Needs better error message when repository is rejected by git (related to safe.directory)

[marioaag]

Initial state:
Executions using the latest version of Git (version 2.39.3), in a repository owned by other user.

Current behavior:
Executing:

repo = git.Repo(dir_path)
last_commit = repo.head.commit

Ambiguos error is reported:

  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/refs/symbolic.py", line 226, in _get_commit
    obj = self._get_object()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/refs/symbolic.py", line 219, in _get_object
    return Object.new_from_sha(self.repo, hex_to_bin(self.dereference_recursive(self.repo, self.path)))
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/objects/base.py", line 94, in new_from_sha
    oinfo = repo.odb.info(sha1)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/db.py", line 40, in info
    hexsha, typename, size = self._git.get_object_header(bin_to_hex(binsha))
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/cmd.py", line 1383, in get_object_header
    return self.__get_object_header(cmd, ref)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/cmd.py", line 1370, in __get_object_header
    return self._parse_object_header(cmd.stdout.readline())
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.9/site-packages/git/cmd.py", line 1329, in _parse_object_header
    raise ValueError("SHA could not be resolved, git returned: %r" % (header_line.strip()))
ValueError: SHA could not be resolved, git returned: b''

Expected behavior:
More clear an specific error message or even better a parameter in git.repo() to handle the dubious ownership

Notes:
Doing some debug found that the new version of Git has enable by default a check for dubious ownership that is not handle gracefully by GitPython.

A work around for this is add an exception in Git to consider the file safe git config --global --add safe.directory <dir path>

[Byron]

Do I understand correctly that the repository isn't trusted by git and GitPython fails with a dubious, seemingly unrelated error?

[marioaag]

Correct!

[Byron]

Perfect! If you don't mind, could you look at my title and formulate the issue so that it matches the title more? It could be in the form of initial state (a repository owned by someone else), current behaviour, expected behaviour. With that, maybe the issue has a chance to be picked up by someone.

[marioaag]

Ready! Thanks for the help!

[marioaag]

Hi @Byron, could you help me to assign the ticket, I will work on it

[Byron]

Thanks a lot! It’s assigned.

[marioaag]

Hi @Byron, pull request generated! #1746

[EliahKagan]

Should this issue be closed as completed (in #1746)?

[Byron]

Thanks for the reminder!