RE: reposted feature request: assume 'help' as the argument when none is given and at least one is required

 
Martin,

I must disagree with you and agree with Max :o)

If "svn" defaulted to "svn help" then the same logic would assume (as a
user) that typing "svn up" would display the HELP for the "up" command.

However, by stating that "svn help" is the HELP command, then "svn up"
(or other argument) becomes its own command.

Even the "svn help" command explains further usage: "svn <subcommand>
[options]..." with the explicit text: Type "svn help <subcommand>" for
help on a specific subcommand.

And, thus, the user should get in the habit of typing "svn help" or "svn
h" or "svn ?" for the help; and all other subcommands result in non-help
command execution.

Those are my 2 pence.

- nasser

Nasser Dassi
Sr. Technical Programmer
=========================================
E: ndassi@141xm.com
=========================================

-----Original Message-----
From: Martin A. Brooks [mailto:martin@hinterlands.org]
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 7:17 PM
To: Max Bowsher
Cc: users@subversion.tigris.org; dev@subversion.tigris.org
Subject: Re: reposted feature request: assume 'help' as the argument
when none is given and at least one is required

Max Bowsher wrote:

> No, this is deliberate.
>
> "svn" is a meaningless errorful invocation. So, you get a message to
> that effect.
>
> Errors should never auto-display usage, because then the error gets
> easily lost, made much less visible compared to the large help text.

I understand your point, however I disagree :)

'svn' is not a meaningless errorful invocation, from the user's point of

view, it's "I wonder what 'svn' does". Given that the only option
suggested when 'svn' is typed is 'type svn help' then why not short
circuit the process? If other options were suggested then I'd agree with

you, as it stands the impression given is "hahaha, you did it wrong, so
rather than be helpful I'm now going to make you beg for help", if you
see what I mean :)

Mart.

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Received on Fri Jan 28 02:31:04 2005