SYNOPSIS
--------
[verse]
-'git-format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
- [--attach[=<boundary>] | --inline[=<boundary>]]
+'git format-patch' [-k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--thread]
+ [--attach[=<boundary>] | --inline[=<boundary>] |
+ [--no-attach]]
[-s | --signoff] [<common diff options>]
[-n | --numbered | -N | --no-numbered]
[--start-number <n>] [--numbered-files]
Prepare each commit with its patch in
one file per commit, formatted to resemble UNIX mailbox format.
The output of this command is convenient for e-mail submission or
-for use with linkgit:git-am[1].
+for use with 'git-am'.
There are two ways to specify which commits to operate on.
since the beginning of the time". If you want to format
everything since project inception to one commit, say "git
format-patch \--root <commit>" to make it clear that it is the
-latter case.
+latter case. If you want to format a single commit, you can do
+this with "git format-patch -1 <commit>".
By default, each output file is numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the
first line of the commit message (massaged for pathname safety) as
If -o is specified, output files are created in <dir>. Otherwise
they are created in the current working directory.
-If -n is specified, instead of "[PATCH] Subject", the first line
-is formatted as "[PATCH n/m] Subject".
+By default, the subject of a single patch is "[PATCH] First Line" and
+the subject when multiple patches are output is "[PATCH n/m] First
+Line". To force 1/1 to be added for a single patch, use -n. To omit
+patch numbers from the subject, use -N
-If given --thread, git-format-patch will generate In-Reply-To and
+If given --thread, 'git-format-patch' will generate In-Reply-To and
References headers to make the second and subsequent patch mails appear
as replies to the first mail; this also generates a Message-Id header to
reference.
-<n>::
Limits the number of patches to prepare.
--o|--output-directory <dir>::
+-o <dir>::
+--output-directory <dir>::
Use <dir> to store the resulting files, instead of the
current working directory.
--n|--numbered::
- Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format.
+-n::
+--numbered::
+ Name output in '[PATCH n/m]' format, even with a single patch.
--N|--no-numbered::
+-N::
+--no-numbered::
Name output in '[PATCH]' format.
--start-number <n>::
without the default first line of the commit appended.
Mutually exclusive with the --stdout option.
--k|--keep-subject::
+-k::
+--keep-subject::
Do not strip/add '[PATCH]' from the first line of the
commit log message.
--s|--signoff::
+-s::
+--signoff::
Add `Signed-off-by:` line to the commit message, using
the committer identity of yourself.
which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
second part, with "Content-Disposition: attachment".
+--no-attach::
+ Disable the creation of an attachment, overriding the
+ configuration setting.
+
--inline[=<boundary>]::
Create multipart/mixed attachment, the first part of
which is the commit message and the patch itself in the
second part, with "Content-Disposition: inline".
---thread::
+--thread[=<style>]::
Add In-Reply-To and References headers to make the second and
subsequent mails appear as replies to the first. Also generates
the Message-Id header to reference.
++
+The optional <style> argument can be either `shallow` or `deep`.
+'Shallow' threading makes every mail a reply to the head of the
+series, where the head is chosen from the cover letter, the
+`\--in-reply-to`, and the first patch mail, in this order. 'Deep'
+threading makes every mail a reply to the previous one. If not
+specified, defaults to the 'format.thread' configuration, or `shallow`
+if that is not set.
--in-reply-to=Message-Id::
Make the first mail (or all the mails with --no-thread) appear as a
to any configured headers, and may be used multiple times.
--cover-letter::
- Generate a cover letter template. You still have to fill in
- a description, but the shortlog and the diffstat will be
- generated for you.
+ In addition to the patches, generate a cover letter file
+ containing the shortlog and the overall diffstat. You can
+ fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
--suffix=.<sfx>::
Instead of using `.patch` as the suffix for generated
the first letter does not have to be a dot. Leaving it empty would
not add any suffix.
+--no-binary::
+ Don't output contents of changes in binary files, just take note
+ that they differ. Note that this disable the patch to be properly
+ applied. By default the contents of changes in those files are
+ encoded in the patch.
+
CONFIGURATION
-------------
You can specify extra mail header lines to be added to each message
in the repository configuration, new defaults for the subject prefix
-and file suffix, and number patches when outputting more than one.
+and file suffix, control attachements, and number patches when outputting
+more than one.
------------
[format]
- headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
- subjectprefix = CHANGE
- suffix = .txt
- numbered = auto
+ headers = "Organization: git-foo\n"
+ subjectprefix = CHANGE
+ suffix = .txt
+ numbered = auto
+ cc = <email>
+ attach [ = mime-boundary-string ]
------------
EXAMPLES
--------
-git-format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git-am -3 -k::
- Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply
- them on top of the current branch using `git-am` to
- cherry-pick them.
-
-git-format-patch origin::
- Extract all commits which are in the current branch but
- not in the origin branch. For each commit a separate file
- is created in the current directory.
-
-git-format-patch \--root origin::
- Extract all commits that lead to 'origin' since the
- inception of the project.
-
-git-format-patch -M -B origin::
- The same as the previous one. Additionally, it detects
- and handles renames and complete rewrites intelligently to
- produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces the
- amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to
- review it. Note that the "patch" program does not
- understand renaming patches, so use it only when you know
- the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
-
-git-format-patch -3::
- Extract three topmost commits from the current branch
- and format them as e-mailable patches.
-
-See Also
+* Extract commits between revisions R1 and R2, and apply them on top of
+the current branch using 'git-am' to cherry-pick them:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2 | git am -3 -k
+------------
+
+* Extract all commits which are in the current branch but not in the
+origin branch:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch origin
+------------
++
+For each commit a separate file is created in the current directory.
+
+* Extract all commits that lead to 'origin' since the inception of the
+project:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch --root origin
+------------
+
+* The same as the previous one:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -M -B origin
+------------
++
+Additionally, it detects and handles renames and complete rewrites
+intelligently to produce a renaming patch. A renaming patch reduces
+the amount of text output, and generally makes it easier to review it.
+Note that the "patch" program does not understand renaming patches, so
+use it only when you know the recipient uses git to apply your patch.
+
+* Extract three topmost commits from the current branch and format them
+as e-mailable patches:
++
+------------
+$ git format-patch -3
+------------
+
+SEE ALSO
--------
linkgit:git-am[1], linkgit:git-send-email[1]
Author
------
-Written by Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>
+Written by Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>
Documentation
--------------
GIT
---
-Part of the linkgit:git[7] suite
+Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite