This is an archive of the discontinued Mercurial Phabricator instance.

Differential D5444

help: use "yes" and "no" for boolean defaults instead of "on" and "off"
AbandonedPublic

Authored by av6 on Dec 15 2018, 6:49 AM.

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durin42
Group Reviewers
hg-reviewers

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rHG Mercurial
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Unit
Unit Tests Skipped

Event Timeline

av6 created this revision.Dec 15 2018, 6:49 AM
pulkit added a subscriber: pulkit.Dec 15 2018, 10:35 AM

TBH, I think 'on' and 'off' are more appropriate than 'yes' and 'no'.

av6 added a comment.Dec 15 2018, 1:03 PM

The point of D5430 was to make hg help output more human friendly by replacing True and False with something less Python-related. In other words, more human-friendly. "Yes" and "no" are way more human-friendly:

  • they are one of the most used words, so people naturally expect to see them, and can tell them apart from just "y" or "n" (they are also less ambiguous themselves — just look up how many meanings "on" or "off" has and how many parts of speech can they be),
  • they also work perfectly fine as answers to the flag descriptions (Consider hidden changesets? Yes, please. No, thanks.),
  • and "no" (more precisely, "no-") is the very same thing that users should add to the flags to negate them (not "--off-hidden").
martinvonz added a subscriber: martinvonz.Dec 15 2018, 2:47 PM

Arguments against yes/no:

  1. "default: yes/no" can easily be read as "is this a default", which is not quite the same, although it would have the same effect.
  1. On/off fits well in sentences like "is --hidden on by default".

I see your arguments too (mostly the last one of them), but I still slightly prefer on/off.

yuja added a subscriber: yuja.Dec 15 2018, 8:48 PM

I feel --no-<thing> and --<thing>=off|false are more natural, and
(default: %s) is the latter form.

av6 abandoned this revision.Aug 25 2019, 8:54 AM

Revision Contents
Changeset List

Diff 12881

mercurial/help.py

default = default.getdefaultvalue() default = default.getdefaultvalue()
if (default and not callable(default)) or default is False: if (default and not callable(default)) or default is False:
# default is of unknown type, and in Python 2 we abused # default is of unknown type, and in Python 2 we abused
# the %s-shows-repr property to handle integers etc. To # the %s-shows-repr property to handle integers etc. To
# match that behavior on Python 3, we do str(default) and # match that behavior on Python 3, we do str(default) and
# then convert it to bytes. # then convert it to bytes.
defaultstr = pycompat.bytestr(default) defaultstr = pycompat.bytestr(default)
if isinstance(default, bool): if isinstance(default, bool):
defaultstr = _("on") if default else _("off") defaultstr = _("yes") if default else _("no")
desc += _(" (default: %s)") % defaultstr desc += _(" (default: %s)") % defaultstr
if isinstance(default, list): if isinstance(default, list):
lo += " %s [+]" % optlabel lo += " %s [+]" % optlabel
multioccur = True multioccur = True
elif (default is not None) and not isinstance(default, bool): elif (default is not None) and not isinstance(default, bool):
lo += " %s" % optlabel lo += " %s" % optlabel

tests/test-extension.t

--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
$ echo 'debugextension = !' >> $HGRCPATH $ echo 'debugextension = !' >> $HGRCPATH
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
Make sure that single '-v' option shows help and built-ins only for 'dodo' command Make sure that single '-v' option shows help and built-ins only for 'dodo' command
$ hg help -v dodo $ hg help -v dodo
hg dodo hg dodo
Does nothing Does nothing
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
In case when extension name doesn't match any of its commands, In case when extension name doesn't match any of its commands,
help message should ask for '-v' to get list of built-in aliases help message should ask for '-v' to get list of built-in aliases
along with extension help along with extension help
$ cat > $TESTTMP/d/dudu.py <<EOF $ cat > $TESTTMP/d/dudu.py <<EOF
> """ > """
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
$ hg help -v -e dudu $ hg help -v -e dudu
dudu extension - dudu extension -
This is an awesome 'dudu' extension. It does something and also writes 'Beep This is an awesome 'dudu' extension. It does something and also writes 'Beep
beep' beep'
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
Disabled extension commands: Disabled extension commands:
$ ORGHGRCPATH=$HGRCPATH $ ORGHGRCPATH=$HGRCPATH
$ HGRCPATH= $ HGRCPATH=
$ export HGRCPATH $ export HGRCPATH

