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B4(5) B4(5)

NAME

B4 - Work with code submissions in a public-inbox archive

SYNOPSIS

b4 {mbox,am,shazam,pr,diff,ty,kr} [options]

DESCRIPTION

This is a helper utility to work with patches and pull requests made available via a public-inbox archive like lore.kernel.org. It is written to make it easier to participate in a patch-based workflows, like those used in the Linux kernel development.

The name "b4" was chosen for ease of typing and because B-4 was the precursor to Lore and Data in the Star Trek universe.

SUBCOMMANDS

  • mbox: Download a thread as an mbox file
  • am: Create an mbox file that is ready to git-am
  • shazam: Apply patch series to git repositories
  • pr: Work with pull requests
  • diff: Show range-diff style diffs between patch versions
  • ty: Create templated replies for processed patches and pull requests
  • kr (EXPERIMENTAL) Operate on patatt-compatible keyrings
  • attest: (DEPRECATED) Add cryptographic attestation to patches

OPTIONS

show this help message and exit
-d, --debug
Add more debugging info to the output (default: False)
Output critical information only (default: False)
-n, --no-interactive
Do not ask any interactive questions (default: False)

SUBCOMMAND OPTIONS

b4 mbox

This command allows retrieving entire threads from a remote public-inbox instance. The resulting mbox file can then be opened with most MUA clients for actions like replying to conversations or reviewing patch submissions.

b4 mbox [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-o OUTDIR] [-c] [-n WANTNAME] [-M] [-f] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
show this help message and exit
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
Do not use local cache
Output into this directory (or use - to output mailbox contents to stdout)
Check if newer patch revisions exist
Filename to name the mbox destination
Save as maildir (avoids mbox format ambiguities)
-f, --filter-dupes
When adding messages to existing maildir, filter out duplicates


Example: b4 mbox 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org

b4 am

This command allows retrieving threads from a public-inbox instance and preparing them for applying to a git repository using the "git am" command. It will automatically perform the following operations:

  • pick the latest submitted version of the series (it can check for newer threads using -c as well)
  • check DKIM signatures and patatt attestation on all patches and code review messages
  • collate all submitted code-review trailers (Reviewed-by, Acked-by, etc) and put them into the commit message
  • add your own Signed-off-by trailer (with -s)
  • reroll series from partial updates (e.g. someone submits a v2 of a single patch instead of rerolling the entire series)
  • guess where in the tree history the patches belong, if the exact commit-base is not specified (with -g)
  • prepare the tree for a 3-way merge (with -3)
  • cherry-pick a subset of patches from a large series (with -P)

b4 am [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-o OUTDIR] [-c] [-n WANTNAME] [-M] [-v WANTVER] [-t] [-S] [-T] [-s] [-l] [-P CHERRYPICK] [--cc-trailers] [--no-parent] [--allow-unicode-control-chars] [-Q] [-g] [-b GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...]] [--guess-lookback GUESSDAYS] [-3] [--no-cover] [--no-partial-reroll] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
show this help message and exit
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
Do not use local cache
Output into this directory (or use - to output mailbox contents to stdout)
Check if newer patch revisions exist
Filename to name the mbox destination
Save as maildir (avoids mbox format ambiguities)
Get a specific version of the patch/series
-t, --apply-cover-trailers
Apply trailers sent to the cover letter to all patches
Apply trailers without email address match checking
Do not add or sort any trailers
Add your own signed-off-by to every patch
Add a Link: with message-id lookup URL to every patch
Cherry-pick a subset of patches (e.g. "-P 1-2,4,6-", "-P _" to use just the msgid specified, or "-P globbing" to match on commit subject)
Copy all Cc'd addresses into Cc: trailers
Break thread at the msgid specified and ignore any parent messages
Allow unicode control characters (very rarely legitimate)
Save patches in a quilt-ready folder
-g, --guess-base
Try to guess the base of the series (if not specified)

-b GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...], --guess-branch GUESSBRANCH [GUESSBRANCH ...]
When guessing base, restrict to this branch (use with -g)

When guessing base, go back this many days from the patch date (default: 2 weeks)
-3, --prep-3way
Prepare for a 3-way merge (tries to ensure that all index blobs exist by making a fake commit range)
Do not save the cover letter (on by default when using -o -)
Do not reroll partial series when detected


Example: b4 am 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org

b4 shazam

This is very similar to b4 am, but will also apply patches directly to the current git tree using git am. Alternatively, when used with -H, it can fetch the patch series into FETCH_HEAD as if it were a pull request, so it can be reviewed and merged. In this case, the cover letter is used as a template for the merge commit.

