Using Git in Windows Subsystem for Linux through IntelliJ - batch-file

Question

I'm trying to set Git executable in IntelliJ to be the git installed in Windows Subsystem for Linux, I tried a few different ways, but always got some sort of error. Today I installed to Creators Update (Version 1703), reinstalled WSL and tried again, here's what I did:
I created a .bat script:
#echo off
C:\Windows\System32\bash.exe -c "git %*"
So when running it:
C:\Users\Limon\Desktop>bash.bat --version
git version 2.7.4
So then I tried to set this bat at the git executable in IntelliJ:
And it worked! But everything else fails, for example when I try to pull or branch in IntelliJ, I get:
Couldn't check the working tree for unmerged files because of an error.
'C:\Windows\System32\bash.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Any ideas on how fix this? I don't really know anything about batch scripting. It works perfectly off command line.

Answer 1

I was looking for a way to use git on WSL Windows Subsystem for Linux through Webstorm or an IntelliJ idea software.
I tried KatoPue's solution, but I got the following error:
fatal: could not read log file 'C:/Program Files/Git/mnt/c/Users/Elies/AppData/Local/Temp/git-commit-msg-.txt': No such file or directory
I solved it by replacing the path when sending the command to WSL's git
Settings > Version Control > Git > Path to Git executable : path_to_wslgit.bat
wslgit.bat :
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set command=%*
set find=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Temp\git-commit-msg-.txt
set replace=/mnt/c/Users/%USERNAME%/AppData/Local/Temp/git-commit-msg-.txt
call set command=%%command:!find!=!replace!%%
echo | C:\Windows\Sysnative\bash.exe -c 'git %command%'

Answer 2

Since WebStorm 2020.2 EAP it is possible.
Just add \\wsl$\YOUR-WSL-VERSION\usr\bin\git to the Path to Git executable:
To get your WSL VERSION type in a console wsl -l

Answer 3

In PyCharm 2018.1 I got various errors, when trying to settled up Git. I've to combine different approaches to make it run. Next code works for me:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set command=%*
If %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE% == x86 (
echo | C:\Windows\sysnative\bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
) Else (
echo | bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
)
UPD:
Now is available integration with Git inside WSL through WSLGit wrapper. I've checket it out with PyCharm and it's work like a charm. Here is a link https://github.com/andy-5/wslgit

Answer 4

Change the double to single quotes.
You can log, what arguments are fed to your bat file
#echo off
#echo %*>> %~dp0log.txt
bash.exe -c 'git %*'
With that, i discovered i had some escaping problems.
FYI: With the Win10 creators update piping bash and spawning it from Windows programs works fine.

Answer 5

In PhpStorm (2017.2 EAP) I get error
Caused by: com.intellij.openapi.vcs.VcsException: 'bash.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
For solution i change last line to
If %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE% == x86 (
C:\Windows\sysnative\bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
) Else (
bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
)

Answer 6

For me this solution works:
File: git.bat
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set command=%*
If %PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE% == x86 (
C:\Windows\sysnative\bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
) Else (
bash.exe -c 'git %command%'
)

Answer 7

As Gabrielizalo answered earlier, you need to use version 2020.2 and higher.
Go to Settings | Version Control | Git
Add \\wsl$\YOUR-WSL-VERSION\usr\bin\git to the Path to Git executable
Press Test
Please note, if you are using the WLinux distribution, you need to use the name Pengwin.
Even though the wsl -l command outputs the name as WLinux. Perhaps It will be fixed in future versions.
This is how it works for me \\wsl$\Pengwin\usr\bin\git.
If you are still having problems with Pengwin (WLinux). You need to reimport it as Pengwin.
Follow this instruction:
Restart your system.
Open PowerShell as administrator.
wsl --list. You will see a list of distributions, including WLinux (Default).
Make a backup with command wsl --export distro_name file_name.tar.
For example, wsl --export WLinux E:\backup.tar. It will take some time, as the distribution can reach several gigabytes.
Make sure the backup is complete, then remove the distribution from WSL with the command wsl --unregister WLinux.
Next, reimport the distribution with name Pengwin
wsl --import distro_name install_location file_name.tar, e.g.,
wsl --import Pengwin C:\Users\<USERNAME>\pengwin E:\backup.tar
Set the distribution as default wsl --setdefault Pengwin
To run default WSL distro as the specified user use wsl --user <Username>
Add \\wsl$\Pengwin\usr\bin\git to the Path to Git executable to your IDE, and press Test
Note, now when using pengwin in cmd, or from the Start menu, a new Pengwin instance will be installed. You can check this with the wsl --list command. The new instance will show up as WLinux. If you accidentally create a new instance, you can delete it with the command wsl --unregister WLinux.
For the convenience of using your distro, I strongly recommend installing a custom terminal. You can follow this guide How to setup a nice looking terminal with WSL in Windows 10.

Answer 8

Worked till PHPSTORM 2018.3 (or maybe a Windows Update changed some behavior regarding bash.exe). I am using Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. However, the path of my bash.exe changed - it is no longer in C:\Windows\Sysnative\bash.exe.
To get things working again I modified Elies Lou's wslgit.bat and set new path for bash.exe:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set command=%*
set find=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Temp\git-commit-msg-.txt
set replace=/mnt/c/Users/%USERNAME%/AppData/Local/Temp/git-commit-msg-.txt
call set command=%%command:!find!=!replace!%%
echo | C:\Windows\System32\bash.exe -c 'git %command%'

Answer 9

I updated the soultion to work with WSL2 with a network drive and PhpStorm 2019.2.
wsl_git.bat:
#echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
set command=%*
set find=C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Temp\git-commit-msg-.txt
set replace=/mnt/c/Users/%USERNAME%/AppData/Local/Temp/git-commit-msg-.txt
call set command=%%command:!find!=!replace!%%
echo | wsl CURDIR="%cd%"; STR2=${CURDIR//\\//}; STR3=${STR2/U:/}; cd $STR3; git %command%
It replaces the path in command for git-commit-msg-.txt to be able to commit as it was mentioned in other answers.
With WSL2 I use the network drive: \\wsl$\<distro_name> -> U:\. My project has path on Windows: U:\home\roman\projects\experiments, but on Linux it is /home/roman/projects/experiments. PhpStorm uses path from Windows to work with git, so it is needed to change path which can be reachable in the Linux subsystem. To achieve this I replace slashes \ -> / (STR2) and remove drive name U: -> `` (STR3) then change current dir to this modified path.

Answer 10

Install your project file in the wsl file system , any way you'll need this iff you go docker ;p
Open your project from \wsl$
(if needed) Go to Settings > Version Control > Git > and simply clear the Path to Git executable
and this work so fine !