[RFC] proposed changes to log UI

[Ian Clatworthy]

John Arbash Meinel wrote:
> Ian Clatworthy wrote:

>>> After more reflection, I'm warming to the current approach, i.e.
>>> the decision to show merged revisions ought to be a function of
>>> the log formatter selected. The problem is that we don't have a
>>> standard formatter than produces long-like output for just
>>> mainline revisions. I'd like to add one along those lines.
>>> My suggested name is "linear". (It ought to perform identically
>>> to "short".)
>> Hmmm - "medium" is probably a better name given the current
>> standard ones: long, short, line.

> I think I prefer "linear" to "medium", though I understand your point.

So rather than have long and medium/linear being the same bar
their merge revision handling, I think we can generalise the
naming pattern and provide the functionality for all the
standard formatters.

I'd like to have:

* long/short/line not display merge revisions
* long+/short+/line+ display merge revisions

"long" will remain the default setting, effectively making the
proposed "medium/linear" the new standard behaviour. log will
suddenly start performing like "log -short" does now as a side
effect.

I'm putting together a patch along these lines now. The core code
changes are simple bar the test tweaks/enhancements. The main
blocker is that "log --short FILE" doesn't work correctly
currently. To be investigated ...

Ian C.