If you want to automatically invoke git-merge, you can use -M instead of -H.

b4 shazam [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [-v WANTVER] [-t] [-S] [-T] [-s] [-l] [-P CHERRYPICK] [--cc-trailers] [--no-parent] [--allow-unicode-control-chars] [-H | -M] [--guess-lookback GUESSDAYS] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
show this help message and exit
Use a specific project instead of default (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
Do not use local cache
Get a specific version of the patch/series
-t, --apply-cover-trailers
Apply trailers sent to the cover letter to all patches
Apply trailers without email address match checking
Do not add or sort any trailers
Add your own signed-off-by to every patch
Add a Link: with message-id lookup URL to every patch
Cherry-pick a subset of patches (e.g. "-P 1-2,4,6-", "-P _" to use just the msgid specified, or "-P globbing" to match on commit subject)
Copy all Cc'd addresses into Cc: trailers
Break thread at the msgid specified and ignore any parent messages
Allow unicode control characters (very rarely legitimate)
Attempt to treat series as a pull request and fetch it into FETCH_HEAD
Attempt to merge series as if it were a pull request (execs git-merge)
(use with -H or -M) When guessing base, go back this many days from the patch date (default: 3 weeks)


Example: b4 shazam -H 20200313231252.64999-1-keescook@chromium.org

b4 attest

NOTE:

This subcommand is deprecated and will be removed in a future version of b4.

This functionality is now implemented via an auxiliary library called "patatt". You may instead install and use patatt directly with the same results.



b4 attest [-h] patchfile [patchfile ...]
patchfile Patches to attest

Example: b4 attest outgoing/*.patch

b4 pr

This command is for working with pull requests submitted using git-request-pull.

command.py pr [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-b BRANCH] [-c] [-e] [-o OUTMBOX] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
show this help message and exit
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
Check out FETCH_HEAD into this branch after fetching
Check if pull request has already been applied
Convert a pull request into an mbox full of patches
Save exploded messages into this mailbox (default: msgid.mbx)
Attempt to retrieve any Link: URLs (use with -e)
Use this From: in exploded messages (use with -e)


Example: b4 pr 202003292120.2BDCB41@keescook

b4 ty

b4 ty [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-o OUTDIR] [-l] [-t THANK_FOR [THANK_FOR ...]] [-d DISCARD [DISCARD ...]] [-a] [-b BRANCH] [--since SINCE] [-S] [--dry-run]
show this help message and exit
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
Write thanks files into this dir (default=.)
List pull requests and patch series you have retrieved
Generate thankyous for specific entries from -l (e.g.: 1,3-5,7-; or "all")
Discard specific messages from -l (e.g.: 1,3-5,7-; or "all")
Use the Auto-Thankanator gun to figure out what got applied/merged
The branch to check against, instead of current
The --since option to use when auto-matching patches (default=1.week)
Send email instead of writing out .thanks files
Print out emails instead of sending them


NOTE:

To send mails directly using -S, you should have a configured [sendemail] section somewhere in your applicable git configuration files (global or in-tree).


Example: b4 ty -aS --dry-run

b4 diff

b4 diff [-h] [-g GITDIR] [-p USEPROJECT] [-C] [-v WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...]] [-n] [-o OUTDIFF] [-c] [-m AMBOX AMBOX] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, pipe a raw message, or use -m

optional arguments:

show this help message and exit
Operate on this git tree instead of current dir
Use a specific project instead of guessing (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
Do not use local cache

-v WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...], --compare-versions WANTVERS [WANTVERS ...]
Compare specific versions instead of latest and one before that, e.g. -v 3 5

-n, --no-diff
Do not generate a diff, just show the command to do it
Save diff into this file instead of outputting to stdout
Force color output even when writing to file

-m AMBOX AMBOX, --compare-am-mboxes AMBOX AMBOX
Compare two mbx files prepared with "b4 am"



Example: b4 diff 20200526205322.23465-1-mic@digikod.net

b4 kr

b4 kr [-h] [-p USEPROJECT] [-m LOCALMBOX] [-C] [--show-keys] [msgid]
msgid Message ID to process, or pipe a raw message
show this help message and exit
Use a specific project instead of guessing (linux-mm, linux-hardening, etc)
Instead of grabbing a thread from lore, process this mbox file (or - for stdin)
Do not use local cache
Show all developer keys from the thread


Example: b4 kr --show-keys 20210521184811.617875-1-konstantin@linuxfoundation.org

CONFIGURATION

B4 configuration is handled via git-config(1), so you can store it in either the toplevel $HOME/.gitconfig file, or in a per-repository .git/config file if your workflow changes per project.

