Simple option to update (or otherwise act on; but specifically, update) *all* submodules

[Dumaiu]

Updating all submodules is something I frequently do after switching branches. Although it's the default behavior for git submodule update, and (magit-submodule-update) can do this as well with an Emacs prefix argument, it is not directly inaccessible from the Magit submodule transient, AFAICT.

A simple, narrow solution would be a suffix command, bound to, say, U.

A more general solution would be a prefix command, such as -a, which would pass an appropriate argument to whatever suffix function (magit-submodule-...) followed.

These alternatives are not mutually exclusive.

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Re: Magit version 20230206.1143.

[tarsius]

As you noticed, you can use a prefix argument to update all initialized modules. When a command is invoked from a transient prefix command, then the prefix arguments go "in between" the prefix command and the suffix command, i.e., o C-u u.

[Dumaiu]

When a command is invoked from a transient prefix command, then the prefix arguments go "in between" the prefix command and the suffix command, i.e., o C-u u.

I've used Magit (gratefully) for years and never known this. If you want to use an Emacs prefix (which you elsewhere call a 'regular prefix') and one or more infixes, which should come first?

As you noticed, you can use a prefix argument to update all initialized modules.

This I found documented. However, because I was ignorant of the above, I thought you were referring to an invocation of magit-submodule-update as an ordinary Emacs command.

I submit that this general feature would benefit from a more prominent place in the documentation for Magit or Transient, or both. For instance, there is no 'prefix' entry in the Magit index. The Transient FAQ would also be suitable. (Unless I'm the only person ever to have to ask about this. 🙄)

But the most logical place to describe it, I think, is the Transient Introduction, where you are already explaining the difference from Transient prefixes; 'If you want to use a regular prefix with a Transient command, the regular prefix comes after the Transient prefix but {before|after} any infix...'

Thanks again.

[kyleam]

If you want to use an Emacs prefix (which you elsewhere call a 'regular prefix') and one or more infixes, which should come first?

The prefix argument should come right before you invoke the suffix command (e.g., o -r C-u u)

[tarsius]

I've added a note in magit/transient@323d6b6.

[Dumaiu]

Nice, thanks.