davidkopp · davidkopp · Jun 1, 2025 · Jun 1, 2025
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
+## 2025-06-01
+
+Use [git-worktree](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-worktree) to be able to place the git repository in the local Termux storage and the worktree in the shared storage. This avoid filesystem issues using Git.
+To be able to use this new feature I recommend to run the script `setup-interactive.sh" and clone the repository/repositories again.
+
 ## 2024-05-12
 
 Big refactoring of the setup scripts: now three different scripts are provided you can choose from.

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -93,6 +93,42 @@ git clone https://github.com/davidkopp/termux-scripts.git
 cd termux-scripts
 ```
 
+### Setup git-worktree
+
+We need to use the shared storage so Android apps will be able to access the folder. However, using the shared storage has also some disadvantages. See the Termux Wiki page [Internal and external storage](https://wiki.termux.com/wiki/Internal_and_external_storage) for more information.
+I personally had the issue that Git was only able to execute one command on a git repository located on the shared storage and the following commands failed with an error
+
+> Unable to read current working directory: No such file or directory
+
+A solution is to use [git-worktree](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-worktree). That means we place the git repository in the local Termux storage as a bare repository and place the worktree in the shared storage.
+
+The script `setup-interactive.sh` can set up everything for you.
+Here are the relevant commands that can be used to set it up manually:
+
+- Clone repo as bare:
+
+  ```sh
+  cd $HOME
+  GIT_REPO_URL= # fill in your repository URL
+  REPO_NAME= # repo name is optional, I use the suffix `.git` to know later that it is a bare git repository (e.g. "notes.git")
+  git clone --bare --depth=1 ${GIT_REPO_URL} ${REPO_NAME}
+  cd ${REPO_NAME}
+  # workaround: by default bare repos don't fetch remote branches
+  git config remote.origin.fetch "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*"
+  ```
+
+- Add git-worktree in detached mode (we don't want to create a new branch):
+
+  ```sh
+  # specify a path in shared storage where you want to store your worktree
+  PATH_TO_REPO=~/storage/shared/git/notes
+  git worktree add --detach ${PATH_TO_REPO}
+  cd ${PATH_TO_REPO}
+  git switch main
+  git fetch origin
+  git branch --set-upstream-to=origin/main
+  ```
+
 ### Setup sync
 
 _Note: During the setup some changes are made to your git configuration. If you want other options, modify the script 'configure-git.sh'._

diff --git a/configure-git.sh b/configure-git.sh
@@ -9,11 +9,26 @@ git config --global core.editor "nano"
 # To avoid conflicts between Linux and Windows, set git file mode setting to false:
 git config core.fileMode false
 
-# Configure branch `main` for sync:
-git config "branch.${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}.sync" true
+# Configure branch for sync:
+git config "branch.${BRANCH_NAME}.sync" true
 
 # Automatically add new (untracked) files and sync them:
-git config "branch.${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}.syncNewFiles" true
+git config "branch.${BRANCH_NAME}.syncNewFiles" true
 
 # Set commit message:
-git config "branch.${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}.syncCommitMsg" "android on \$(printf '%(%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S)T\\n' -1)"
+git config "branch.${BRANCH_NAME}.syncCommitMsg" "android on \$(printf '%(%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S)T\\n' -1)"
+
+# Switch to provided branch
+if ! git switch "${BRANCH_NAME}"; then
+    echo "Switching to branch '${BRANCH_NAME}' failed! Check your configuration."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Set upstream
+git branch --set-upstream-to="${REMOTE_NAME}/${BRANCH_NAME}"
+
+# Finally try to fetch from remote
+if ! git fetch "${REMOTE_NAME}"; then
+    echo "Fetching from remote '${REMOTE_NAME}' failed! Check your configuration."
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/setup-interactive.sh b/setup-interactive.sh
@@ -1,31 +1,64 @@
 #!/data/data/com.termux/files/usr/bin/bash
 
-# Default path used for cloning a new repository
-BASE_PATH_FOR_REPO_CLONING="$HOME/storage/shared/git"
+# Default paths used for cloning a new repository
+BASE_PATH_GIT_BARE_REPOS="$HOME"
+BASE_PATH_GIT_WORKTREE_MAIN="$HOME/storage/shared/git"
 
 MY_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 
 echo "Do you want to clone a new repository (1) or provide a path to an already existing git repository on your device (2)?"
