[Bug]: error: no such remote 'main'

[Agent-E11]

Describe the bug

I created a new vault and new GitHub repo.

• I ran "Obsidian Git: Initialize a new repo"
• I ran "Obsidian Git: Push"
  • In the text box "Select or create a new remote by typing its name and selecting it" I typed "main" to create a new remote named "main"
  • I got the error "error: No such remote 'main'"

How do I create a new remote?

Relevant errors (if available) from notifications or console (CTRL+SHIFT+I)

git obsidian error: error: No such remote 'main'

Steps to reproduce

• Create new vault
• Install "Obsidian Git"
• Run Obsidian Git: Initialize a new repo
• Run Obsidian Git: Push
• Type main into the text box

Expected Behavior

Create a new remote named 'main'

Addition context

I have also tried the names: remote and master
This isn't really a "bug report" but there aren't any other issue templates

Operating system

Windows

Installation Method

None

Plugin version

2.22.0

[catherinetcai]

Ah, the docs seem to assume a certain familiarity with git.

When we refer to "main" or "master", that's the git branch name, not the remote.

When Obsidian Git is asking to create a new remote, it's asking for the remote URL (in this case, the GitHub repo URL) you're going to be syncing your notes to.

To find the remote URL, navigate back to page with the GitHub repo you created. You'll want to click on the <> Code button. It'll give you the HTTPS URL you should be using. (I included a screenshot with what it should look like.)

I would also make sure that you set up your git credentials. You need to be able to authenticate to GitHub before you can sync your notes using git. GitHub has a decent set of steps for how to do this here.

[siothelibrarian]

I think there's something else going on here - I've been using Obsidian Git for months, and all of a sudden, I'm getting a similar error. Whenever my vault tries to push a change, I get an error that says "No upstream branch is set." I only have one branch, but when I type "main" into the dialog, I get the same error: No such remote "main."

There doesn't seem to be an issue with my authentication - I can push changes from Git Bash on my machine, but I can't tell why it's not working through Obsidian. I tried to check in the plugin settings (the "Getting Started" page of the documentation says there should be an "Authentication/Commit Author" section that doesn't seem to exist anymore) but there's nothing there that would give me any clue what's going on.

[Vinzent03]

May you please share your .git/config file in your vault/repo?

[siothelibrarian]

Hi, Sure, see attached.

…

On Thu, Oct 12, 2023 at 8:09 AM Vinzent ***@***.***> wrote: May you please share your .git/config file? — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#599 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ACPRJG65FI65VVX3XDJYSEDX67TY5ANCNFSM6AAAAAA4RWJDUE> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- Siobhain

_______________________________ Siobhain Rivera (she/her) MLS, Digital Libraries ***@***.***

[Vinzent03]

This doesn't work with GitHub. There's nothing attached.

[siothelibrarian]

Sorry, the email indicated I could just reply. -_-;; See attached.
config.txt

[ifacodes]

I'm also encountering this, I had to add both the remote and the upstream branch manually with git
(i.e, git remote add origin "[email protected]" and git push -u origin main)
for the plugin to recognize either. it seems the create a new remote, and create a new upstream branch commands are broken.

[Vinzent03]

@siothelibrarian You might try the commands from ifacodess for now. Your shared config seems to be the global one and not the in your git repository under <repo>/.git/config

[ekkaiasmith]

I'm also encountering this, I had to add both the remote and the upstream branch manually with git (i.e, git remote add origin "[email protected]" and git push -u origin main) for the plugin to recognize either. it seems the create a new remote, and create a new upstream branch commands are broken.

@ifacodes where do you type these commands?

[ifacodes]

using a terminal of some kind!

for example, I am on macos, so I would use terminal, (or to be more precise I use iterm2), althought if you are on windows you should probably use powershell.
you do need to make sure you have git installed on your system:

• on windows you can do something like git --version in powershell, and if you get the version back then it's probably installed correctly, although you can always run winget install --id Git.Git -e --source winget in powershell to get the latest version.
• on macos you can do the same thing, or update to the latest with brew install git if you have homebrew installed.
  (if you don't have homebrew installed, you can check out https://brew.sh)
• or check out https://git-scm.com for your relevant system and follow the instructions there. but we want the command line version.

once you are certain git is installed, you also need to verfiy you have initialized git in your vault.
assuming you initialized it through the plugin, that should already be the case, if not, navigate to the main/root folder of your Vault (this should be the folder that contains .obsidian), and run git init.

as an example, for me on macos this is in /Users/ifa/Library/Mobile Documents/iCloud~md~obsidian/Documents/ifa/it may look different for you, or be in a different location on windows, etc.

create a new, empty github repo, name it whatever you want, and copy the https or ssh url, depending on which one you have setup to use.

to set that repo as the remote for your vault, enter git remote add origin [email protected]/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPO.git if you are using SSH or git remote add origin https://github.com/YOUR_USERNAME/YOUR_REPO.git if you are using HTTPS.

finally push your vault to the upstream repo with git push -u origin main.

I tried to be thorough in case anyone came across this issue and is new with git or source control. let me know if you have anymore questions.

[kamilsztuke]

Please check repo main branch name , for me plugin stopped working with main branch name "main"
after many tries I've changed main branch name to "master" and clone succeeded

[yunghoy]

I'm new to Obsidian. I tried this but it's not working as well. I have master branch on remote and commits. Can you provide us how to debug this? Nvm.. I think I can use CLI instead of using the plugin.

[ifacodes]

I'm new to Obsidian. I tried this but it's not working as well. I have master branch on remote and commits. Can you provide us how to debug this? Nvm.. I think I can use CLI instead of using the plugin.

Did you follow what I posted above? #599 (comment) is not truly a valid fix to this issue, that sounds like it is dependant and the git version installed on your system, as most up to date git versions no longer support 'master' as the default branch.

[gitet]

I just ran into the same problem. I had to add the remote via cli:
git remote add origin [email protected]:MYUSERNAME/obsidian-vault.git (using ssh auth)
Then git push -u origin main - note the use of main here, not master - so the problem is not related to main/master naming.
After this, obsidian picked up the repository just fine.

[hassannoor4]

Hey, this issue still exists! I use to be able to commit to my local git without issue. But I recently updated the plugin, and I am now STUCK with this notification (see pic)

I have no interest in a remote. I should be able to just version track with git locally. Any help in making this pop up go away is appreciated :)

[hassannoor4]

I just ran into the same problem. I had to add the remote via cli: git remote add origin [email protected]:MYUSERNAME/obsidian-vault.git (using ssh auth) Then git push -u origin main - note the use of main here, not master - so the problem is not related to main/master naming. After this, obsidian picked up the repository just fine.

Do we need to have our vault on github? Does the plugin not work without a github specification?

[hassannoor4]

So I was able to resolve the issue for myself.
For future reference for anyone that comes across this issue here's what I did:

• I already had a git init process set up –– refer to the guide for how to initialize your git via the command line (e.g., terminal)
• I pasted the file path of my vault into the pop up that reads "Select or create a new remote by typing its name and selecting it" <-- this is the solution!! Paste the file path your git is initialized to (your vault!)
• this auto populated my branch as "main/main". I clicked it and voilà, we're back to version tracking.

NOTE: you don't need to have your vault on github or have a remote origin if you don't want to and can still use git locally for version tracking.

[Vinzent03]

Instead you should change the settings to disable any automatic pull or push.