Documentation / technical / api-directory-listing.txton commit Merge branch 'rr/column-doc' into maint (439b55b)
   1directory listing API
   2=====================
   3
   4The directory listing API is used to enumerate paths in the work tree,
   5optionally taking `.git/info/exclude` and `.gitignore` files per
   6directory into account.
   7
   8Data structure
   9--------------
  10
  11`struct dir_struct` structure is used to pass directory traversal
  12options to the library and to record the paths discovered.  A single
  13`struct dir_struct` is used regardless of whether or not the traversal
  14recursively descends into subdirectories.
  15
  16The notable options are:
  17
  18`exclude_per_dir`::
  19
  20        The name of the file to be read in each directory for excluded
  21        files (typically `.gitignore`).
  22
  23`flags`::
  24
  25        A bit-field of options (the `*IGNORED*` flags are mutually exclusive):
  26
  27`DIR_SHOW_IGNORED`:::
  28
  29        Return just ignored files in `entries[]`, not untracked files.
  30
  31`DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_TOO`:::
  32
  33        Similar to `DIR_SHOW_IGNORED`, but return ignored files in `ignored[]`
  34        in addition to untracked files in `entries[]`.
  35
  36`DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED`:::
  37
  38        Special mode for git-add. Return ignored files in `ignored[]` and
  39        untracked files in `entries[]`. Only returns ignored files that match
  40        pathspec exactly (no wildcards). Does not recurse into ignored
  41        directories.
  42
  43`DIR_SHOW_OTHER_DIRECTORIES`:::
  44
  45        Include a directory that is not tracked.
  46
  47`DIR_HIDE_EMPTY_DIRECTORIES`:::
  48
  49        Do not include a directory that is not tracked and is empty.
  50
  51`DIR_NO_GITLINKS`:::
  52
  53        If set, recurse into a directory that looks like a Git
  54        directory.  Otherwise it is shown as a directory.
  55
  56The result of the enumeration is left in these fields:
  57
  58`entries[]`::
  59
  60        An array of `struct dir_entry`, each element of which describes
  61        a path.
  62
  63`nr`::
  64
  65        The number of members in `entries[]` array.
  66
  67`alloc`::
  68
  69        Internal use; keeps track of allocation of `entries[]` array.
  70
  71`ignored[]`::
  72
  73        An array of `struct dir_entry`, used for ignored paths with the
  74        `DIR_SHOW_IGNORED_TOO` and `DIR_COLLECT_IGNORED` flags.
  75
  76`ignored_nr`::
  77
  78        The number of members in `ignored[]` array.
  79
  80Calling sequence
  81----------------
  82
  83Note: index may be looked at for .gitignore files that are CE_SKIP_WORKTREE
  84marked. If you to exclude files, make sure you have loaded index first.
  85
  86* Prepare `struct dir_struct dir` and clear it with `memset(&dir, 0,
  87  sizeof(dir))`.
  88
  89* To add single exclude pattern, call `add_exclude_list()` and then
  90  `add_exclude()`.
  91
  92* To add patterns from a file (e.g. `.git/info/exclude`), call
  93  `add_excludes_from_file()` , and/or set `dir.exclude_per_dir`.  A
  94  short-hand function `setup_standard_excludes()` can be used to set
  95  up the standard set of exclude settings.
  96
  97* Set options described in the Data Structure section above.
  98
  99* Call `read_directory()`.
 100
 101* Use `dir.entries[]`.
 102
 103* Call `clear_directory()` when none of the contained elements are no longer in use.
 104
 105(JC)