accept "git grep -- pattern"

Currently the only way to "quote" a grep pattern that might
begin with a dash is to use "git grep -e pattern". This
works just fine, and is also the way right way to do it on
many traditional grep implemenations.

Some people prefer to use "git grep -- pattern", however, as
"--" is the usual "end of options" marker, and at least GNU
grep and Solaris 10 grep support this. This patch makes that
syntax work.

There is a slight behavior change, in that "git grep -- $X"
used to be interpreted as "grep for -- in $X". However, that
usage is questionable. "--" is usually the end-of-options
marker, so "git grep" was unlike many other greps in
treating it as a literal pattern (e.g., both GNU grep and
Solaris 10 grep will treat "grep --" as missing a pattern).

Signed-off-by: Jeff King <peff@peff.net>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@pobox.com>

1 files changed, 10 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/builtin-grep.c b/builtin-grep.c
index 26d4deb1cc..63d4b95b0d 100644
--- a/builtin-grep.c
+++ b/builtin-grep.c
@@ -861,6 +861,16 @@ int cmd_grep(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION |
 			     PARSE_OPT_NO_INTERNAL_HELP);
 
+	/*
+	 * skip a -- separator; we know it cannot be
+	 * separating revisions from pathnames if
+	 * we haven't even had any patterns yet
+	 */
+	if (argc > 0 && !opt.pattern_list && !strcmp(argv[0], "--")) {
+		argv++;
+		argc--;
+	}
+
 	/* First unrecognized non-option token */
 	if (argc > 0 && !opt.pattern_list) {
 		append_grep_pattern(&opt, argv[0], "command line", 0,