Re: [Gnu-arch-users] Re: [BUG] feature plan -- Selected inventory

[Tom Lord]

    > From: Stefan Monnier <address@hidden>

    > > Add a --selection X option to inventory.

    > Could you explain what kind of uses you have in mind?

    > I really like the "-- file ..." limit that can be imposed on commits and
    > would really like to see it extended such that it can be used in other
    > commands as well, and also such that it can specify directories rather 
than
    > just files (and so that it accepts file-adds/moves/deletions within those
    > directories).
    > But I don't see how I could make use of the much more expressive language
    > you provide.

I'm convinced that the more expressive language will have ample uses:
I could use it myself in some circumstances and it enables features I
haven't discussed yet.

But the "-- file ..." syntax (and its extension to directories): I
agree, that's a nice syntax.  I think that after the core selection
features are in place, it's just a matter of tweaking the CLI to
recognize that syntax and (in effect) translate it to a selection.


    > Actually my main interest in the "-- file ..." is performance:
    > being able to work on a subset of the tree and thus save tla the
    > effort of traversing the potentially enormous tree.  So the `n'
    > option would potentially defeat my purpose since it might still
    > require a full traversal to find the new file name.


I think arch will _always_ have to inventory the whole project tree
that you are working with but, other than that, speed is one of the
motivations for the selections-based features.

-t