- refs = create_ref_cache(submodule);
- refs->next = submodule_ref_caches;
- submodule_ref_caches = refs;
+/*
+ * Return a pointer to a ref_cache for the specified submodule. For
+ * the main repository, use submodule==NULL. The returned structure
+ * will be allocated and initialized but not necessarily populated; it
+ * should not be freed.
+ */
+static struct ref_cache *get_ref_cache(const char *submodule)
+{
+ struct ref_cache *refs = lookup_ref_cache(submodule);
+ if (!refs)
+ refs = create_ref_cache(submodule);