tests/test-fix.t

revisions are not forgotten in later ones. The --base flag can be used to revisions are not forgotten in later ones. The --base flag can be used to
override this default behavior, though it is not usually desirable to do override this default behavior, though it is not usually desirable to do
so. so.
(use 'hg help -e fix' to show help for the fix extension) (use 'hg help -e fix' to show help for the fix extension)
options ([+] can be repeated): options ([+] can be repeated):
--[no-]all fix all non-public non-obsolete revisions (default: --[no-]all fix all non-public non-obsolete revisions (default: no)
off)
--base REV [+] revisions to diff against (overrides automatic --base REV [+] revisions to diff against (overrides automatic
selection, and applies to every revision being fixed) selection, and applies to every revision being fixed)
-r --rev REV [+] revisions to fix -r --rev REV [+] revisions to fix
-w --[no-]working-dir fix the working directory (default: off) -w --[no-]working-dir fix the working directory (default: no)
--[no-]whole always fix every line of a file (default: off) --[no-]whole always fix every line of a file (default: no)
(some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help) (some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help)
$ hg help -e fix $ hg help -e fix
fix extension - rewrite file content in changesets or working copy fix extension - rewrite file content in changesets or working copy
(EXPERIMENTAL) (EXPERIMENTAL)
Provides a command that runs configured tools on the contents of modified Provides a command that runs configured tools on the contents of modified

tests/test-help.t

--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
(use 'hg help' for the full list of commands) (use 'hg help' for the full list of commands)
$ hg add -h $ hg add -h
hg add [OPTION]... [FILE]... hg add [OPTION]... [FILE]...
--debugger start debugger --debugger start debugger
--encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii) --encoding ENCODE set the charset encoding (default: ascii)
--encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict) --encodingmode MODE set the charset encoding mode (default: strict)
--traceback always print a traceback on exception --traceback always print a traceback on exception
--time time how long the command takes --time time how long the command takes
--profile print command execution profile --profile print command execution profile
--version output version information and exit --version output version information and exit
-h --help display help and exit -h --help display help and exit
--[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: off) --[no-]hidden consider hidden changesets (default: no)
--pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) --pager TYPE when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never)
(default: auto) (default: auto)
Test the textwidth config option Test the textwidth config option
$ hg root -h --config ui.textwidth=50 $ hg root -h --config ui.textwidth=50
hg root hg root
> return '%sbar' % oldstate > return '%sbar' % oldstate
> cmdtable = {} > cmdtable = {}
> command = registrar.command(cmdtable) > command = registrar.command(cmdtable)
> >
> @command(b'nohelp', > @command(b'nohelp',
> [(b'', b'longdesc', 3, b'x'*67), > [(b'', b'longdesc', 3, b'x'*67),
> (b'n', b'', None, b'normal desc'), > (b'n', b'', None, b'normal desc'),
> (b'', b'newline', b'', b'line1\nline2'), > (b'', b'newline', b'', b'line1\nline2'),
> (b'', b'default-off', False, b'enable X'), > (b'', b'default-no', False, b'enable X'),
> (b'', b'default-on', True, b'enable Y'), > (b'', b'default-yes', True, b'enable Y'),
> (b'', b'callableopt', func, b'adds foo'), > (b'', b'callableopt', func, b'adds foo'),
> (b'', b'customopt', customopt(''), b'adds bar'), > (b'', b'customopt', customopt(''), b'adds bar'),
> (b'', b'customopt-withdefault', customopt('foo'), b'adds bar')], > (b'', b'customopt-withdefault', customopt('foo'), b'adds bar')],
> b'hg nohelp', > b'hg nohelp',
> norepo=True) > norepo=True)
> @command(b'debugoptADV', [(b'', b'aopt', None, b'option is (ADVANCED)')]) > @command(b'debugoptADV', [(b'', b'aopt', None, b'option is (ADVANCED)')])
> @command(b'debugoptDEP', [(b'', b'dopt', None, b'option is (DEPRECATED)')]) > @command(b'debugoptDEP', [(b'', b'dopt', None, b'option is (DEPRECATED)')])
> @command(b'debugoptEXP', [(b'', b'eopt', None, b'option is (EXPERIMENTAL)')]) > @command(b'debugoptEXP', [(b'', b'eopt', None, b'option is (EXPERIMENTAL)')])
options: options:
--longdesc VALUE --longdesc VALUE
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (default: 3) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (default: 3)
-n -- normal desc -n -- normal desc
--newline VALUE line1 line2 --newline VALUE line1 line2
--[no-]default-off enable X (default: off) --[no-]default-no enable X (default: no)
--[no-]default-on enable Y (default: on) --[no-]default-yes enable Y (default: yes)
--callableopt VALUE adds foo --callableopt VALUE adds foo
--customopt VALUE adds bar --customopt VALUE adds bar
--customopt-withdefault VALUE adds bar (default: foo) --customopt-withdefault VALUE adds bar (default: foo)
(some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help) (some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help)
Test that default list of commands includes extension commands that have help, Test that default list of commands includes extension commands that have help,
but not those that don't, except in verbose mode, when a keyword is passed, or but not those that don't, except in verbose mode, when a keyword is passed, or
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--version</td> <td>--version</td>
<td>output version information and exit</td></tr> <td>output version information and exit</td></tr>
<tr><td>-h</td> <tr><td>-h</td>
<td>--help</td> <td>--help</td>
<td>display help and exit</td></tr> <td>display help and exit</td></tr>
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--[no-]hidden</td> <td>--[no-]hidden</td>
<td>consider hidden changesets (default: off)</td></tr> <td>consider hidden changesets (default: no)</td></tr>
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--pager TYPE</td> <td>--pager TYPE</td>
<td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr> <td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr>
</table> </table>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--version</td> <td>--version</td>
<td>output version information and exit</td></tr> <td>output version information and exit</td></tr>
<tr><td>-h</td> <tr><td>-h</td>
<td>--help</td> <td>--help</td>
<td>display help and exit</td></tr> <td>display help and exit</td></tr>
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--[no-]hidden</td> <td>--[no-]hidden</td>
<td>consider hidden changesets (default: off)</td></tr> <td>consider hidden changesets (default: no)</td></tr>
<tr><td></td> <tr><td></td>
<td>--pager TYPE</td> <td>--pager TYPE</td>
<td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr> <td>when to paginate (boolean, always, auto, or never) (default: auto)</td></tr>
</table> </table>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>
</div> </div>