 read -p "Enter your choice (1 or 2): " choice
 case $choice in
   1)
-    # Clone a new git repository
-    canonical_base_path=$(readlink -f "${BASE_PATH_FOR_REPO_CLONING}")
-    echo "Git clone URL (repo will be cloned to '${canonical_base_path}/REPO_NAME'):"
+    # Clone a new git repository (add bare repo in local storage and worktree in shared storage)
+    canonical_base_path_bare_repos=$(readlink -f "${BASE_PATH_GIT_BARE_REPOS}")
+    canonical_base_path_worktree=$(readlink -f "${BASE_PATH_GIT_WORKTREE_MAIN}")
+    echo "Git clone URL:"
     read GIT_REPO_URL
     echo ""
-    mkdir -p "${canonical_base_path}"
-    cd "${canonical_base_path}" || (echo "cd ${canonical_base_path} failed!" && exit 1)
+
     REPO_NAME="$(basename "$GIT_REPO_URL" .git)"
-    GIT_REPO_PATH=$(readlink -f "${PWD}/${REPO_NAME}")
-    if [[ -d $GIT_REPO_PATH ]]; then
-      echo "Directory '${GIT_REPO_PATH}' already exists! Skip cloning of git repository ${GIT_REPO_URL}. Try to use existing directory instead."
-    else
-      if ! git clone "$GIT_REPO_URL"; then
+    BARE_REPO_NAME="${REPO_NAME}.git"
+    mkdir -p "${canonical_base_path_bare_repos}"
+    cd "${canonical_base_path_bare_repos}" || (echo "cd ${canonical_base_path_bare_repos} failed!" && exit 1)
+    GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH=$(readlink -f "${PWD}/${BARE_REPO_NAME}")
+    mkdir -p "${canonical_base_path_worktree}"
+    cd "${canonical_base_path_worktree}" || (echo "cd ${canonical_base_path_worktree} failed!" && exit 1)
+    GIT_WORKTREE_PATH=$(readlink -f "${PWD}/${REPO_NAME}")
+
+    echo "The repo '${GIT_REPO_URL}' will be cloned as a bare repository to '${GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH}' and the worktree will be placed in '${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH}'."
+    if [[ -d $GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH ]]; then
+      echo "Directory '${GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH}' already exists! Cloning of the git repository will be skipped and the existing directory will be used instead."
+    fi
+    if [[ -d $GIT_WORKTREE_PATH ]]; then
+      echo "Directory '${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH}' already exists! Adding worktree will be skipped. This is probably not intended and the setup probably won't work!"
+    fi
+    read -r -p "Continue? [Y/n] " response
+    response=${response,,}
+    if [[ "$response" == "n" ]]; then
+        echo "Exiting."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    echo ""
+
+    # clone the repository as a bare repo
+    if ! [[ -d $GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH ]]; then
+      cd "${canonical_base_path_bare_repos}" || (echo "cd ${canonical_base_path_bare_repos} failed!" && exit 1)
+      if ! git clone --bare "$GIT_REPO_URL" "$BARE_REPO_NAME"; then
         echo "Git clone of '$GIT_REPO_URL' failed!"
         exit 1
       fi
-      echo "Git repository cloned to: ${GIT_REPO_PATH}"
+      cd "${GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH}" || (echo "cd ${GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH} failed!" && exit 1)
+      # workaround: by default bare repos don't fetch remote branches
+      git config remote.origin.fetch "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*"
+    fi
+    echo ""
+    # create main worktree in detached mode (we don't want to create a new branch)
+    if ! [[ -d $GIT_WORKTREE_PATH ]]; then
+      if ! git worktree add --detach "${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH}"; then
+        echo "Add worktree for bare repository '${GIT_BARE_REPO_PATH}' in '${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH} failed!"
+        exit 1
+      fi
     fi
     ;;
   2)
@@ -37,7 +70,7 @@ case $choice in
       echo "Provided git repo path '${canonical_path_to_repo}' does not exist!"
       exit 1
     fi
-    GIT_REPO_PATH=$canonical_path_to_repo
+    GIT_WORKTREE_PATH=$canonical_path_to_repo
     ;;
   *)
     echo "Invalid choice. Please enter 1 or 2."
