magit on Windows over plink tramp

Question

I'm scratching my head on this problem, but I cannot seem to use magit on a project served over plink or plinkx on Windows.

What does work:

• The windows client can use magit on a project stored locally (e.g. from C:\)
• The windows client can connect fine to the remote project (dired works, as does find-file)
• A WSL2 Emacs instance works fine from the same laptop, only using ssh instead of plink

What happens when I try using plink(x):

1. In a file in a git repository, I run magit-status
2. Instead of the normal buffer, I'm asked for the "Git repository:" in the mini-buffer. The value defaults to the current directory.
3. Whatever I try as a value for "Git repository", I'm presented with "Create repository in $FOO? (y or n)
4. If I select y I'm told "Not inside git repository"

Does anyone have any idea what's going on? I'm running GNU Emacs 27.1 (build 1, x86_64-w64-mingw32) of 2020-08-21 according to (emacs-version).

It's not a deal-breaker to me as I'm using WSL2 and an X-Server, but I'm curious and hopefully this will help my understanding of both TRAMP and magit, so any tips appreciated.

Answer 1

I've found the issue. The error messages as posted in the question could have been a little more helpful. The error messages were unambiguous when I ran (magit-status "/plink:....") from the scratch buffer:

Error (magit): Magit cannot find Git on /plink:$HOST:.

First check the value of `magit-git-executable'.  Its value is
used when running git locally as well as when running it on a
remote host.  The default value is "git", except on Windows
where an absolute path is used for performance reasons.

If the value already is just "git" but TRAMP never-the-less
doesn't find the executable, then consult the info node
`(tramp)Remote programs'.

TL;DR: Adding (setq magit-git-executable "git") to my .emacs.d/init.el fixed it for me.