# More problems trying to add packages from private repos
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059
**Category:** General Usage
**Tags:** pkg
**Created:** [October 1, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059 "2021-10-01T17:05:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CameronBieganek](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/CameronBieganek)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/1 "2021-10-01T17:05:36Z")
There have been many threads about the difficulties of using private repositories with `Pkg`. Here’s one, which contains links to various other threads:
> [@Basic introduction to ssh-agent, libGit2 in the context of Pkg](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/basic-introduction-to-ssh-agent-libgit2-in-the-context-of-pkg/50113):
>
> [This thread](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/pkg-clone-keeps-asking-for-my-ssh-key/15155) ([and this](https://github.com/JuliaLang/Pkg.jl/issues/911), [and this](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/issues/10892), [and this](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/what-should-i-do-when-asked-for-a-private-key-loaction-when-adding-a-private-repository-on-windows/29201)) discuss a situation where something called “ssh-agent” is involved in preventing Pkg.add() from repeatedly requesting to override the private key location (when the existing one is actually valid), and ultimately failing: julia\> Pkg.add(url="git@github.com:me/myrepo.jl.git") Cloning git-repo `git@github.com:me/myrepo.jl.git` Private key location for 'git@github.com' [/home/me/.ssh/id\_rsa]: Private key location for 'git@github.com' [/home/me/.ssh/i…
At some point in the past I managed to get things working somehow, but now they appear to be broken again and I don’t know how to fix it. I decided to throw in the towel and connect to one of my private repos with HTTPS instead of SSH. And yet I still can’t actually add the repo. Here’s what happens:
```julia
(PackageA) pkg> add https://github.com/CameronBieganek/PackageB.jl.git
Updating git-repo `https://github.com/CameronBieganek/PackageB.jl.git`
Username for 'https://github.com': myemail@gmail.com
Password for 'https://myemail@gmail.com@github.com':
Username for 'https://github.com' [myemail@gmail.com]: myemail@gmail.com
Password for 'https://myemail@gmail.com@github.com':
Username for 'https://github.com' [myemail@gmail.com]: myemail@gmail.com
Password for 'https://myemail@gmail.com@github.com':
ERROR: failed to fetch from https://github.com/CameronBieganek/PackageB.jl.git, error: GitError(Code:EUSER, Class:Callback, Aborting, user cancelled credential request.)
```
What am I doing wrong? Why is this so hard? For now I’m giving up and and making one of my private repos public.
---
### Author:  [@GunnarFarneback](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/GunnarFarneback)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/2 "2021-10-01T18:06:48Z")
Mandatory question: can you `git clone` the package outside of Julia?
If that works you may want to try the Julia 1.7 release candidate with `JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true`, see [https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/release-1.7/NEWS.md#package-manager](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/blob/release-1.7/NEWS.md#package-manager).
---
### Author:  [@StevenWhitaker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/StevenWhitaker)
#### Post date: [October 1, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/3 "2021-10-01T18:14:17Z")
I don’t know why connecting with HTTPS doesn’t work, but some time ago I also experienced issues adding my private packages via SSH. I think my problem was I was generating an SSH key that was incompatible with LibGit2. Once I generated a compatible SSH key things worked seamlessly. (See [https://github.com/GunnarFarneback/LocalRegistry.jl/blob/master/docs/ssh\_keys.md](https://github.com/GunnarFarneback/LocalRegistry.jl/blob/master/docs/ssh_keys.md) for details.)
---
### Author:  [@CameronBieganek](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/CameronBieganek)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2021, 4:51pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/4 "2021-10-04T16:51:18Z")
Thanks for the responses. Generating a new SSH key with the `-m PEM` option seemed to do the trick. Maybe when 1.7 is officially released I’ll use the `JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true` option.
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/5 "2022-07-28T00:27:49Z")
Hi @GunnarFarneback, this is probably ignorant, but what does that actually mean? Where do I change the environment variable and then what external git executable do I use to download the private repository?
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/6 "2022-07-28T01:10:20Z")
This is a shell and operating system question.
