If `--batch` or `--batch-check` is given, `cat-file` will read objects
from stdin, one per line, and print information about them.
-Each line is considered as a whole object name, and is parsed as if
-given to linkgit:git-rev-parse[1].
+Each line is split at the first whitespace boundary. All characters
+before that whitespace are considered as a whole object name, and are
+parsed as if given to linkgit:git-rev-parse[1]. Characters after that
+whitespace can be accessed using the `%(rest)` atom (see below).
You can specify the information shown for each object by using a custom
`<format>`. The `<format>` is copied literally to stdout for each
The size, in bytes, of the object (the same as `cat-file -s`
reports).
+`objectsize:disk`::
+ The size, in bytes, that the object takes up on disk. See the
+ note about on-disk sizes in the `CAVEATS` section below.
+
+`rest`::
+ The text (if any) found after the first run of whitespace on the
+ input line (i.e., the "rest" of the line).
+
If no format is specified, the default format is `%(objectname)
%(objecttype) %(objectsize)`.
<object> SP missing LF
------------
+
+CAVEATS
+-------
+
+Note that the sizes of objects on disk are reported accurately, but care
+should be taken in drawing conclusions about which refs or objects are
+responsible for disk usage. The size of a packed non-delta object may be
+much larger than the size of objects which delta against it, but the
+choice of which object is the base and which is the delta is arbitrary
+and is subject to change during a repack. Note also that multiple copies
+of an object may be present in the object database; in this case, it is
+undefined which copy's size will be reported.
+
+
GIT
---
Part of the linkgit:git[1] suite