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I would like to use git-bash come with github client on a windows 7 (32bit) machine. Somehow, the git-bash has already learned the $PATH variables from windows system PATH. However, I found the $PATH in git-bash did not parse the win system PATH with space correctly.

for example the $PATH outputs:

"..../c/Program: No such file or directory"

Is there anyway to fix it? where is the git-bash script to construct the $PATH for git shell? Thanks

maxshuty
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wyonghao
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10 Answers10

45

Why not using absolute path instead of relative path and if a folder of file name contains a space just use "" (quotes).

Ex. cd C:/Users/"My Folder"

maxshuty
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Chris Hermut
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27

Put a backslash ("\") before the space.

ex. cd My\ Documents

offby1
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Sam Haars
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2

I am having similar problem.
After some struggle, i put this on the first line in my C:\Program Files\Git\etc\profile:

export HOME=`cygpath -u "\`cygpath -d "$HOMEDRIVE$HOMEPATH"\`"`

and type command echo $HOME in bash will come out /c/Users/NAMEXX~1, no more space parsing problem for my $HOME or ~/ !

Seagal82
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2

The answer for me was close to that of Seagal82. I added the following line at the start of [PATH_TO_GITBASH_INSTALL]\etc\profile:

export HOME="/c/Users/Username\ with\ spaces/"

Then I started a new git bash window and all the paths in $PATH using $HOME got replaced with the anti-slashed space and work correctly.

Draco Dynasty
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1

git-bash runs in a Linux environment. As, linux doesn't recognize \ backslash in its directory path, you need to use / forwardslash. Use "" if you directory path contains spaces.

Ishrak
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1

Basically to confirm what is working: For environment variables use export keyword:

export JAVA_HOME="/c/Program Files/Java/jdkxxxxx"

same for PATH variable etc.

You can put it in your ~/.bashrc . Then, use variables instead of direct string with spaces

ilyavaio
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1

Use the bash declare command -

$ declare -x PATH="/path with spaces":$PATH
Steven Arnold
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1

You need to escape non-word-characters with a backslash "\":

For Example:

$ cd Program\ Files\ \(x86\)
Lee Smith
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1

Don’t do that, you can try this instead pass the complete path in the ""(quotes). Example$ cd "C:\Users\folder\OneDrive - folder\file"

Mohd Abdul Raheem
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0

I have come to appreciate, specifically if in a Windows OS Git Bash shell "setting", the possibility to use "short names" ie the foldername info you get when you run dir /X in a directory and then use that eg for Program Files this would be PROGRA~1 (which contains no spaces anymore). Then using that shortname in paths or similar definitions within the .bashrc (or similar) files.
As an additional info [here] Program Files (x86) shortname would be PROGRA~2
I recently discovered this to be the most stable solution for exporting a variable in Git Bash's .bash_profile

GWD
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