In bash I would do:
```julia
export JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true
julia -t auto
```
In Windows Powershell,
```julia
$env:JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true
julia -t auto
```
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 1:29am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/7 "2022-07-28T01:29:41Z")
Thanks for both of your replies @mkitti I did this in bash, and now when I do Pkg.add(url=“…”) I get asked for the private key location, I enter the location and I receive the error: “failed to clone from [git@github.com](mailto:git@github.com):placeholder.jl.git, error: GitError(Code:ERROR, Class:SSH, Failed to authenticate SSH session: Unable to open public key file”.
Thanks!
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 3:41am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/8 "2022-07-28T03:41:36Z")
Can you normally use `git clone git@github.com:placeholder.jl.git`?
If not then you may need to create a new key as indicated above, and then add that to github.
If you can clone it, then I recommend just giving Julia the local file path to the cloned repository.
---
### Author:  [@GunnarFarneback](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/GunnarFarneback)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 8:23am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/9 "2022-07-28T08:23:31Z")
Those are all indications that Julia is not using CLI Git. What version of Julia are you using? What is the output of `ENV["JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT"]` in your running Julia?
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 12:12pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/10 "2022-07-28T12:12:36Z")
@mkitti I can, yes.
@GunnarFarneback, I created the startup file as instructed [here](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-repl-is-ignoring-my-ssh-config-file/65287/7). The following then happens… Thanks for your help!
```julia
julia> ENV["JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT"]
"true"
julia> using Pkg
julia> Pkg.add(url="git@github.com:users/packagename.jl.git")
ERROR: invalid git HEAD (reference 'refs/heads/master' not found)
Stacktrace:
[1] pkgerror(msg::String)
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:68
[2] check_valid_HEAD(repo::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ Pkg.GitTools /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/GitTools.jl:329
[3] (::Pkg.Types.var"#42#43"{Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String})(repo::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:677
[4] with(f::Pkg.Types.var"#42#43"{Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, obj::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ LibGit2 /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/LibGit2/src/types.jl:1150
[5] handle_repo_add!(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkg::Pkg.Types.PackageSpec)
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:676
[6] handle_repos_add!(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:743
[7] add(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; preserve::Pkg.Types.PreserveLevel, platform::Base.BinaryPlatforms.Platform, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Base.TTY, Tuple{Symbol}, NamedTuple{(:io,), Tuple{Base.TTY}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:248
[8] add(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; io::Base.TTY, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:149
[9] add(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:144
[10] #add#26
@ /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:141 [inlined]
[11] add
@ /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:141 [inlined]
[12] add(; name::Nothing, uuid::Nothing, version::Nothing, url::String, rev::Nothing, path::Nothing, mode::Pkg.Types.PackageMode, subdir::Nothing, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:166
[13] top-level scope
@ REPL[2]:1
caused by: GitError(Code:EUNBORNBRANCH, Class:Reference, reference 'refs/heads/master' not found)
Stacktrace:
[1] macro expansion
@ /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/LibGit2/src/error.jl:110 [inlined]
[2] head(repo::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ LibGit2 /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/LibGit2/src/reference.jl:44
[3] check_valid_HEAD(repo::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ Pkg.GitTools /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/GitTools.jl:327
[4] (::Pkg.Types.var"#42#43"{Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String})(repo::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:677
[5] with(f::Pkg.Types.var"#42#43"{Pkg.Types.Context, Pkg.Types.PackageSpec, String}, obj::LibGit2.GitRepo)
@ LibGit2 /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/LibGit2/src/types.jl:1150
[6] handle_repo_add!(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkg::Pkg.Types.PackageSpec)
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:676
[7] handle_repos_add!(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})
@ Pkg.Types /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Types.jl:743
[8] add(ctx::Pkg.Types.Context, pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; preserve::Pkg.Types.PreserveLevel, platform::Base.BinaryPlatforms.Platform, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Base.TTY, Tuple{Symbol}, NamedTuple{(:io,), Tuple{Base.TTY}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:248
[9] add(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec}; io::Base.TTY, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:149
[10] add(pkgs::Vector{Pkg.Types.PackageSpec})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:144
[11] #add#26
@ /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:141 [inlined]
[12] add
@ /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:141 [inlined]
[13] add(; name::Nothing, uuid::Nothing, version::Nothing, url::String, rev::Nothing, path::Nothing, mode::Pkg.Types.PackageMode, subdir::Nothing, kwargs::Base.Pairs{Symbol, Union{}, Tuple{}, NamedTuple{(), Tuple{}}})
@ Pkg.API /Applications/Julia-1.7.app/Contents/Resources/julia/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/API.jl:166
[14] top-level scope
@ REPL[2]:1
```
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 12:20pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/11 "2022-07-28T12:20:42Z")
> [@mkitti](#):
>
> `git clone git@github.com:placeholder.jl.git`?
