# 
# patch "format.cc"
#  from [29a6364ec707c46d72ec6c8c2ec6ad83a0bc5972]
#    to [7f4d767f35714c10227cf8d5bd3fba12d8992603]
# 
# patch "monotone.1"
#  from [56aebdc5617d60b0957860b309168447cd35c5fd]
#    to [4eb5c3071fccd6049a1b32b58ba63519b560ca25]
# 
# patch "monotone.texi"
#  from [db6e79ef90f20e447aff4024f13e8f481504542f]
#    to [cd8a31e921d9fadf13b66aa2ea207b998d7d9dac]
# 
--- format.cc
+++ format.cc
@@ -380,48 +380,56 @@
           ++i;
           if (i == e)
             return;
+
+          bool short_form = false;
+          if (*i == 's') {
+            short_form = true;
+            ++i;
+          }
+          if (i == e)
+            return;
+
           switch (*i)
             {
             case 'd':
-              print_cert (certs, date_cert_name);
+              print_cert (certs, date_cert_name, short_form, false, "T");
               break;
-              //case 'D':
-              //print_cert (certs, date_cert_name, true, false, "T");
-              //break;
             case 'a':
-              print_cert (certs, author_cert_name);
+              print_cert (certs, author_cert_name, short_form, false, "@");
               break;
-              //case 'A':
-              //print_cert (certs, author_cert_name, true, false, "@");
-              //break;
             case 't':
+              N(!short_form, F("no short form for tag specifier"));
               print_cert (certs, tag_cert_name);
               break;
             case 'l':
+              N(!short_form, F("no short form for changelog specifier"));
               print_cert (certs, changelog_cert_name);
               break;
             case 'e':
+              N(!short_form, F("no short form for comment specifier"));
               print_cert (certs, comment_cert_name);
               break;
             case 's':
+              N(!short_form, F("no short form for testresult specifier"));
               print_cert (certs, testresult_cert_name);
               break;
             case 'b':
-              print_cert (certs, branch_cert_name);
+              print_cert (certs, branch_cert_name, false, short_form, ".");
               break;
-              //case 'B':
-              //print_cert (certs, branch_cert_name, false, true, ".");
-              //break;
             case 'm':
-              out << rev.new_manifest.inner()();
+              if (short_form)
+                out << rev.new_manifest.inner()().substr(0, 8);
+              else
+                out << rev.new_manifest.inner()();
               break;
             case 'i':
-              out << rid.inner()();
+              if (short_form)
+                out << rid.inner()().substr(0, 8);
+              else
+                out << rid.inner()();
               break;
-              //case 'I':
-              //out << rid.inner()().substr(0, 8);
-              //break;
             default:
+              N(!short_form, F("no short form for changelog specifier"));
               // unrecognized specifier, perhaps is a changeset one ?
               handle_cset(i, rev);
             }
--- monotone.1
+++ monotone.1
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@
 An alias for \fB--xargs=\fI<file>\fP
 .TP
 \fB--format \fI<format string>\fP
-Applies the specified format string at automate output.
+Applies the specified format string at automate or annotate output.
 The format string is made by a common part, applied to each revision,
 and one or more optional changeset subformats, applied to changeset
 data.
@@ -301,24 +301,39 @@
  
 Common formatting specifiers:
 
-%a : value of author certificate
+%a  : value of author certificate
 .br
-%b : value of branch certificate
+%sa : shortened value of author certificate
 .br
-%d : value of date certificate
+%b  : value of branch certificate
 .br
-%e : value of comment certificate
+%sb : shortened value of branch certificate
 .br
-%i : revision id
+%d  : value of date certificate
 .br
-%l : value of changelog certificate
+%sd : shortened value of date certificate
 .br
-%s : value of testresult certificate
+%e  : value of comment certificate
 .br
-%t : value of tag certificate
+%i  : revision id
 .br
-%m : manifest id
+%si : shortened revision id
+.br
+%l  : value of changelog certificate
+.br
+%s  : value of testresult certificate
+.br
+%t  : value of tag certificate
+.br
+%m  : manifest id
+.br
+%sm : shortened manifest id
 
+The short forms have the following meanings:  For author, everything 
+before the first @ symbol.  For branch, everything after the last '.' 
+character.  For date, everything before the first 'T' character.  
+For ids, the first 8 characters.  
+
 Changeset Placeholders:
 
 %P : ancestors (marker @P) 
--- monotone.texi
+++ monotone.texi
@@ -6563,7 +6563,7 @@
 An alias for @address@hidden<file>}.
 
 @item @address@hidden<format string>}
-Applies the specified format string at automate output.
+Applies the specified format string at automate or annotate output.
 The format string is made by a common part, applied to each revision,
 and one or more optional changeset subformats, applied to changeset
 data.
@@ -6574,17 +6574,27 @@
 
 Common formatting specifiers:
 @verbatim
-%a : value of author certificate
-%b : value of branch certificate
-%d : value of date certificate
-%e : value of comment certificate
-%i : revision id
-%l : value of changelog certificate
-%s : value of testresult certificate
-%t : value of tag certificate
-%m : manifest id
+%a  : value of author certificate
+%sa : shortened value of author certificate
+%b  : value of branch certificate
+%sb : shortened value of branch certificate
+%d  : value of date certificate
+%sd : shortened value of date certificate
+%e  : value of comment certificate
+%i  : revision id
+%si : shortened revision id
+%l  : value of changelog certificate
+%s  : value of testresult certificate
+%t  : value of tag certificate
+%m  : manifest id
+%sm : shortened manifest id
 @end verbatim
 
+The short forms have the following meanings: for ids, the first 8
+characters.  For author, everything before the first @ symbol.  For
+branch, everything after the last '.' character.  For date, everything
+before the first 'T' character.
+
 Changeset Placeholders:
 @verbatim
 %P : ancestors (marker @P)