Creating batch script to start Git-SDK, is it possible to specify a specific $HOME directory?

[EdenWise]

Setup

• Type: Git-SDK 32 bit and up to date
• Git: git version 2.8.0
• Windows 7 32 bit

Details

• Bash

Question

I am trying to create a batch script to start start_shell.cmd with a specific (i.e. alternate $HOME directory). Is this possible to do? Here is my script:

:
@echo off

set HOMEDRIVE=%cd:~0,2%
set HOMEPATH=\
set HOME=%HOMEDRIVE%

call "%APPDATA%\git-sdk\start_shell.cmd" -msys %*

This will set my $HOMEDRIVE, $HOMEPATH, and $HOME to D:, \, and /d respectively. The script does start the shell knowing the D drive. Unfortunately... for this to work with SSH is going to take more knowledge:

$ git push
Could not create directory '/home/public/.ssh...

Is there something I can do to make this happen? The only relavent information I have found is this article and not enough details exist for me to attempt it.

If their is time available for help, I would be much appreciated.

[EdenWise]

Ok, I found this issue here and here. Sorry I missed this before. Was this issue ever resolved?

[dscho]

I am trying to create a batch script to start start_shell.cmd

What is start_shell.cmd? Where did you get it from?

set HOMEDRIVE=%cd:~0,2%
set HOMEPATH=\
set HOME=%HOMEDRIVE%

I think you meant set HOME=%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%

call "%APPDATA%\git-sdk\start_shell.cmd" -msys %*

Why not just call ...\git-sdk\git-bash.exe?

I would be much appreciated.

Yes, you are! 😃

[EdenWise]

OK, have fixed the variable $HOME and set it to: set HOME=%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%.

And I have set the executable to be git-bash.exe... still having a problem with SSH incorrectly knowing the home directory.

Update:

I discovered even if I don't use my script I am still having this problem:

1. Start Git SDK 32 bit from Start Menu
2. Clone a repository:

$ git clone git@github.com:Todd-Weed/arpa.git
Cloning into 'arpa'...
Could not create directory '/home/public/.ssh'.
The authenticity of host 'github.com (192.30.252.130)' can't be established.
RSA key fingerprint is SHA256:nThbg6kXUpJWGl7E1IGOCspRomTxdCARLviKw6E5SY8.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Failed to add the host to the list of known hosts (/home/public/.ssh/known_hosts).
Permission denied (publickey).
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.

Please make sure you have the correct access rights
and the repository exists.```

[dscho]

Do you know where this /home/public thing comes from? Is your account name public, perchance?

[EdenWise]

Yes the account name is public:

PUBLIC=C:\Users\Public
USER=public
USERNAME=public

[Dirk1966]

I usually start my git-bash inside of the SDK with
Z:\Prg\git-sdk-32\git-bash.exe --cd=%USERPROFILE%
so that the HOME directory is set to the USERPROFILE directory, which worked better in all the computers we had in our companies (I had a lot of trouble with HOMEDRIVE and HOMEPATH).
I am always recommending using this "--cd" switch.
You can also configure different shells with different home dirs/settings.

Remark: Public is a special account which is used as something like a base for all users. It should not be used for working. The public directory / user / group is always there, without creating it.

[dscho]

I usually start my git-bash inside of the SDK with
Z:\Prg\git-sdk-32\git-bash.exe --cd=%USERPROFILE%
so that the HOME directory is set to the USERPROFILE directory

This does not set HOME, it only switches the initial working directory.

[EdenWise]

From what I can gather this all is dependent on nsswitch.conf. This file defines the $HOME directory. I am able to override it by providing that detail in the start script I use, however SSH (for security reasons) uses another method... perhaps through nsswitch.conf?!

SSH does provide a configuration option to specify the identity file:

$ cat ~/.ssh/config
IdentityFile  ~/.ssh/id_rsa

This may be a short-term solution as other problems may crop up from this nsswitch.conf setting (it appears it uses /home/$USER). I hope this will be all there is because I like having my home directory on an external drive.

[EdenWise]

I apologize from the start—my previous post is in error. I had forgot that I had edited the nsswitch.conf to the previous /etc/nsswitch.conf setting (prior to the filesystem-2016.04-3 package) where db_home is define as such:

db_home: env windows cygwin desc

And forgot that I had done so before making that ssh configuration.

When I use the current setting:

db_home: cygwin desc

... there is still a problem. Therefore the answer on the previous post, if the user wants to define a custom $HOME directory, not working when using SSH.

Apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

[dscho]

@Todd-Weed sorry, I lost track and do not have time to re-read the entire thread carefully. Is the original report still valid, i.e. is there a bug we need to fix in Git for Windows (or its SDK)?

[EdenWise]

Setting a custom $HOME won't be possible with nsswitch.conf pointing db_home to cygwin desc — SSH will require /home/$USER. Since past discussion has pretty much decided the db_home setting of env windows can be at times unreliable, I think you have to stick your course unless SSH can be compiled to used the $HOME variable... and I saw one mention that doing this might be a SSH security issue. So I will just edit nsswitch.conf so that I can have a custom home directory.

[dscho]

the db_home setting of env windows can be at times unreliable

Well, this is what we have to fix, then. Give me access to a machine where this is a problem and I'll fix it. Alternatively, I can help you debug it (but this is not something for the lazy of heart, it will require a little bit of work and effort).

[go2null]

Happening to me - neither the default db_home: env windows cygwin desc nor db_home: env.
I have to set it to db_home: /j/.

My setup:

• PortableGit-2.9.2-32-bit.7z.exe installed.
• Have a skeleton $USERPROFILE/.bashrc

export HOME='J:\'
cd "$HOME"
. "$HOME/.config/sh/shrc"

Note that setting HOME per http://stackoverflow.com/a/2840909/3366962 works as well. However, I wish to maintain a Portable installation.

[dscho]

For the record: the git-wrapper.c could be taught to understand the --home=... option. I simply do not find the time to do it.

Patches welcome.