I receive the following message when I try to download packages associated with a registry now too:
```julia
Pkg.add("Distributions")
Updating registry at `~/.julia/registries/General.toml`
┌ Warning: could not download https://JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true/registries
│ exception = Could not resolve host: JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true while requesting https://JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true/registries
└ @ Pkg.Registry /Users/julia/buildbot/worker/package_macos64/build/usr/share/julia/stdlib/v1.7/Pkg/src/Registry/Registry.jl:82
Resolving package versions...
```
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/12 "2022-07-28T13:38:02Z")
Did you set `JULIA_PKG_SERVER` by accident at some point?
Could you give us the output of `versioninfo()` within the REPL?
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 1:40pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/13 "2022-07-28T13:40:04Z")
> [@Mitch](#):
>
> I created the startup file as instructed [here](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/julia-repl-is-ignoring-my-ssh-config-file/65287/7)
Could you show us the contents of `startup.jl`?
Usually you would want to set environment variables before starting Julia. It’s possible this will work though since this affects the package `Pkg` rather than `julia` itself.
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 2:09pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/14 "2022-07-28T14:09:35Z")
@mkitti thanks for your help! I uninstalled Julia and VScode and reinstalled the program and I’m successfully connecting to the private repository. I’m sorry, I’m not sure what went wrong, but I set the startup file first, made sure the environment variable worked, then added the package… regardless, thanks for all your help!
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/15 "2022-07-28T14:57:56Z")
In some cases setting the environment variable in startup.jl may be too late. I’m still curious what the current output of `versioninfo()` is since I suspect your startup.jl may have been retained despite reinstall.
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 3:28pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/16 "2022-07-28T15:28:43Z")
Here you go!
```julia
Julia Version 1.7.3
Commit 742b9abb4d (2022-05-06 12:58 UTC)
Platform Info:
OS: macOS (x86_64-apple-darwin21.4.0)
CPU: Apple M1 Pro
WORD_SIZE: 64
LIBM: libopenlibm
LLVM: libLLVM-12.0.1 (ORCJIT, westmere)
Environment:
JULIA_EDITOR = code
JULIA_NUM_THREADS =
JULIA_PKG_SERVER = JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true
JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT = true
```
I could be wrong, but before I uninstalled I ran versioninf() and I don’t think the Environemnt component was showing…
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2022, 3:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/17 "2022-07-28T15:30:02Z")
Do you know where the below is coming from?
```julia
JULIA_PKG_SERVER = JULIA_PKG_USE_CLI_GIT=true
```
Could you show us your startup.jl?
---
### Author:  [@Mitch](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/18 "2022-07-29T19:14:01Z")
My startup.jl only contains: ENV[“JULIA\_PKG\_USE\_CLI\_GIT”]=true
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2022, 7:17pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/19 "2022-07-29T19:17:15Z")
What is modifying `JULIA_PKG_SERVER`? This is a big problem. Check you shell configuration or maybe start a fresh shell.
---
### Author:  [@mkitti](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mkitti)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059/20 "2022-07-29T19:20:47Z")
Try running
```julia
unset JULIA_PKG_SERVER
```
in your shell. Hopefully it will not show up in `versioninfo()` when you start Julia again.
[Next page](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/more-problems-trying-to-add-packages-from-private-repos/69059.md?page=2)