tests/test-narrow-trackedcmd.t

options ([+] can be repeated): options ([+] can be repeated):
--addinclude VALUE [+] new paths to include --addinclude VALUE [+] new paths to include
--removeinclude VALUE [+] old paths to no longer include --removeinclude VALUE [+] old paths to no longer include
--addexclude VALUE [+] new paths to exclude --addexclude VALUE [+] new paths to exclude
--import-rules VALUE import narrowspecs from a file --import-rules VALUE import narrowspecs from a file
--removeexclude VALUE [+] old paths to no longer exclude --removeexclude VALUE [+] old paths to no longer exclude
--[no-]clear whether to replace the existing --[no-]clear whether to replace the existing
narrowspec (default: off) narrowspec (default: no)
--[no-]force-delete-local-changes forces deletion of local changes when --[no-]force-delete-local-changes forces deletion of local changes when
narrowing (default: off) narrowing (default: no)
-e --ssh CMD specify ssh command to use -e --ssh CMD specify ssh command to use
--remotecmd CMD specify hg command to run on the remote --remotecmd CMD specify hg command to run on the remote
side side
--insecure do not verify server certificate --insecure do not verify server certificate
(ignoring web.cacerts config) (ignoring web.cacerts config)
(use 'hg tracked -h' to show more help) (use 'hg tracked -h' to show more help)
[255] [255]

tests/test-shelve.t

options ([+] can be repeated): options ([+] can be repeated):
-A --addremove mark new/missing files as added/removed before -A --addremove mark new/missing files as added/removed before
shelving shelving
-u --unknown store unknown files in the shelve -u --unknown store unknown files in the shelve
--cleanup delete all shelved changes --cleanup delete all shelved changes
--date DATE shelve with the specified commit date --date DATE shelve with the specified commit date
-d --delete delete the named shelved change(s) -d --delete delete the named shelved change(s)
-e --[no-]edit invoke editor on commit messages (default: off) -e --[no-]edit invoke editor on commit messages (default: no)
-l --list list current shelves -l --list list current shelves
-m --message TEXT use text as shelve message -m --message TEXT use text as shelve message
-n --name NAME use the given name for the shelved commit -n --name NAME use the given name for the shelved commit
-p --patch output patches for changes (provide the names of the -p --patch output patches for changes (provide the names of the
shelved changes as positional arguments) shelved changes as positional arguments)
-i --interactive interactive mode, only works while creating a shelve -i --interactive interactive mode, only works while creating a shelve
--stat output diffstat-style summary of changes (provide --stat output diffstat-style summary of changes (provide
the names of the shelved changes as positional the names of the shelved changes as positional

tests/test-uncommit.t

If no files are specified, the commit will be pruned, unless --keep is If no files are specified, the commit will be pruned, unless --keep is
given. given.
(use 'hg help -e uncommit' to show help for the uncommit extension) (use 'hg help -e uncommit' to show help for the uncommit extension)
options ([+] can be repeated): options ([+] can be repeated):
--[no-]keep allow an empty commit after uncommiting (default: --[no-]keep allow an empty commit after uncommiting (default:
off) no)
-I --include PATTERN [+] include names matching the given patterns -I --include PATTERN [+] include names matching the given patterns
-X --exclude PATTERN [+] exclude names matching the given patterns -X --exclude PATTERN [+] exclude names matching the given patterns
(some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help) (some details hidden, use --verbose to show complete help)
Uncommit with no commits should fail Uncommit with no commits should fail
$ hg uncommit $ hg uncommit