10

I want to call the ssh-add shell command. So I invoke M-x shell-command RET, and in the minibuffer, I type: ssh-add .ssh/id_rsa

The only thing I get is:

ssh_askpass: exec(/usr/bin/ssh-askpass): No such file or directory^M

How can I make Emacs give me another prompt, so I can type the passphrase ssh-add is waiting for?

This is with Emacs under X11 on Debian.

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
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Nsukami _
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2 Answers2

4

The easy way would be to install ssh-askpass. This is the program that ssh-add runs when its standard input is not a terminal but an X11 display is available. The program ssh-askpass prompts for your passphrase in a separate GUI window.

If you want to stay within Emacs, or if you want a solution that works whether X11 is available or not, you can make Emacs prompt for the passphrase. Here's some Lisp code (minimally tested) to do this.

(defun ssh-add-process-filter (process string)
  (save-match-data
    (if (string-match ":\\s *\\'" string)
        (process-send-string process (concat (read-passwd string) "\n"))
      (message "%s" string))))
(defun ssh-add (key-file)
  "Run ssh-add to add a key to the running SSH agent.
Let Emacs prompt for the passphrase."
  (interactive "fAdd key: \n")
  (let ((process-connection-type t)
            process)
    (unwind-protect
        (progn
          (setq process (start-process "ssh-add" nil
                                       "ssh-add" (expand-file-name key-file)))
          (set-process-filter process 'ssh-add-process-filter)
          (while (accept-process-output process)))
      (if (eq (process-status process) 'run)
          (kill-process process)))))
Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'
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1

The simplest way to go about this is use M-x shell instead of shell-command. M-x shell is an actual shell, not just a prompt, and it should be capable of shallow interactions such as this.

Whenever you need to use a shell command and even shell isn't doing what you need, call M-x term instead, which is an actual terminal emulator and should be capable of performing most tasks.

Malabarba
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  • This is actually the way I'm doing. The interesting thing would be: being able to add my ssh key to the ssh-agent without being obliged to launch a whole shell & without leaving the current buffer. – Nsukami _ Sep 25 '14 at 17:28