How to modify a dotfile not through chezmoi?

[i2]

[ Just to point out: I have read and am aware of https://github.com/twpayne/chezmoi/issues/748#issuecomment-628065878 ]

Is it possible to modify a dotfile and be in sync with my dotfile repo, without using "chezmoi edit"? Please let me explain by the following example:

1. I have a blank dotfile repo on github and initialize chezmoi with it: chezmoi init my_repo
2. I add my tmux config to this repo: chezmoi add ~/.tmux.conf
3. all great so far. After a while I want to modify my tmux.conf
4. Habitually, I open my tmux.conf file and make my changes
5. At this point. if I run chezmoi diff, it sees that there are some changes between my git repo and local files.
6. chezmoi update will restore the local changes to the one from step 2

Is there a way to do this the other way around?
Git repo --- to --> local file is possible
local file --- to --> git repo without chezmoi edit ?

It doesn't feel natural to me to make note of what configs I manage with chezmoi and if I want to make some changes for those config files, make them using chezmoi edit instead of just vim/nano.

I have also looked at the following links before posting this:

• https://github.com/twpayne/chezmoi/discussions/1312
• https://github.com/twpayne/chezmoi/discussions/1510
• https://github.com/twpayne/chezmoi/pull/1208

Thank you!

[felipecrs]

The usual process is to edit the file in your git repository first then chezmoi apply. This is what chezmoi edit automates.

However, the opposite way is also simple:

1. Edit the file (e.g. ~/.zshrc)
2. chezmoi add .zshrc

Just like git!

[i2]

The usual process is to edit the file in your git repository first then chezmoi apply.

So, modify the dotfile and then git add commit push to my repo? I don't know, for some reason, this workflow doesn't feel natural to me. <---- kudos to @twpayne for creating chezmoi. It's a great tool. I'm just asking for clarifications to help me decide which workflow suits me better (my choices are chezmoi or dac). Much respect.

Is there a way to trigger an auto-commit to my git repo, when I edit my dotfile say with vim (without issuing chezmoi edit)?

[felipecrs]

What does chezmoi do then?

chezmoi does a million things. For example, you can use templates to modify your dotfiles according to the machine that you are using seamlessly (when it's a personal or work machine, an ephemeral container like codespaces, or macOS vs Linux).

Is there a way to trigger an auto-commit to my git repo, when I edit my dotfile say with vim (without issuing chezmoi edit)?

Yes! The chezmoi docs are very extensive: https://www.chezmoi.io/docs/how-to/#automatically-commit-and-push-changes-to-your-repo

[felipecrs]

Replying to #1598 (comment):

Is this what workflow what you mean? According to this, it doesn't seem safe to do so.

Yes, that's what I meant and it's indeed not safe. With chezmoi, you can use templates inside the dotfiles in the git repository. If you wrote a template in your git repository, and then re-added the file (without templates), your custom templates would be lost in the source repository.

For example, check this section of my ~/.profile:

https://github.com/felipecrs/dotfiles/blob/ddb1198a99efa3e3e001e59c191f744aca204452/home/dot_profile.tmpl#L3-L8

It will only be set when I'm on a WSL machine.

So, still, it's recommended to use chezmoi edit, or edit the files by yourself and run chezmoi apply --verbose after.

[i2]

Thanks for your response @felipecrs.

So again re-add the modified file? Like so:

1. (initially say on day 1 of using chezmoi) Add ~/.zshrc to git repo chezmoi add ~/.zshrc
2. After a while and some modifications to dofile again run chezmoi add ~/.zshrc

Is this what workflow what you mean? According to this, it doesn't seem safe to do so.

[felipecrs]

Answered at #1598 (reply in thread).

[sisrfeng]

chezmoi add ~/dotfile does not update the modified files under chezmoi folder, while chezmoi re-add doe.

Why is that ?

What is the difference between chezmoi add ~/dotfile and chezmoi re-add ? chezmoi re-add is convinient when we have to add lots of files ?

[twpayne]

chezmoi add ~/dotfile does not update the modified files under chezmoi folder, while chezmoi re-add doe.

Why is that ?

A number of users complained when chezmoi add overwrote the changes they'd made to the source state. To make chezmoi add overwrite, use the -f/--force option.

What is the difference between chezmoi add ~/dotfile and chezmoi re-add ? chezmoi re-add is convinient when we have to add lots of files ?

Exactly.

[xvzc]

In the latest release, --watch option for chezmoi edit command is available. it automatically applies the changes when the file has been saved.

If you use neovim or vim you can just define a function in your shell environment like below.
I'm not very good at shell scripting by the way..

# "vi FILE_NAME" automatically runs "chemoi edit FILE_NAME" command if the file is under management by chemoi.
# otherwise just give the all arguments to neovim
function vi() {
  if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
    nvim
    return
  fi

  # Added "--hardlink=false" option to get neovim undo available.
  chezmoi verify $1 > /dev/null 2>&1\
    && chezmoi edit --watch --hardlink=false $1\ 
    || nvim $@
}

[kwand]

Thanks, this was useful. In case anyone is using fish like I am, here's a version converted to fish's scripting language (also not great at shell scripting, but it works):

function vi
    if test (count $argv) -eq 0 
        nvim
    else
        chezmoi verify $argv[1] &> /dev/null && chezmoi edit --watch --hardlink=false $argv[1] || nvim $argv
    end
end

[Lockszmith-GH]

Thanks! This is helpful,
I wrote too much script to deal with something like this, I mentioned it here

[xvzc]

I wrote a neovim plugin that might help you edit chezmoi-managed files. Please try if anyone is interested.
https://github.com/xvzc/chezmoi.nvim

[twpayne]

Thanks, this is really nice. I've added it to chezmoi's related software page (will be visible in about one hour).

[xvzc]

I appreciate that. It is a great honor for me!