Possible to reference branch#tag in github?

[archon810]

Hi,

Is it possible to refer to a tag using composer? Specifically, a tag that looks like a version but doesn't adhere to semver? This guy: https://github.com/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed/releases/tag/0.9.5.2.3.

My composer.json:

    { 
      "type": "vcs",
      "url": "git@github.com:szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed.git"
    },
...
    "szepeviktor/w3-total-cache": "v0.9.5.x-dev#0.9.5.2.3",

The above ends up checking out HEAD of that branch, not the tag. I wasn't able to figure out a way to check out just tag "0.9.5.2.3".

The only way I got it to work is by using a hash v0.9.5.x-dev#878fe362069cc0d0215bf2760bcb195575012a90, but it's not as readable, especially since Composer refuses to support comments in composer.json.

So, my question is, is it possible to refer to https://github.com/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed/releases/tag/0.9.5.2.3 by tag name?

Thank you.

[alcohol]

This is the best I could come up with it. This installs a development version though, not a stable version. But with so many people thinking they can come up with a better version scheme than semver, it is impossible for us to support all formats. We simply cannot/will not. Reach out to the author, see if you can talk some sense into him :-)

rob@localhost /tmp/test > composer show --all szepeviktor/w3-total-cache
name     : szepeviktor/w3-total-cache                                 
descrip. : W3 Total Cache (Fixed)
keywords : 
versions : v0.9.5.x-dev
type     : wordpress-plugin
source   : [git] https://github.com/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed.git 8fd5901740fa445ea0e67f1109fd2ba389578307
dist     : [zip] https://api.github.com/repos/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed/zipball/8fd5901740fa445ea0e67f1109fd2ba389578307 8fd5901740fa445ea0e67f1109fd2ba389578307
names    : szepeviktor/w3-total-cache

support
source : https://github.com/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed/tree/v0.9.5.x
issues : https://github.com/szepeviktor/w3-total-cache-fixed/issues

rob@localhost /tmp/test > composer require szepeviktor/w3-total-cache:^0.9@dev
./composer.json has been updated
Loading composer repositories with package information
Updating dependencies (including require-dev)                         
Package operations: 1 install, 0 updates, 0 removals
  - Installing szepeviktor/w3-total-cache (v0.9.5.x-dev 8fd5901) Cloning 8fd5901740 from cache
Writing lock file
Generating autoload files

[archon810]

Given how W3 Total Cache is a colossal project used by thousands of websites, and its versioning is already in place, I doubt they'll listen to us.

So v0.9.5.x-dev#878fe362069cc0d0215bf2760bcb195575012a90 seems to be the only way to refer to the tag, by its hash then. Cool, thanks.

[alcohol]

Please keep https://getcomposer.org/doc/articles/troubleshooting.md#i-have-locked-a-dependency-to-a-specific-commit-but-get-unexpected-results- in mind when using commit references.

[archon810]

Should I remove the branch name and just leave the commit hash in? Will that even work?

[alcohol]

That will not work. As stated in that link, the downside cannot be avoided. Using a commit hash is a hack that has been around for legacy reasons, but we strongly discourage using it.