Git Bash Here in Console2?

Question

MSysGit installs a context menu item that opens a Git Bash prompt at the currently selected folder; however, this opens a cmd.exe window and I would like it to open in Console2 instead.

What modifications do I need to make to get this working?

Note, I have seen this related question, but the answer is outdated - MSysGit is now using a vba script to invoke the bash prompt. Plus it doesn't explicity state how to get things working with Console2.

Update: you may be interested in doing the same with ConEmu, a rather excellent successor to Console. See here: Git Bash Here in ConEmu

Solution 1

Here's what I did (your paths with almost certainly vary):

1. Create a new tab in Console with the following values:
   • Title: Git Bash
   • Icon: C:\Program Files\Git\etc\git.ico
   • Shell "C:\Program Files\Git\bin\sh.exe" --login -i
   • Startup dir: %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%
2. Create a new key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\ called git_shell2 with a data value of Git Console Here
3. Create a new key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\git_shell2\ called command with a data value of "C:\Users\charlesr\My Dropbox\Software\Console2\Console.exe" -t "Git Bash" -d "%1"

This does the trick.

Instead of doing steps 2 and 3 above, you could just copy the following into a .reg file (modify the paths to suit your own config first) then import into the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\git_shell2]
@="Git Console Here"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\git_shell2\command]
@="\"C:\\Users\\charlesr\\My Dropbox\\Software\\Console2\\Console.exe\" -t \"Git Bash\" -d \"%1\""

Solution 2

The vba script just launches the Git Bash shortcut in the same directory; just change that shortcut to make it point at Console2's executable and configure Console2 so that it uses MSysGit's sh as its shell.

---

UPDATED

Going into more details as I just needed to do it again on a new computer:

• Configuring Console2

  1. added a new tab called "git"
  2. set the icon to C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\etc\git.ico
  3. set the shell to C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\bin\sh.exe --login -i

• Tweaking Git Bash's shortcut

  1. change the shortcut target to C:\Tools\Console2\Console.exe -t git -d . (well where your Console2 binary is located)
  2. enjoy your new "Git Bash Here" launching Console2!

The trick is the "-d ." option passed to Console2: the Git Bash.vbs script changes the current directory to the point pointed by the mouse before launching the shortcut.

Hope that helps.

Solution 3

In case anyone stumbles upon this wanting to use MinGW Bash I found a solution for that.

1. Console2, Edit, Settings, Tabs, Add
2. Title = Bash
3. Shell = C:\MinGW\msys\1.0\bin\sh.exe -l

4. Edit registry

   ni hklm:software/classes/directory/shell/bash/command `
     -f -va 'c:/Console2/Console.exe -t Bash -d %v'
   

5. Create ~/.profile with the following:

   cd -
   

cd Man Page

This works with 64-bit and 32-bit Console2, not sure what coderanger was on about.

Comments

[Besart Jashari]

Just a note for others that find this later, make sure you are using the 32-bit version of Console2 or this will fail.

[Kevin Berridge]

Note that in the latest msysgit the icon is now in C:\msysgit\share\resources\git.ico

[Mark Kadlec]

Thanks Charles, but why run steps 2 and 3? It works fine just doing step 1, not sure why the need to change the repository settings?

[Zombo]

It is obvious from your comments that you are still using cmd.exe, as Bash allows use of single and double quotes for strings. You should consider upgrading to Bash.

[Ozh]

Very neat. Note you can also add context menu when clicking in the "background" of a folder (the white part, not on an icon) gist.github.com/4048138

[Eoin]

I've been using this setup for a while, but it seems to have the unfortunate limitation of not being able to execute .bat scripts (without switching to a different tab, running plain Cmd.exe). Has anyone any insights on this?

[Spenhouet]

Does not start git bash with start up dir