[darcs-users] Return value of hooks

[Ben Franksen]

Max Battcher wrote:
> So far as I know setpref is the only supported means to set the test
> "hook". For parity, it would make sense to be able to add it as a file in
> _darcs/prefs, but I don't recall if that is possible. Again, test/setpref
> are the oldest extension mechanism in darcs predating pre-/post-hooks by
> years. In some ways setpref may as well be deprecated as it is also the
> most complicated of extension points in Darcs: It creates patches and thus
> needs to commute them... A fine idea in theory, but a lot of leg work to
> handle what should be "easy extension points". (If Darcs had a low level,
> structured patch type like JSON trees or similar, you could imagine a
> world where things like setpref would be easier to implement and more
> commonly used... setpref itself is just too bespoke to be easily
> extended.)
> 
> The darcs test command runs the chosen test runner ("hook") alone. The
> --test flags run the test runner as a part of the command flow,
> essentially running as "mid-hook" as was being sought in this thread.
> 
> Does that help? (Please excuse my tangential meanderings above.)
> 
> Also, keep in mind most of my knowledge on this topic is as a long-time
> Darcs user and occasional documentation contributor...

Thanks, this was very helpful information. Your "meanderings" are pretty 
much appreciated, as I am still in the process of getting to know the darcs 
internals. A bit of history sometimes makes it easier to understand why 
things are like they are.

Cheers
Ben
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