Mirko Faina c3a92d8896 format-patch: add ability to use alt cover format ...

Often when sending patch series there's a need to clarify to the
reviewer what's the purpose of said series, since it might be difficult
to understand it from reading the commits messages one by one.

"git format-patch" provides the useful "--cover-letter" flag to declare
if we want it to generate a template for us to use. By default it will
generate a "git shortlog" of the changes, which developers find less
useful than they'd like, mainly because the shortlog groups commits by
author, and gives no obvious chronological order.

Give the ability to format-patch to specify an alternative format spec
through the "--cover-letter-format" option. This option either takes
"shortlog", which is the current format, or a format spec prefixed with
"log:".

Example:
    git format-patch --cover-letter \
        --cover-letter-format="log:[%(count)/%(total)] %s (%an)" HEAD~3

    [1/3] this is a commit summary (Mirko Faina)
    [2/3] this is another commit summary (Mirko Faina)
    ...

Signed-off-by: Mirko Faina <mroik@delayed.space>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

2026-02-27 15:12:20 -08:00

..

add.c

Merge branch 'jt/odb-transaction'

2025-10-02 12:26:11 -07:00

am.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

annotate.c

Merge branch 'jc/a-commands-without-the-repo'

2024-10-25 14:02:36 -04:00

apply.c

builtin: use default hash when outside a repository

2025-07-01 14:58:24 -07:00

archive.c

archive: remove the_repository global variable

2024-10-11 09:37:18 -07:00

backfill.c

packfile: split up responsibilities of reprepare_packed_git()

2025-09-24 11:53:50 -07:00

bisect.c

Merge branch 'ps/ref-peeled-tags'

2025-11-19 10:55:39 -08:00

blame.c

Merge branch 'jc/optional-path'

2025-12-05 14:49:56 +09:00

branch.c

branch: advice using git-help(1) instead of man(1)

2025-12-03 00:16:05 -08:00

bugreport.c

object-file: move safe_create_leading_directories() into "path.c"

2025-04-15 08:24:35 -07:00

bundle.c

Merge branch 'jt/bundle-fsck'

2024-12-13 07:33:36 -08:00

cat-file.c

Merge branch 'ps/read-object-info-improvements'

2026-01-21 08:29:00 -08:00

check-attr.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

check-ignore.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

check-mailmap.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

check-ref-format.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

checkout--worker.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

checkout-index.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

checkout.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

clean.c

Merge branch 'jk/color-variable-fixes'

2025-09-29 11:40:35 -07:00

clone.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

column.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

commit-graph.c

commit-graph: add new config for changed-paths & recommend it in scalar

2025-10-22 10:40:11 -07:00

commit-tree.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

commit.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

config.c

Merge branch 'rs/config-set-multi-error-message-fix'

2025-12-05 14:49:59 +09:00

count-objects.c

packfile: introduce macro to iterate through packs

2025-10-16 14:42:39 -07:00

credential-cache--daemon.c

config: drop git_config_get_bool() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:20 -07:00

credential-cache.c

Merge branch 'rj/cygwin-exit'

2024-11-01 12:53:19 -04:00

credential-store.c

config: drop git_config_get_int() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:20 -07:00

credential.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

describe.c

tag: support arbitrary repositories in parse_tag()

2025-12-29 22:02:54 +09:00

diagnose.c

object-file: move safe_create_leading_directories() into "path.c"

2025-04-15 08:24:35 -07:00

diff-files.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

diff-index.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

diff-pairs.c

builtin/diff-pairs: allow explicit diff queue flush

2025-03-03 08:17:47 -08:00

diff-tree.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

diff.c

diff: --no-index should ignore the worktree

2025-08-09 17:22:01 -07:00

difftool.c

odb: rename repo_read_object_file()

2025-07-01 14:46:38 -07:00

fast-export.c

Merge branch 'cc/fast-import-strip-if-invalid'

2025-12-05 14:49:58 +09:00

fast-import.c

packfile: move packfile store into object source

2026-01-09 06:40:07 -08:00

fetch-pack.c

builtin/fetch-pack: cleanup before return error

2025-06-04 08:52:25 -07:00

fetch.c

Merge branch 'kn/fix-fetch-backfill-tag-with-batched-ref-updates'

2025-12-23 11:33:17 +09:00

fmt-merge-msg.c

builtin/fmt-merge-msg: stop depending on 'the_repository'

2025-08-11 09:19:40 -07:00

for-each-ref.c

Merge branch 'ms/refs-list'

2025-08-22 13:13:20 -07:00

for-each-repo.c

global: trivial conversions to fix -Wsign-compare warnings

2024-12-06 20:20:04 +09:00

fsck.c

Merge branch 'ps/ref-consistency-checks'

2026-01-21 08:28:58 -08:00

fsmonitor--daemon.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

gc.c

builtin/gc: fix condition for whether to write commit graphs

2026-01-07 09:16:50 +09:00

get-tar-commit-id.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

grep.c

packfile: only prepare owning store in packfile_store_prepare()

2026-01-09 06:40:07 -08:00

hash-object.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

help.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

hook.c

Revert "Merge branch 'ar/run-command-hook'"

2026-01-15 13:02:38 -08:00

index-pack.c

packfile: move packfile store into object source

2026-01-09 06:40:07 -08:00

init-db.c

Merge branch 'ps/parse-options-integers'

2025-04-24 17:25:34 -07:00

interpret-trailers.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

last-modified.c

Merge branch 'tc/memzero-array'

2025-12-23 11:33:16 +09:00

log.c

format-patch: add ability to use alt cover format

2026-02-27 15:12:20 -08:00

ls-files.c

Merge branch 'ds/ls-files-lazy-unsparse'

