Start sh.exe (bash) with given path

Question

I need to start the git-bash (sh.exe) with a predefined path in a Windows environment.

For cmd.exe this can be done with a command like:

cmd.exe /K "cd /d {PATH_GOES_HERE}"

For powershell.exe this can be done with this command:

powershell.exe -noexit -command "cd '{PATH_GOES_HERE}'"

But I could not manage to get that same with git-bash aka sh.exe. I tried stuff like ...

sh.exe --login -i -c "cd {PATH_GOES_HERE}"

... but I could not make it work.

The command line itself works, by entering ...

sh.exe --login -i -c "ls"

... I get the bash-colorized output of the directory

Solution 1

Thanks to a tip from Michael D, I installed Git with the feature "Git Bash Here". Then I looked up the way Git does it by browsing the registry at:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\git_shell\command

That gave me the command to use:

C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe "--cd=%1"

Where %1 stands for the path provided by the Windows Explorer.

So all I had to do was to go for a command like:

C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe "--cd={PATH_GOES_HERE}"

Btw, no need to transform Windows paths to stuff like /c/users/myuser/...

That means I am not using sh.exe but git-bash.exe from now on.

Thanks mates.

Solution 2

bash is reading the .bashrc file on start.

1. start sh.exe --login
2. create .bashrc file by entering echo "cd c/Windows/system32/" > ~/.bashrc
3. logout (Ctrl + D)
4. start sh.exe --login
5. enter pwd should be c/Windows/system32/

AFAIK windows is protecting the \Program Files\ folder with the UAC. You might need to run sh.exe as admin, or consider to install git to C:\git instead (outside the program files folder).

Comments

[Waescher]

I really appreciate that answer, but that seems not to be a reasonable way to go for me, I'm afraid. I don't have administrative priviledges and I don't want to edit configuration files just to init my bash session.

[Michael D.]

yeah sh -c is just running the command and exits after that.

[Waescher]

I learned that, yeah 😐

[Michael D.]

when installing git on windows, it's gives you the git bash here with the right click in the win explorer

[Waescher]

Might be, but I cannot use it like that, sorry. However, it would be interesting how this is done internally. Might take a look, thank you!

[Michael D.]

is there a reason why you need to be in that path? You could just add that path to your environment

[Waescher]

You're the man - that tip was pure gold! But I think I'll go for my own answer, so that the next readers will see it. Thanks!

[Waescher]

Pay attention to skip backslashes at the end: it won't accept ´C:\Users\´ but ´C:\Users´ for example