# Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name 16 messages from 2021-07-14 to 2021-07-20. Participants: German Lashevich, Jeff King, Junio C Hamano, Taylor Blau, Martin Ågren. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/56107 ## German Lashevich, 2021-07-14 17:10 Subject: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: <1C6C1E49-5EC1-420D-A72A-8C50BD1931A2@getmailspring.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/1C6C1E49-5EC1-420D-A72A-8C50BD1931A2%40getmailspring.com ``` Hello, I've faced an issue while trying to use a non-default .gitconfig file via specifying GIT_CONFIG environment variable. What did you do before the bug happened? (Steps to reproduce your issue) ˋˋˋ # use custom .gitconfig via GIT_CONFIG envvar: mkdir -p /tmp/git-test/repo cat < /tmp/git-test/.gitconfig [user] name = John Doe email = john@doe.me EOT cd /tmp/git-test/repo git init export GIT_CONFIG=/tmp/git-test/.gitconfig echo Hi > readme.txt git add readme.txt git commit -m 'Initial commit' ˋˋˋ What did you expect to happen? (Expected behavior) Git creates a new commit. What happened instead? (Actual behavior) Error occurred: ˋˋˋ Author identity unknown *** Please tell me who you are. Run git config --global user.email "you@example.com" git config --global user.name "Your Name" to set your account's default identity. Omit --global to set the identity only in this repository. fatal: unable to auto-detect email address (got 'john@computer.(none)') ˋˋˋ What's different between what you expected and what actually happened? For some reason `git commit` doesn't use configuration options specified in the custom `.gitconfig` file. Anything else you want to add: `git config` shows correct values: ˋˋˋ sh-5.1$ pwd /tmp/git-test/repo sh-5.1$ echo $GIT_CONFIG /tmp/git-test/.gitconfig sh-5.1$ cat $GIT_CONFIG [user] name = John Doe email = john@doe.me sh-5.1$ git config user.name John Doe sh-5.1$ git config user.email john@doe.me ˋˋˋ The same happens with git version 2.32.0.432.gabb21c7263 [System Info] git version: git version 2.32.0 cpu: x86_64 no commit associated with this build sizeof-long: 8 sizeof-size_t: 8 shell-path: /bin/sh uname: Linux 5.12.15-arch1-1 #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed, 07 Jul 2021 23:35:29 +0000 x86_64 compiler info: gnuc: 11.1 libc info: glibc: 2.33 $SHELL (typically, interactive shell): /bin/zsh ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 18:10 Subject: Re: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO8ordiN18sNP6tA%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: <1C6C1E49-5EC1-420D-A72A-8C50BD1931A2@getmailspring.com> ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 07:10:27PM +0200, German Lashevich wrote: > I've faced an issue while trying to use a non-default .gitconfig file > via specifying > GIT_CONFIG environment variable. > > What did you do before the bug happened? (Steps to reproduce your issue) > > ˋˋˋ > # use custom .gitconfig via GIT_CONFIG envvar: > mkdir -p /tmp/git-test/repo > cat < /tmp/git-test/.gitconfig > [user] > name = John Doe > email = john@doe.me > EOT > cd /tmp/git-test/repo > git init > export GIT_CONFIG=/tmp/git-test/.gitconfig > echo Hi > readme.txt > git add readme.txt > git commit -m 'Initial commit' > ˋˋˋ The GIT_CONFIG variable doesn't work that way. It is not a general mechanism used by all of Git, but rather a specific feature of the git-config program (and even there it is a historical wart; you should use "git config --file" instead). One of these variables is probably more helpful: $ man git | sed -n '/GLOBAL/,/^$/p' GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL, GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM Take the configuration from the given files instead from global or system-level configuration files. If GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM is set, the system config file defined at build time (usually /etc/gitconfig) will not be read. Likewise, if GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL is set, neither $HOME/.gitconfig nor $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config will be read. Can be set to /dev/null to skip reading configuration files of the respective level. Note that they're new in v2.32.0. -Peff ``` ## German Lashevich, 2021-07-14 18:26 Subject: Re: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: <9A517A17-6BC6-4239-9CD5-F80C839C24F0@getmailspring.com> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/9A517A17-6BC6-4239-9CD5-F80C839C24F0%40getmailspring.com In-Reply-To: ``` GIT_CONFIG is confusing, GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL is what I need. Thanks a lot! On Jul 14 2021, at 8:10 pm, Jeff King wrote: > On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 07:10:27PM +0200, German Lashevich wrote: > >> I've faced an issue while trying to use a non-default .gitconfig file >> via specifying >> GIT_CONFIG environment variable. >> >> What did you do before the bug happened? (Steps to reproduce your issue) >> >> ˋˋˋ >> # use custom .gitconfig via GIT_CONFIG envvar: >> mkdir -p /tmp/git-test/repo >> cat < /tmp/git-test/.gitconfig >> [user] >> name = John Doe >> email = john@doe.me >> EOT >> cd /tmp/git-test/repo >> git init >> export GIT_CONFIG=/tmp/git-test/.gitconfig >> echo Hi > readme.txt >> git add readme.txt >> git commit -m 'Initial commit' >> ˋˋˋ > > The GIT_CONFIG variable doesn't work that way. It is not a general > mechanism used by all of Git, but rather a specific feature of the > git-config program (and even there it is a historical wart; you should > use "git config --file" instead). > > One