Git with Atom - Troubleshooting/FAQ

General Authentication Issues

Possible Symptoms

Folder is created but no files are downloaded (and/or only ".git" folder is create).
Nondescript authentication related error message.
Nothing happened after a long while.

Possible Fixes

If you are using the HTTPS method...

You should not be using HTTPS to clone from GitLab. Make sure to review the Git with Atom setup guides for your operating system to review how to clone with SSH.

If you are already using the SSH method...

First, make sure that you are actually using the "Clone with SSH" URL from GitLab instead of the "Clone with HTTPS".
Then, make sure that you gone through every step of this process:
- Windows: Step 4: Setting up GitLab Key
- Mac: Step 3: Setting up GitLab Key
Ensure that you have set up your Keys correctly by running the command:
```
ssh -T git@gitlab.cs.washington.edu
```
Respond with "Yes" if it prompts you. It should read, "Welcome to GitLab" and then your username. If not, go through the key setup process again.

General Atom/Git GUI Issues

You see the following error message while cloning:

Unable to clone git@gitlab.cs.washington.edu:cse154-19sp-tas/cp1-html-css-jvenberg.git
Cloning into '/Users/jackv/GitLab/cp1-html-css-jvenberg'...
error: cannot run undefined: No such file or directory
error: cannot run undefined: No such file or directory
fatal: unable to fork

This means that you selected a folder path that does not exist while cloning. There are two possible solutions. Either run the exact same clone command again since the first one created the folder you were trying to write to, or run the clone command with a folder that you know exists.

You see the following error message when trying to commit:

*** 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.

You will need to run those following commands in the command line to let git know what account you are using to commit.
```
git config --global user.email "your_email_address@email.com"
git config --global user.name "YOUR_USERNAME"
```
Finally, you can run the following command to list all of the config values to ensure they were saved.
```
git config --global --list
```

The "Git" side bar is empty.

If there is a book icon on the base folder - Ensure that there is no other projects open in the same window by right clicking on unnecessary ones and clicking "Remove Project Folder". Then, if it is still blank, close out of every file tab in the window, remove the current project by clicking "Remove Project Folder" and re-add it through the menu option "File > Add Project Folder...". Ensure that you only add the base folder of the repository.
If there is no book icon on the base folder - Ensure that you have added the base folder of the repository as a project. It will not work unless you have only the base folder as the main directory.