consult-grep and the --include flag

[ErnestKz]

As we know, we can pass additional flags to grep inside the minibuffer of consult-grep e.g #gnu -- --include *md#

However, consult-grep by default pre-pends the following to the additional user arguements.

(defcustom consult-grep-args
  '("grep" (consult--grep-exclude-args)
    "--null --line-buffered --color=never --ignore-case\
     --with-filename --line-number -I -r")
  "Command line arguments for grep, see `consult-grep'.
The dynamically computed arguments are appended.
Can be either a string, or a list of strings or expressions."
  :type '(choice string (repeat (choice string sexp))))

By , default (consult--grep-exclude-args) includes --exclude flags.

The semantics of --include for grep is determined by if there is a --exclude flag preceding it:

• An --include which is before an --exclude acts as a "filter everything out, except for the --include"
• An --include after an --exclude acts as "negate the --exclude with what is in the --include" (it does no filtering)

When the user will try to use the --include flag with consult-grep, they will be surprised by the unexpected semantics.

man grep:

--include=GLOB
       Search  only  files whose base name matches GLOB (using wildcard matching as described under --exclude).  If contradictory --include and --exclude options
       are given, the last matching one wins.  If no --include or --exclude options match, a file is included unless the first such option is --include.

Source of discussion comes from the PR:

• Allow consult-grep to use --include #1017

One may opt to modify consult-grep-args to not pre-pend the --exclude args. Though that would require knowledge of this in the first place.

What shall we do about this point of confusion?

At the least, this discussion post can function as a source of information for this issue.

[ErnestKz]

Minimal solution to have full control over --include on upstream consult would be to set:

(setq grep-find-ignored-files nil)

This way the consult--grep-exclude-args will not have any --exclude flags set automatically.

(defun consult--grep-exclude-args ()
  "Produce grep exclude arguments.
Take the variables `grep-find-ignored-directories' and
`grep-find-ignored-files' into account."
  (unless (boundp 'grep-find-ignored-files) (require 'grep))
  (nconc (mapcar (lambda (s) (concat "--exclude=" s))
                 (bound-and-true-p grep-find-ignored-files))
         (mapcar (lambda (s) (concat "--exclude-dir=" s))
                 (bound-and-true-p grep-find-ignored-directories))))

[ErnestKz]

To elucidate my use case. I am interested in using the command as-is, such that when time comes to use the actual grep tool, I have the muscle memory to use it with ease.