Option to list files that will be modified

[mithun]

The capability to list files that will be modified, but without modifying them, will be very useful.

This will also allow addlicense to be used in CI environments, git-hooks, etc., to ensure licensing compliance.

[x1ddos]

#25 added a -v flag (verbose) to print files which are modified. You could use it to achieve the same effect.

But all that wouldn't help much in a CI environment because what you really want is a more clear signal to indicate whether at least one file is missing a license. You wouldn't want to inspect the output every time, especially in automated scripts and CIs.

What you probably want is for addlicense to exit with a specific code if at least 1 file missing a license. Then you could easily use that in hooks and CIs.

[x1ddos]

OTOH it isn't clear what zero exit code would mean then. Is it "ok, all files already have a license; none were modified" or "ok, added license where missing; all files now have a license".

Currently, there's no distinction and zero exit code simply means: ok, all files known to the program have a license now regardless of whether any of them were modified.

[mithun]

#25 added a -v flag (verbose) to print files which are modified. You could use it to achieve the same effect

Well, not really. The -v flag is still potentially modifying files.

What you probably want is for addlicense to exit with a specific code if at least 1 file missing a license. Then you could easily use that in hooks and CIs.

Yes.

Currently, there's no distinction and zero exit code simply means: ok, all files known to the program have a license now regardless of whether any of them were modified.

I agree.

This issue is for a new flag --check (or something appropriately named) that implements the following behavior: Running addlicense --check <pattern> must:

• Never modify any files
• Exit with zero (success) if all files in <pattern> have a license
• Exit with non-zero (failure, exit code 1) if at least one file in the <pattern> requires modification to include a license text. Additionally, print such files to STDOUT.

[x1ddos]

Yeah, that's precisely it. Would you mind sending a pull request?

[x1ddos]

Yeah, that's precisely it. Would you mind sending a pull request?

[mithun]

@x1ddos PR #29 is submitted