#
#
# add_dir "tests/warn_on_weird_branch_names"
# 
# add_file "tests/warn_on_weird_branch_names/__driver__.lua"
#  content [28335819f62ef233f16b9eca53cc518addeefba0]
# 
# patch "NEWS"
#  from [f35be225a248b0365a615ae2cb7ebf9e670ec5c7]
#    to [073fce5a18909977325ac839f297708eefbd175b]
# 
# patch "database.cc"
#  from [8d0e1cf1db07ba61bd878f65a9e36da81db25bfd]
#    to [952142c0f95ce957b3d4b55f26c1d035794b60eb]
# 
# patch "monotone.texi"
#  from [052708a573fa282057916ea145b1b4df34c22e3c]
#    to [ef8a5a77add25ad77eb1c135a73b504846878ed7]
#
============================================================
--- tests/warn_on_weird_branch_names/__driver__.lua	28335819f62ef233f16b9eca53cc518addeefba0
+++ tests/warn_on_weird_branch_names/__driver__.lua	28335819f62ef233f16b9eca53cc518addeefba0
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+
+mtn_setup()
+
+addfile("foo", "foofile")
+commit()
+R=base_revision()
+
+local branch_map = {
+    ["com.project"]             = 0,
+    ["com.project.release-1.0"] = 0,
+    ["-com.project"]            = 1,
+    ["com.project*"]            = 1,
+    ["com.pr?ject"]             = 1,
+    ["com.pr[o]j{e}ct"]         = 1,
+    ["com.project-%20"]         = 1,
+    ["com.project-1,0"]         = 1,
+    ["^com.project!"]           = 1
+}
+
+for branch,res in pairs(branch_map) do
+    check(mtn("cert", "--", R, "branch", branch), 0, false, true)
+    if res == 1 then
+        check(qgrep("contains meta characters", "stderr"))
+    else
+        check(not qgrep("contains meta characters", "stderr"))
+    end
+end
============================================================
--- NEWS	f35be225a248b0365a615ae2cb7ebf9e670ec5c7
+++ NEWS	073fce5a18909977325ac839f297708eefbd175b
@@ -57,6 +57,19 @@ Xxx Xxx 99 99:99:99 UTC 2010
           commands such as `clone`, `automate remote` and
           `automate remote_stdio`.
 
+        - The following characters have been deprecated in branch names
+
+                ?,*%+{}[]!^
+
+          as they denote either meta characters in monotone's URI syntax
+          or are used in globs to resolve branch patterns.
+          Furthermore, branch names should no longer start with a dash
+          (-), since this character is used to denote an exclude pattern
+          in the aforementioned URI syntax.
+
+          monotone warns on the creation of branches which violate these
+          restrictions and gives further directions.
+
         - The `import` command now keeps the created bookkeeping root if
           --dry-run is not specified.  This makes it possible to re-use
           the import directory as workspace and is also more closely
============================================================
--- database.cc	8d0e1cf1db07ba61bd878f65a9e36da81db25bfd
+++ database.cc	952142c0f95ce957b3d4b55f26c1d035794b60eb
@@ -3612,6 +3612,24 @@ database::put_revision_cert(cert const &
       return false;
     }
 
+  if (cert.name() == "branch")
+    {
+      string branch_name = cert.value();
+      if (branch_name.find_first_of("?,*%%+{}[]!^") != string::npos ||
+          branch_name.find_first_of('-') == 0)
+        {
+          W(F("The branch name\n"
+              "  '%s'\n"
+              "contains meta characters (one or more of '?,*%%+{}[]!^') or\n"
+              "starts with a dash, which might cause malfunctions when used\n"
+              "in a netsync branch pattern.\n\n"
+              "If you want to undo this operation, please use the\n"
+              "'%s local kill_certs' command to delete the particular branch\n"
+              "cert and re-add a valid one.")
+            % cert.value() % prog_name);
+        }
+    }
+
   imp->put_cert(cert, "revision_certs");
 
   if (cert.name() == "branch")
============================================================
--- monotone.texi	052708a573fa282057916ea145b1b4df34c22e3c
+++ monotone.texi	ef8a5a77add25ad77eb1c135a73b504846878ed7
@@ -927,6 +927,8 @@ @section Branches
 
 You can see all the available branches using @command{mtn list branches}.
 
address@hidden Heads and merging
+
 Branches are indicated with certs.  The cert name @code{branch} is
 reserved for use by monotone, for the purpose of identifying the
 revisions which are members of a branch. A @code{branch} cert has a
@@ -1046,12 +1048,12 @@ @subsection Branch Names
 world.  Otherwise, bad things can happen.  Fortunately, we have a handy
 source of globally unique names --- the DNS system.
 
-When naming a branch, always prepend the reversed, fully qualified, domain name of a host that
-you control or are otherwise authorized to use.  For example, monotone
-development happens on the branch @code{net.venge.monotone}, because
address@hidden belongs to monotone's primary author.  The idea is that
-this way, you can coordinate with other people using a host to make sure
-there are no conflicts --- in the example, monotone's primary author can
+When naming a branch, always prepend the reversed, fully qualified, domain
+name of a host that you control or are otherwise authorized to use.  For
+example, monotone development happens on the branch @code{net.venge.monotone},
+because @code{venge.net} belongs to monotone's original author.  The idea is
+that this way, you can coordinate with other people using a host to make sure
+there are no conflicts --- in the example, monotone's original author can
 be certain that no-one else using @code{venge.net} will start up a
 different program named @code{monotone}.  If you work for Yoyodyne,
 Inc. (owners of yoyodyne.com), then all your branch names should look
@@ -1061,10 +1063,23 @@ @subsection Branch Names
 usually the first part is the project name (the @code{monotone} in
 @code{net.venge.monotone}), and then possibly more stuff after that to
 describe a particular branch.  For example, monotone's win32 support
-was initially developed on the branch @code{net.venge.monotone.win32}.
+was initially developed on the branch @code{net.venge.monotone.win32}
+(for more information, see @ref{Naming Conventions}).
 
-(For more information, see @ref{Naming Conventions}.)
+It has to be noted that earlier versions of monotone enforced no restrictions
+on branch names.  Newer versions, starting with 0.99, exclude a set of control
+characters though, which mostly denote either meta characters in monotone's 
+URI syntax or are used in globs to resolve branch patterns.  These characters are
address@hidden, @code{,}, @code{*}, @code{%}, @code{+}, @address@hidden, @address@hidden, @code{[},
address@hidden, @code{!} and @code{^}.  Additionally, @code{-} is deprecated as first 
+character of a branch name, since it is used to denote branch exclude patterns
+in the aforementioned URI syntax.
 
+monotone warns on the creation of branch names which violate one of the above
+restrictions and gives further directions.  Future versions of monotone are
+likely to enforce these restrictions by disallowing such branch names completely.
+
+
 @page
 @node    Tutorial, Advanced Uses, Concepts, Top
 @chapter Tutorial