Search code examples
bashcygwin

Running shell script on Windows via Cygwin mintty.exe doesn't execute runcoms


Problem summary

I'm trying to launch a .sh script via Windows 10 Cygwin (i.e. mintty.exe > bash.exe) but neither .profile, .bash_profile, or .bashrc are loading, which I need to update PATH env variable with Cygwin's bin directory.

Background

I'm trying to launch a script finder.sh:

#!/bin/bash
find .
read

from C:\Users\Bo\Temp\. It has unix line endings and executable bit set.

I have Cygwin installed at C:\Users\Bo\AppData\Local\Programs\cygwin64\. I do not have this path in either System or User Windows' Environment Variables (and I don't want to!). My runcoms all live in this directory under /home/Bo. My .bash_profile (and ATM .bashrc) have an export PATH="/cygdrive/c/Users/Bo/AppData/Local/Programs/cygwin64/bin":${PATH} in them.

I want to launch the script from Windows Explorer. I tried using the bash.exe and mintty.exe in the cygwin64\bin\ folder via Open > Choose another app > More apps > Look for another app on this PC. In either case the mintty window displays:

FIND: Parameter format not correct

meaning the Windows' find command was used not Cygwin's. So I have my script echo $PATH and the Cygwin/bin directory is not in PATH. If I add the proper export PATH statement from above to my own script it works fine. So, now to debug the launcher and runcoms...

I've put echo ${0} statements in .profile, .bash_profile, and .bashrc, none of which trigger which I run the .sh script, they are never run. I've read SO and the mans. I've tried creating a Shortcut to both mintty.exe and bash.exe passing a variety of -l -i -e - commands to each using Properties > Shortcut > Target and they are never run. E.g. running simply [..]\mintty.exe -h always doesn't even leave the window open.

How do I get my script to run in Windows Explorer via Cygwin's mintty.exe/bash.exe, and to read from a runcom to update PATH (to find Cygwin Linux commands, vs. updating Windows Environment Variable)?


Solution

  • Two part fix:

    A) set a Windows Environment Variable for BASH_ENV to a .bash_env under your Cygwin HOME, and export the PATH variable to include the Cygwin/bin directory from that file. I cannot find a decent reference for this in Cygwin documentation because it seems to be simply a bash thing, but this variable is what bash looks for when running non login/interactively. Best reference: Cygwin shell doesn't execute .bashrc.

    And B) run the .sh with bash.exe from Cygwin/bin using Open With....

    ALSO, annoying Windows bug: when you select a program to Open With... your .sh script, it will always run 1x with a CWD from your C:\Windows\System32 directory(?!) and all other times will run fine with the CWD as the directory from your .sh script.