of these variables is probably more helpful: > > $ man git | sed -n '/GLOBAL/,/^$/p' > GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL, GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM > Take the configuration from the given files instead from global or > system-level configuration files. If GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM is set, the > system config file defined at build time (usually /etc/gitconfig) > will not be read. Likewise, if GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL is set, neither > $HOME/.gitconfig nor $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config will be read. Can > be set to /dev/null to skip reading configuration files of the > respective level. > > Note that they're new in v2.32.0. > > -Peff > ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2021-07-14 20:47 Subject: Re: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqqeec0vczo.fsf%40gitster.g In-Reply-To: ``` Jeff King writes: > The GIT_CONFIG variable doesn't work that way. It is not a general > mechanism used by all of Git, but rather a specific feature of the > git-config program (and even there it is a historical wart; you should > use "git config --file" instead). We both have known that, but a fresh re-read of GIT_CONFIG in "git help config" gave me a misleading impression. ENVIRONMENT ----------- GIT_CONFIG:: Take the configuration from the given file instead of .git/config. Using the "--global" option forces this to ~/.gitconfig. Using the "--system" option forces this to $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig. is what we have above the GLOBAL and SYSTEM you quoted below. We should say GIT_CONFIG is only for "git config" command while the other two affects everybody, right? Thanks. > One of these variables is probably more helpful: > > $ man git | sed -n '/GLOBAL/,/^$/p' > GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL, GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM > Take the configuration from the given files instead from global or > system-level configuration files. If GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM is set, the > system config file defined at build time (usually /etc/gitconfig) > will not be read. Likewise, if GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL is set, neither > $HOME/.gitconfig nor $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/git/config will be read. Can > be set to /dev/null to skip reading configuration files of the > respective level. > > Note that they're new in v2.32.0. > > -Peff ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 21:36 Subject: Re: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9YyTZdU4WadYGg%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 01:47:55PM -0700, Junio C Hamano wrote: > Jeff King writes: > > > The GIT_CONFIG variable doesn't work that way. It is not a general > > mechanism used by all of Git, but rather a specific feature of the > > git-config program (and even there it is a historical wart; you should > > use "git config --file" instead). > > We both have known that, but a fresh re-read of GIT_CONFIG in "git > help config" gave me a misleading impression. > > ENVIRONMENT > ----------- > > GIT_CONFIG:: > Take the configuration from the given file instead of .git/config. > Using the "--global" option forces this to ~/.gitconfig. Using the > "--system" option forces this to $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig. > > is what we have above the GLOBAL and SYSTEM you quoted below. We > should say GIT_CONFIG is only for "git config" command while the > other two affects everybody, right? Yes, it looks like that description is from 2007 (when GIT_CONFIG really did impact other commands). And adding GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL and SYSTEM nearby certainly didn't help (before then, I might have argued that since GIT_CONFIG is only in git-config(1), it is more clear that it only applies there). Here's a short series to improve things. [1/3]: doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG [2/3]: doc/git-config: clarify GIT_CONFIG environment variable [3/3]: doc/git-config: simplify "override" advice for FILES section Documentation/git-config.txt | 28 +++++++++++++++++----------- 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-) -Peff ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 21:37 Subject: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9ZGTX9f1fOpTkh%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` The explanation for the --file option only refers to GIT_CONFIG. This redirection to an environment variable is confusing, but doubly so because the description of GIT_CONFIG is out of date. Let's describe --file from scratch, detailing both the reading and writing behavior as we do for other similar options like --system, etc. Signed-off-by: Jeff King --- The formatting is a bit clunky to read in the source, but I think it looks OK in the rendered version. At any rate, it's all taken from the other options, so if we want to improve it, it would make sense to do so separately on top. Documentation/git-config.txt | 8 +++++++- 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt index 5cddadafd2..193fef2867 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt @@ -143,7 +143,13 @@ See also <>. -f config-file:: --file config-file:: - Use the given config file instead of the one specified by GIT_CONFIG. + For writing options: write to the specified file rather than the + repository `.git/config`. ++ +For reading options: read only from the specified file