How do I add a local patch file to the patches.make file?

[Former user]

I have a few patches that were created locally and added to the associated contrib module directory. When trying to add them to the patches.make file, then running "drush ps", i get an error when trying to use a relative URL for the patch location. (Eg. /sites/all/modules/contrib/...") versus one from D.O. Do all patch references need to be from D.O.?

[Former user]

Placing your patches in the directory of the module you want to patch is a risk. With drush ps you can apply the patch, but you will loose the patch once the module is updated using drush dl or drush up.

First of all, I encourage you to share your patches with the community by adding the to a related issue. No need to be ashamed of partial solutions of imperfect code ;) Further I advise you to keep local patches together, for example in a directory outside the drupal root (e.g. ../patches). When you place the patches.make file in that directory too, you have everything nicely documented in one place.

If my_path.patch is a patch file placed in ../patches folder, then this is how in the patches.make file in that same directory would look like:

api = 2
core = 7.x
projects[my_module][patch][] = "../patches/my_path.patch"

Note that the path to the patch is relative to the drupal root.