
--- 8,16 ----
  /test-ulc-possible-linebreaks.c
  /test-ulc-width-linebreaks.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/uniname/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/uniname/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 3,5 ****
--- 3,11 ----
  /test-uninames.c
  /test-uninames.sh
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/uninorm/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/uninorm/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 42,44 ****
--- 42,50 ----
  /test-u8-normcoll.c
  /test-uninorm-filter-nfc.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/unistdio/.gitignore.orig      2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/unistdio/.gitignore   2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 44,46 ****
--- 44,52 ----
  /test-ulc-vsnprintf1.c
  /test-ulc-vsprintf1.c
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/uniwbrk/.gitignore.orig       2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/uniwbrk/.gitignore    2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 5,7 ****
--- 5,13 ----
  /test-ulc-wordbreaks.c
  /test-ulc-wordbreaks.sh
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+ 
*** tests/uniwidth/.gitignore.orig      2009-05-03 15:41:57.000000000 +0200
--- tests/uniwidth/.gitignore   2009-05-03 15:27:05.000000000 +0200
***************
*** 9,11 ****
--- 9,17 ----
  /test-uc_width2.c
  /test-uc_width2.sh
  
+ # Files created by "./configure", "make", "make check"
+ # and removed by "make distclean".
+ /.deps
+ /.dirstamp
+ /*.o
+