rather than from all +avialable files. ++ +See also <>. --blob blob:: Similar to `--file` but use the given blob instead of a file. E.g. -- 2.32.0.689.gbb74d99cdd ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 21:38 Subject: [PATCH 2/3] doc/git-config: clarify GIT_CONFIG environment variable Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9ZSBVHRweQNHIf%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` The scope and utility of the GIT_CONFIG variable was drastically reduced by dc87183189 (Only use GIT_CONFIG in "git config", not other programs, 2008-06-30). But the documentation in git-config(1) predates that, which makes it rather misleading. These days it is really just another way to say "--file". So let's say that, and explicitly make it clear that it does not impact other Git commands (like GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM, etc, would). I also bumped it to the bottom of the list of variables, and warned people off of using it. We don't have any plans for deprecation at this point, but there's little point in encouraging people to use it by putting it at the top of the list. Signed-off-by: Jeff King --- I'm taking a more opinionated stance on "nobody should actually use this thing", but I think it's merited. It really is useless, and if not for the history, I'd argue against somebody trying to introduce such a thing now. :) Documentation/git-config.txt | 11 ++++++----- 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt index 193fef2867..30186812a8 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt @@ -341,11 +341,6 @@ can specify any filename you want. ENVIRONMENT ----------- -GIT_CONFIG:: - Take the configuration from the given file instead of .git/config. - Using the "--global" option forces this to ~/.gitconfig. Using the - "--system" option forces this to $(prefix)/etc/gitconfig. - GIT_CONFIG_GLOBAL:: GIT_CONFIG_SYSTEM:: Take the configuration from the given files instead from global or @@ -373,6 +368,12 @@ This is useful for cases where you want to spawn multiple git commands with a common configuration but cannot depend on a configuration file, for example when writing scripts. +GIT_CONFIG:: + If no `--file` option is provided to `git config`, use the file + given by `GIT_CONFIG` as if it were provided via `--file`. This + variable has no effect on other Git commands, and is mostly for + historical compatibility; there is generally no reason to use it + instead of the `--file` option. [[EXAMPLES]] EXAMPLES -- 2.32.0.689.gbb74d99cdd ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 21:38 Subject: [PATCH 3/3] doc/git-config: simplify "override" advice for FILES section Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9ZU4nO7YOASAHn%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` At the end of the FILES section, we indicate that you can override the regular lookup rules with --global, etc. But: - we're missing the --local option - we point to GIT_CONFIG instead of --file, but the latter has much better documentation - we're vague about how the overrides work; the actual option descriptions are much better here So let's just mention the names and point people back to the OPTIONS section. We could perhaps even delete this paragraph entirely, but the presence of the names may give people reading FILES a clue about where to look for more information. Signed-off-by: Jeff King --- Documentation/git-config.txt | 9 ++++----- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt index 30186812a8..e30edf99c6 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt @@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ codes are: On success, the command returns the exit code 0. +[[OPTIONS]] OPTIONS ------- @@ -331,11 +332,9 @@ All writing options will per default write to the repository specific configuration file. Note that this also affects options like `--replace-all` and `--unset`. *'git config' will only ever change one file at a time*. -You can override these rules either by command-line options or by environment -variables. The `--global`, `--system` and `--worktree` options will limit -the file used to the global, system-wide or per-worktree file respectively. -The `GIT_CONFIG` environment variable has a similar effect, but you -can specify any filename you want. +You can override these rules using the `--global`, `--system`, +`--local`, `--worktree`, and `--file` command-line options; see +<> above. ENVIRONMENT -- 2.32.0.689.gbb74d99cdd ``` ## Taylor Blau, 2021-07-14 22:20 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9jLvGlIVj3aI%2Fm%40nand.local In-Reply-To: ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 05:37:29PM -0400, Jeff King wrote: > -f config-file:: > --file config-file:: > - Use the given config file instead of the one specified by GIT_CONFIG. > + For writing options: write to the specified file rather than the > + repository `.git/config`. I wonder whether or not we should write "rather than the repository `$GIT_DIR/config`" instead of `.git/config`. The former is true for bare repositories, too, but may in fact be more confusing than what you have writen so clearly. Perhaps `.git/config` is clear enough; I definitely don't feel strongly about it. Thanks, Taylor ``` ## Taylor Blau, 2021-07-14 22:22 Subject: Re: Bug report: GIT_CONFIG and user.email/name Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9jmdW9oz%2BbeUKg%40nand.local In-Reply-To: ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 05:36:09PM -0400, Jeff King wrote: > Here's a short series to improve things. > > [1/3]: doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG > [2/3]: doc/git-config: clarify GIT_CONFIG environment variable > [3/3]: doc/git-config: simplify "override" advice for FILES section > > Documentation/git-config.txt | 28 +++++++++++++++++----------- > 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-) Looks very good to me. I left a small note on the first patch, but you should feel free to ignore it, since I'm not sure whether my suggestion is an improvement or not ;). Reviewed-by: Taylor Blau Thanks, Taylor ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-14 22:23 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9j6hrJFFTSEd6j%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 06:20:30PM -0400, Taylor Blau wrote: > On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 05:37:29PM -0400, Jeff King wrote: > > -f config-file:: > > --file config-file:: > > - Use the given config file instead of the one specified by GIT_CONFIG. > > + For writing options: write to the specified file rather than the > > + repository `.git/config`. > > I wonder whether or not we should write "rather than the repository > `$GIT_DIR/config`" instead of `.git/config`. The former is true for bare > repositories, too, but may in fact be more confusing than what you have > writen so clearly. > > Perhaps `.git/config` is clear enough; I definitely don't feel strongly > about it. Yes, I noticed that, too. This is copied verbatim from the other options, so if we were to do that, it should be done on top across the whole file. -Peff ``` ## Taylor Blau, 2021-07-14 22:26 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YO9kfhr3u%2FXx1FQc%40nand.local In-Reply-To: ``` On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 06:23:38PM -0400, Jeff King wrote: > On Wed, Jul 14, 2021 at 06:20:30PM -0400, Taylor Blau wrote: > > Perhaps `.git/config` is clear enough; I definitely don't feel strongly > > about it. > > Yes, I noticed that, too. This is copied verbatim from the other > options, so if we were to do that, it should be done on top across the > whole file. I'm dubious that s,.git/config,$GIT_DIR/config,g would be an improvement in clarity if done across the whole file, and I'd rather be consistent than not. So I think that it's fine as is. Thanks, Taylor ``` ## Martin Ågren, 2021-07-20 19:34 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/CAN0heSoz8KmmtX8LVcY2wBM6Fm4TAYwDmQGPE8wpdZTmWRVzWA%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` On Thu, 15 Jul 2021 at 00:25, Jeff King wrote: > - Use the given config file instead of the one specified by GIT_CONFIG. > + For writing options: write to the specified file rather than the > + repository `.git/config`. > ++ > +For reading options: read only from the specified file rather than from all > +avialable files. s/avialable/available/ Martin ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-20 20:01 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YPcrslQNmqvlBYpX%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` On Tue, Jul 20, 2021 at 09:34:43PM +0200, Martin Ågren wrote: > On Thu, 15 Jul 2021 at 00:25, Jeff King wrote: > > - Use the given config file instead of the one specified by GIT_CONFIG. > > + For writing options: write to the specified file rather than the > > + repository `.git/config`. > > ++ > > +For reading options: read only from the specified file rather than from all > > +avialable files. > > s/avialable/available/ Thanks. You'd think that I would have gotten the part cut-and-paste from earlier right. :) I double-checked the rest of the series for other spelling errors but didn't see any. This is marked for merging to next, but hasn't made it yet. So if you get this in time, Junio, can you please squash this into the first patch? diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt index 193fef2867..6c78ad1c13 100644 --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt @@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ See also <>. repository `.git/config`. + For reading options: read only from the specified file rather than from all -avialable files. +available files. + See also <>. -Peff ``` ## Jeff King, 2021-07-20 20:03 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/YPcsHdTY0tIa4%2Bxo%40coredump.intra.peff.net In-Reply-To: ``` On Tue, Jul 20, 2021 at 04:01:55PM -0400, Jeff King wrote: > I double-checked the rest of the series for other spelling errors but > didn't see any. This is marked for merging to next, but hasn't made it > yet. So if you get this in time, Junio, can you please squash this into > the first patch? I should say: the first patch of jk/config-env-doc to hopefully make it easier. :) -Peff ``` ## Junio C Hamano, 2021-07-20 21:55 Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/3] doc/git-config: explain --file instead of referring to GIT_CONFIG Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/xmqqfsw8hcqf.fsf%40gitster.g In-Reply-To: ``` Jeff King writes: > I double-checked the rest of the series for other spelling errors but > didn't see any. This is marked for merging to next, but hasn't made it > yet. So if you get this in time, Junio, can you please squash this into > the first patch? Thanks, will do. > > diff --git a/Documentation/git-config.txt b/Documentation/git-config.txt > index 193fef2867..6c78ad1c13 100644 > --- a/Documentation/git-config.txt > +++ b/Documentation/git-config.txt > @@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ See also <>. > repository `.git/config`. > + > For reading options: read only from the specified file rather than from all > -avialable files. > +available files. > + > See also <>. > > > -Peff ```