2025-09-08 14:54:35 -07:00

ls-remote.c

ref-filter: propagate peeled object ID

2025-11-04 07:32:25 -08:00

ls-tree.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

mailinfo.c

mailinfo: stop using the_repository

2024-12-18 10:44:31 -08:00

mailsplit.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

merge-base.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

merge-file.c

Merge branch 'ps/object-file-wo-the-repository'

2025-08-05 11:53:55 -07:00

merge-index.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

merge-ours.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

merge-recursive.c

builtin: also setup gently for --help-all

2025-08-08 11:13:12 -07:00

merge-tree.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

merge.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

mktag.c

Merge branch 'ps/object-file-wo-the-repository'

2025-08-05 11:53:55 -07:00

mktree.c

odb: introduce odb_write_object()

2025-07-16 22:16:15 -07:00

multi-pack-index.c

Merge branch 'ps/object-store-midx-dedup-info'

2025-09-12 10:41:18 -07:00

mv.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

name-rev.c

name-rev: use commit_stack

2025-12-25 08:29:27 +09:00

notes.c

Merge branch 'jc/strbuf-split'

2025-08-21 13:47:00 -07:00

pack-objects.c

Merge branch 'ps/geometric-repacking-with-promisor-remotes'

2026-01-21 16:16:27 -08:00

pack-redundant.c

Merge branch 'ps/remove-packfile-store-get-packs'

2025-10-30 08:00:19 -07:00

pack-refs.c

builtin/pack-refs: factor out core logic into a shared library

2025-09-19 10:02:55 -07:00

patch-id.c

patch-id: use “patch ID” throughout

2026-01-09 06:07:21 -08:00

prune-packed.c

builtin: remove USE_THE_REPOSITORY for those without the_repository

2024-09-13 14:33:30 -07:00

prune.c

Merge branch 'ps/object-file-wo-the-repository'

2025-08-05 11:53:55 -07:00

pull.c

pull: move options[] array into function scope

2025-12-12 22:08:02 +09:00

push.c

color: use git_colorbool enum type to store colorbools

2025-09-16 17:59:53 -07:00

range-diff.c

Merge branch 'kh/format-patch-range-diff-notes'

2025-10-14 12:56:09 -07:00

read-tree.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

rebase.c

Merge branch 'jk/setup-revisions-freefix'

2025-09-29 11:40:34 -07:00

receive-pack.c

Revert "Merge branch 'ar/run-command-hook'"

2026-01-15 13:02:38 -08:00

reflog.c

Merge branch 'ps/reflog-migrate-fixes' into maint-2.51

2025-10-15 10:29:28 -07:00

refs.c

Merge branch 'ms/refs-optimize'

2025-10-02 12:26:12 -07:00

remote-ext.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

remote-fd.c

builtin: send usage() help text to standard output

2025-01-17 13:30:03 -08:00

remote.c

refs: introduce wrapper struct for each_ref_fn

2025-11-04 07:32:24 -08:00

repack.c

builtin/repack: handle promisor packs with geometric repacking

2026-01-14 06:29:24 -08:00

replace.c

refs: introduce wrapper struct for each_ref_fn

2025-11-04 07:32:24 -08:00

replay.c

replay: die if we cannot parse object

2026-01-06 07:30:16 +09:00

repo.c

Merge branch 'jt/repo-struct-more-objinfo'

2025-12-30 12:58:19 +09:00

rerere.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

reset.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

rev-list.c

Merge branch 'ps/config-wo-the-repository'

2025-08-04 08:10:33 -07:00

rev-parse.c

Merge branch 'ps/ref-peeled-tags'

2025-11-19 10:55:39 -08:00

revert.c

Merge branch 'pw/3.0-commentchar-auto-deprecation'

2025-09-18 10:07:00 -07:00

rm.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

send-pack.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

shortlog.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

show-branch.c

Merge branch 'rs/show-branch-prio-queue'

2026-01-06 16:33:52 +09:00

show-index.c

builtin: use default hash when outside a repository

2025-07-01 14:58:24 -07:00

show-ref.c

builtin/show-ref: convert to use reference_get_peeled_oid()

2025-11-04 07:32:25 -08:00

sparse-checkout.c

sparse-checkout: add --verbose option to 'clean'

2025-09-15 12:10:56 -07:00

stash.c

cocci: convert parse_tree functions to repo_ variants

2026-01-09 18:36:18 -08:00

stripspace.c

config: drop git_config() wrapper

2025-07-23 08:15:18 -07:00

submodule--helper.c

Merge branch 'jc/submodule-add'

2025-12-23 11:33:15 +09:00

symbolic-ref.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

tag.c

tag: support arbitrary repositories in gpg_verify_tag()

2025-12-29 22:02:53 +09:00

unpack-file.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

unpack-objects.c

object-file: refactor writing objects via a stream

2025-11-03 12:18:48 -08:00

update-index.c

odb: add transaction interface

2025-09-16 11:37:06 -07:00

update-ref.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

update-server-info.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

upload-archive.c

path: move enter_repo() into "setup.c"

2025-11-19 17:41:03 -08:00

upload-pack.c

path: move enter_repo() into "setup.c"

2025-11-19 17:41:03 -08:00

var.c

Merge branch 'jc/string-list-split'

2025-08-21 13:46:59 -07:00

verify-commit.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

verify-pack.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00

verify-tag.c

tag: support arbitrary repositories in gpg_verify_tag()

2025-12-29 22:02:53 +09:00

worktree.c

Merge branch 'pw/worktree-list-display-width-fix'

2025-11-26 10:32:42 -08:00

write-tree.c

config: move Git config parsing into "environment.c"

2025-07-23 08:15:22 -07:00