+ int stage;
+
+ /* This reads lines formatted in one of three formats:
+ *
+ * (1) mode SP sha1 TAB path
+ * The first format is what "git-apply --index-info"
+ * reports, and used to reconstruct a partial tree
+ * that is used for phony merge base tree when falling
+ * back on 3-way merge.
+ *
+ * (2) mode SP type SP sha1 TAB path
+ * The second format is to stuff git-ls-tree output
+ * into the index file.
+ *
+ * (3) mode SP sha1 SP stage TAB path
+ * This format is to put higher order stages into the
+ * index file and matches git-ls-files --stage output.
+ */