@@ -46,19 +79,19 @@ case $choice in
 esac
 
 # Ask for branch name, default is main
-if [[ -z "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
-echo -e "\nWhich branch do you want to use for syncing? (if none is provided, 'main' is used)"
-read GIT_BRANCH_NAME
+if [[ -z "${BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
+  echo -e "\nWhich branch do you want to use for syncing? (if none is provided, 'main' is used)"
+  read BRANCH_NAME
 fi
 
 # Single or multi repo setup?
 echo -e "Do you want to setup sync for only one repository or for multiple ones?\nOne: (1)\nMultiple: (2)"
 read -p "Enter your choice (1 or 2): " choice
 case $choice in
   1)
-    source "$MY_DIR/setup-single-repo.sh" "${GIT_REPO_PATH}" "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}"
+    source "$MY_DIR/setup-single-repo.sh" "${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH}" "${BRANCH_NAME}"
     ;;
   2)
-    source "$MY_DIR/setup-multi-repo.sh" "${GIT_REPO_PATH}" "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}"
+    source "$MY_DIR/setup-multi-repo.sh" "${GIT_WORKTREE_PATH}" "${BRANCH_NAME}"
     ;;
 esac
diff --git a/setup-multi-repo.sh b/setup-multi-repo.sh
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@
 # $3: repo name (optional, default extracted repo name, used as a suffix for script names)
 
 GIT_REPO_PATH=$1
-GIT_BRANCH_NAME=$2
+BRANCH_NAME=$2
 REPO_NAME=$3
 
 if [[ -z "${GIT_REPO_PATH}" ]]; then
   echo -e "Path to local Git repository not provided!\nUsage: $(basename "$0") git-path\nAs an alternative you can also use the interactive setup script: setup-interactive.sh"
   exit 1
 fi
-if [[ -z "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
-  GIT_BRANCH_NAME=main
+if [[ -z "${BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
+  BRANCH_NAME=main
 fi
 if [[ -z "${REPO_NAME}" ]]; then
   REPO_NAME=$(basename "$GIT_REPO_PATH")
@@ -28,19 +28,21 @@ MY_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 cp "$MY_DIR/open-repo.sh" "$HOME/open-repo.sh"
 chmod +x "$HOME/open-repo.sh"
 
+# Go to repo ...
 # shellcheck source=open-repo.sh
 if ! source "$HOME/open-repo.sh" "${GIT_REPO_PATH}"
 then
   echo "Open repo '${GIT_REPO_PATH}' failed!"
   exit 1
 fi
 
-if [[ ! $(git branch --list "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}") ]]; then
-  echo "Git branch '${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}' does not exist!"
+if [[ ! $(git branch --list "${BRANCH_NAME}") ]]; then
+  echo "Git branch '${BRANCH_NAME}' does not exist!"
   exit 1
 fi
 
 # Configure git repository
+# shellcheck source=configure-git.sh
 source "$MY_DIR/configure-git.sh"
 
 # Setup scripts for Termux:Widget and Termux:Tasker
@@ -66,4 +68,5 @@ chmod +x "$HOME"/.termux/tasker/*.sh
 cd "$MY_DIR" || exit 1
 rm -r "$MY_DIR/temp"
 
+echo ""
 echo "Setup auto-sync of '${REPO_NAME}' was successful! (multi-repo setup)"
diff --git a/setup-single-repo.sh b/setup-single-repo.sh
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@
 # $2: git branch name (optional, default "main")
 
 GIT_REPO_PATH=$1
-GIT_BRANCH_NAME=$2
+BRANCH_NAME=$2
 
-if [[ -z "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
-  GIT_BRANCH_NAME=main
+if [[ -z "${BRANCH_NAME}" ]]; then
+  BRANCH_NAME=main
 fi
 
 ###########################################
@@ -27,10 +27,11 @@ if [[ -e "$HOME/repo.conf" ]]; then
     exit 1
   fi
 
+  # Go to repo ...
   # shellcheck source=open-repo.sh
   if ! source "$HOME/open-repo.sh"
   then
-      echo "Open repo with path defined in '"$HOME"/repo.conf' failed!"
+      echo "Open repo with path defined in '$HOME/repo.conf' failed!"
       exit 1
   fi
 # Otherwise create new config file
@@ -49,12 +50,13 @@ else
   exit 1
 fi
 
-if [[ ! $(git branch --list "${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}") ]]; then
-  echo "Git branch '${GIT_BRANCH_NAME}' does not exist!"
+if [[ ! $(git branch --list "${BRANCH_NAME}") ]]; then
+  echo "Git branch '${BRANCH_NAME}' does not exist!"
   exit 1
 fi
 
 # Configure git repository
+# shellcheck source=configure-git.sh
 source "$MY_DIR/configure-git.sh"
 
 # Setup scripts for Termux:Widget
@@ -71,4 +73,5 @@ chmod +x "$HOME"/.termux/tasker/*.sh
 
 REPO_NAME=$(basename "$GIT_REPO_PATH")
 
+echo ""
 echo "Setup auto-sync of '${REPO_NAME}' was successful! (single-repo setup)"