Support a root directory other than the repository's root

[felipecrs]

The problem

I use my dotfiles repository extensively, not only for dotfiles, but other things that relates to my machines management. Despite chezmoi supports ignoring files through the .chezmoiignore, I would like to sort my repository by moving all my real dotfiles to a folder called home in the repository (just like homeshick), so I would not need to manage the .chezmoiignore anymore.

Solution

A way to set the default root for the source dotfiles, other than the repository root. Probably a new key in the .chezmoi.toml.tmpl

Alternatives

I though on setting sourceFolder to the sub-folder that I want, but I wonder if this won't break any other chezmoi functionality such as chezmoi update since the sourceFolder would not be the git root anymore.

[twpayne]

Would it work to put all your non-home directory stuff in a directory called stuff and then add stuff to .chezmoiignore?

[felipecrs]

Unfortunately not, many of the files that I'm referring to are supposed to stay in the repository root. Such as:

README.md
LICENSE
install # Installer for Codespaces
.gitpod.*
.vscode/
.devcontainer/

https://github.com/felipecrs/dotfiles/blob/master/.chezmoiignore

[felipecrs]

This would also help newcomers from homeshick and homesick to migrate. :)

[explorador]

I actually tried setting the sourceFolder to a sub-directory and it works fine for me, even chezmoi update

[felipecrs]

Ok, so I implemented your suggestion, @explorador at felipecrs/dotfiles#32. It's working so far.

@twpayne:

The only issue that I can think of is with chezmoi init for initially installing the dotfiles. The current syntax does not seem to support using a subfolder of the git repo:

https://www.chezmoi.io/docs/reference/#init-repo

[felipecrs]

Actually, there is a major issue with this approach:

Every time I call chezmoi init, chezmoi creates the ~/.dotfiles/home/.git folder. Ideally, chezmoi should detect that its home folder is already in a git project.

Because of this, chezmoi update does not work. If I remove the folder manually, chezmoi update starts to work again.

I implemented a workaround at felipecrs/dotfiles@e642eb9.

[felipecrs]

Moving from #1423 (comment).

@twpayne I can try to propose a PR to fix it but unfortunately not today, most likely tomorrow. Please don't wait for me if you are willing to try my suggestion, as it should be very simple anyway.

[felipecrs]

With 2.5.0, #891 (comment) was fixed. 🎉

Another point that I noted, was that chezmoi edit opens my subfolder instead of the repository. This is for sure expected, but when not using the root of the git repository as root for chezmoi, the problem is that when I open the subfolder in VS Code, VS Code won't load my repository settings at the root of the repo, making everything a mess (at least for me).

Some workarounds that I can think of:

• chezmoi can automatically detect when the sourceDir is not the root of the repository and then use the root of the repository for the chezmoi edit command.
• More flexibility on specifying the command to edit when no arguments are passed (I would like chezmoi edit to call code .. instead) (refs Chezmoi edit keeps waiting for editor to close even if it's a folder #1068 (comment))
• chezmoi run code . or chezmoi exec code . (wish: chezmoi run #863)

[felipecrs]

@twpayne the only missing thing from my perspective is #891 (comment).

[twpayne]

Thanks, re-opening.

[twpayne]

The only issue that I can think of is with chezmoi init for initially installing the dotfiles. The current syntax does not seem to support using a subfolder of the git repo:

This can now be done using the -W/--working-tree and -S/--source flags:

$ chezmoi init --working-tree=~/.local/share/chezmoi --source=~/.local/share/chezmoi/home

80efab9 added a test for this (search for workingtree.txt).

Hopefully this is now all done - please reopen if needed.

[felipecrs]

Cool, it indeed works:

$ docker run --rm -it buildpack-deps:curl bash
$ bash <(curl -fsSL https://git.io/chezmoi) -- init --working-tree=~/.dotfiles --source=~/.dotfiles/home felipecrs

Thank you very much!