Add flag option to ignore paths in init / commit / status about protolock

[noel-yap]

#29

[noel-yap]

This is especially important if the proto files import third-party proto files since those proto files are downloaded to some build, cache, or other ephemeral directory which leads to init and commit generating different proto.lock contents depending on whether or not the proto files have been processed.

[nilslice]

@noel-yap good point. Do you think the example shown in my initial comment covers the case you mentioned?

I also have #20 open which expands on the ignored protos using .gitignore (though would probably also make sense to consider other VCS ignore files as well).

[noel-yap]

I would say the example is sufficient in that what I had said can be extrapolated from it. A more direct example would have something like --ignore=build (Gradle places build artifacts into a build directory).

I'm personally kinda wary about tying this project to any specific VCS tool. Perhaps specifying the ignore file would be good enough if they abide by similar syntax in those files (eg Ant globs).

Thinking about it a bit more, the code already filters out non-proto files so I'm guessing much of what would be in VCS ignore files would already be filtered out.

Anyway, having said all of the above, I'm working on the --ignore feature and don't see much value add for the VCS ignore file feature so won't be working on that.

[nilslice]

I would say the example is sufficient in that what I had said can be extrapolated from it. A more direct example would have something like --ignore=build (Gradle places build artifacts into a build directory).

Ok, great, thanks. If it's not clear, the example shows a comma-separated list of paths or filenames to ignore. Just wanted to make sure that was pointed out. Especially since you're starting work on this feature (many thanks by the way).

I'm personally kinda wary about tying this project to any specific VCS tool. Perhaps specifying the ignore file would be good enough if they abide by similar syntax in those files (eg Ant globs).

I agree. Although, there would really only be reason to support Git, Mercurial, and SVN in my opinion, and that doesn't seem too bad. The reason to auto-ignore paths in the ignorefiles is so that invoking protolock with a long string of paths in the --ignore option could get messy.

Thinking about it a bit more, the code already filters out non-proto files so I'm guessing much of what would be in VCS ignore files would already be filtered out.

I have a project where the make install step will install protoc into the repo's tree (but protoc-3 the directory where the binary lives in the repo tree is included in the .gitignore), and I don't want to lock the .protos that exist in that directory. I'm sure there are many other cases where a similar problem is encountered. I'll do some testing and try to get more feedback.

[noel-yap]

Yeah, understood that --ignore takes in a comma-separated list. I was assuming it involved only directories. Glad you mentioned specific files can be ignored, too.

Yeah, more real-life scenarios would be valuable input. Thanks.

I didn't mean to imply that the VCS ignore file feature wouldn't have value to anyone and everyone -- just not much value for my own needs (BTW, I'm creating a Gradle plugin for protolock) at least for the time being. Far be it from me to try to stop someone else from working on this feature.

[nilslice]

(BTW, I'm creating a Gradle plugin for protolock)

@noel-yap, can't wait to see it -- if you don't mind, we can link it on the README. I think it would be quite helpful to others.

[noel-yap]

Mind? I'm all for it! We'll likely test it out for a while at work before open-sourcing it.

[nilslice]

@noel-yap awesome! that sounds great.