Default configuration, with explanations:

[b4]


   # Where to look up threads by message id


   midmask = https://lore.kernel.org/r/%s


   #


   # When recording Link: trailers, use this mask


   linkmask = https://lore.kernel.org/r/%s


   #


   # When duplicate messages exist, use the following order to decide


   # which list-id is likely to have the least mangled version. Default


   # preference is listed below, in the order of lists most likely to


   # preserve proper DKIM validation. Use shell-style globbing and


   # separate multiple entries with commas. Must end with ,*


   listid-preference = *.feeds.kernel.org,*.linux.dev,*.kernel.org,*


   #


   # Set to "yes" to save maildirs instead of mailboxes


   # This will help avoid mboxo/mboxrd format inconsistencies between


   # public-inbox, python, and git


   save-maildirs = no


   #


   # When processing thread trailers, sort them in this order.


   # Can use shell-globbing and must end with ,*


   # Some sorting orders:


   #trailer-order=link*,fixes*,cc*,reported*,suggested*,original*,co-*,tested*,reviewed*,acked*,signed-off*,*


   #trailer-order = fixes*,reported*,suggested*,original*,co-*,signed-off*,tested*,reviewed*,acked*,cc*,link*,*


   trailer-order = _preserve_


   #


   # Attestation-checking configuration parameters


   # off: do not bother checking attestation


   # check: print an attaboy when attestation is found


   # softfail: print a warning when no attestation found


   # hardfail: exit with an error when no attestation found


   attestation-policy = softfail


   #


   # Perform DKIM attestation?


   attestation-check-dkim = yes


   #


   # When showing attestation check results, do you like "fancy" (color, unicode)


   # or simple markers?


   attestation-checkmarks = fancy


   #


   # How long before we consider attestation to be too old?


   attestation-staleness-days = 30


   #


   # You can point this at a non-default home dir, if you like, or leave out to


   # use the OS default.


   attestation-gnupghome = None


   #


   # If this is not set, we'll use what we find in


   # git-config for gpg.program; and if that's not set,


   # we'll use "gpg" and hope for the best


   gpgbin = None


   #


   # How long to keep downloaded threads in cache (minutes)?


   cache-expire = 10


   # Used when creating summaries for b4 ty, and can be set to a value like


   # thanks-commit-url-mask = https://git.kernel.org/username/c/%.12s


   # See this page for more info on convenient git.kernel.org shorterners:


   # https://korg.wiki.kernel.org/userdoc/git-url-shorterners


   thanks-commit-url-mask = None


   # See thanks-pr-template.example. If not set, a default template will be used.


   thanks-pr-template = None


   # See thanks-am-template.example. If not set, a default template will be used.


   thanks-am-template = None


   # additional flags to pass to "git am" when we run "b4 shazam"


   shazam-am-flags = None


   # additional flags to pass to "git merge" when we run "b4 shazam -M"


   shazam-merge-flags = --signoff


   # Used when preparing merge messages from cover letters. See shazam-merge-template.example


   shazam-merge-template = None


   # Use to exclude certain mail addresses from ever being added to auto-generated mail


   # Separate multiple entries using comma (spaces are ignored), shell-style globbing accepted


   email-exclude = *@codeaurora.org, example@example.com


PROXYING REQUESTS

Commands making remote HTTP requests may be configured to use a proxy by setting the HTTPS_PROXY environment variable, as described in https://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/user/advanced/#proxies.

SUPPORT

Please email tools@linux.kernel.org with support requests, or browse the list archive at https://lore.kernel.org/tools.

AUTHOR

mricon@kernel.org

License: GPLv2+

COPYRIGHT

The Linux Foundation and contributors

2022-06-16 0.9.0