Merge branch 'jc/prettier-pretty-note'

Emit the notes attached to the commit in "format-patch --notes"
output after three-dashes.

* jc/prettier-pretty-note:
  format-patch: add a blank line between notes and diffstat
  Doc User-Manual: Patch cover letter, three dashes, and --notes
  Doc format-patch: clarify --notes use case
  Doc notes: Include the format-patch --notes option
  Doc SubmittingPatches: Mention --notes option after "cover letter"
  Documentation: decribe format-patch --notes
  format-patch --notes: show notes after three-dashes
  format-patch: append --signature after notes
  pretty_print_commit(): do not append notes message
  pretty: prepare notes message at a centralized place
  format_note(): simplify API
  pretty: remove reencode_commit_message()

4 files changed, 26 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
index 0dbf2c9843..3d8b2fe4d1 100644
--- a/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
+++ b/Documentation/SubmittingPatches
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ message starts, you can put a "From: " line to name that person.
 
 You often want to add additional explanation about the patch,
 other than the commit message itself.  Place such "cover letter"
-material between the three dash lines and the diffstat.
+material between the three dash lines and the diffstat. Git-notes
+can also be inserted using the `--notes` option.
 
 Do not attach the patch as a MIME attachment, compressed or not.
 Do not let your e-mail client send quoted-printable.  Do not let
diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
index 6d43f56279..259dce4994 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 		   [--ignore-if-in-upstream]
 		   [--subject-prefix=Subject-Prefix]
 		   [--to=<email>] [--cc=<email>]
-		   [--cover-letter] [--quiet]
+		   [--cover-letter] [--quiet] [--notes[=<ref>]]
 		   [<common diff options>]
 		   [ <since> | <revision range> ]
 
@@ -191,6 +191,18 @@ will want to ensure that threading is disabled for `git send-email`.
 	containing the shortlog and the overall diffstat.  You can
 	fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
 
+--notes[=<ref>]::
+	Append the notes (see linkgit:git-notes[1]) for the commit
+	after the three-dash line.
++
+The expected use case of this is to write supporting explanation for
+the commit that does not belong to the commit log message proper,
+and include it with the patch submission. While one can simply write
+these explanations after `format-patch` has run but before sending,
+keeping them as git notes allows them to be maintained between versions
+of the patch series (but see the discussion of the `notes.rewrite`
+configuration options in linkgit:git-notes[1] to use this workflow).
+
 --[no]-signature=<signature>::
 	Add a signature to each message produced. Per RFC 3676 the signature
 	is separated from the body by a line with '-- ' on it. If the
diff --git a/Documentation/git-notes.txt b/Documentation/git-notes.txt
index b95aafae2d..46ef0466be 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-notes.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-notes.txt
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ message stored in the commit object, the notes are indented like the
 message, after an unindented line saying "Notes (<refname>):" (or
 "Notes:" for `refs/notes/commits`).
 
+Notes can also be added to patches prepared with `git format-patch` by
+using the `--notes` option. Such notes are added as a patch commentary
+after a three dash separator line.
+
 To change which notes are shown by 'git log', see the
 "notes.displayRef" configuration in linkgit:git-log[1].
 
diff --git a/Documentation/user-manual.txt b/Documentation/user-manual.txt
index 85651b57ae..1b377dc207 100644
--- a/Documentation/user-manual.txt
+++ b/Documentation/user-manual.txt
@@ -1787,6 +1787,13 @@ $ git format-patch origin
 will produce a numbered series of files in the current directory, one
 for each patch in the current branch but not in origin/HEAD.
 
+`git format-patch` can include an initial "cover letter". You can insert
+commentary on individual patches after the three dash line which
+`format-patch` places after the commit message but before the patch
+itself.  If you use `git notes` to track your cover letter material,
+`git format-patch --notes` will include the commit's notes in a similar
+manner.
+
 You can then import these into your mail client and send them by
 hand.  However, if you have a lot to send at once, you may prefer to
 use the linkgit:git-send-email[1] script to automate the process.