doc: remove "directory cache" from man pages

From: Utku Gultopu <[email protected]>

"directory cache" (or "directory cache index", "cache") are obsolete terms which have been superseded by "index". Keeping them in the documentation may be a source of confusion. This commit replaces them with the current term, "index", on man pages.

---
doc: remove "directory cache" from man pages

"directory cache" (or "directory cache index", "cache") are obsolete terms which have been superseded by "index". Keeping them in the documentation may be a source of confusion. This commit replaces them with the current term, "index", on man pages.

Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-git-943%2Fugultopu%2Fremove-directory-cache-from-man-pages-v1
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-git-943/ugultopu/remove-directory-cache-from-man-pages-v1
Pull-Request: https://github.com/git/git/pull/943

 Documentation/git-ls-files.txt     | 5 ++---
 Documentation/git-update-index.txt | 5 ++---
 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)

index cbcf5263dd0..0a3b5265b34 100644
@@ -23,9 +23,8 @@ SYNOPSIS
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
-This merges the file listing in the directory cache index with the
-actual working directory list, and shows different combinations of the
-two.
+This merges the file listing in the index with the actual working
+directory list, and shows different combinations of the two.
 
 One or more of the options below may be used to determine the files
 shown:

index 1489cb09a09..2853f168d97 100644
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ SYNOPSIS
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
-Modifies the index or directory cache. Each file mentioned is updated
-into the index and any 'unmerged' or 'needs updating' state is
-cleared.
+Modifies the index. Each file mentioned is updated into the index and
+any 'unmerged' or 'needs updating' state is cleared.
 
 See also linkgit:git-add[1] for a more user-friendly way to do some of
 the most common operations on the index.

base-commit: 72c4083ddf91b489b7b7b812df67ee8842177d98

gitgitgadget

Hi Utku,

This patch looks good to me. There is another mention of the old-style "directory cache" in the user manual (Documentation/user-manual.txt) which could probably be removed:

Note that in older documentation you may see the index called the "current directory cache" or just the "cache". It has three important properties:

Thanks,
Taylor

Hi Taylor,

I left that one on purpose. I initially thought that "Documentation/user-manual.txt" was just an outdated, "dead" file that wasn't being updated anymore and Pro Git 2 was the de-facto user manual now. Hence, I left it there so that it would provide historical context.

However, after having a look at the history of it, I realize that it is not a dead file at all. Also a web search for "git user manual" returns it as the first result, so I understand that it is still very much relevant.

On the other hand, the document clearly states that the terms "directory cache" and "cache" have been obsoleted by "index", so there is no source of confusion there. On the man pages, there was, which was the reason I felt the need to make this change. I thought that keeping at least one definition of "directory cache" (where this definition clearly states that it is an obsolete term for "index") would be helpful.

So what are your thoughts about it? If you think it is better to remove it, please let me know and I will remove it.

Best

I think that is a good reason to leave it as-is. Since you hadn't mentioned it in the patch text, I was wondering whether it was an omission, or you had intended to leave it that way.

This patch looks good to me as-is.

Thanks,
Taylor

Yup, I agree with the reasoning to keep the "older documentation may say dircache". Will queue. Thanks.