Cant clone git repository on Mac server using gitolite

[Dat Nguyen]

Dear all,
I have a Mac computer with gitolite as the git management. I try to
clone git from Jenkins and have errors (see below).
I've added an user with name 'hudson', and added his rsa key to the
gitolite's keydir folder (and was able to run Jenkins' clone command
with no problem), but still have the same error. It's saying something
about "Could not create directory '/var/root/.ssh'.", which I don't
understand why Jenkins is trying to be root.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dat

====

Started by user anonymous
Building in workspace /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/
workspace
Checkout:workspace / /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/
workspace - hudson.remoting.LocalChannel@58773ac1
Using strategy: Default
Checkout:workspace / /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/
workspace - hudson.remoting.LocalChannel@58773ac1
Cloning the remote Git repository
Cloning repository origin
ERROR: Error cloning remote repo 'origin' : Could not clone
git@localhost:iPadDemo -b development
hudson.plugins.git.GitException: Could not clone
git@localhost:iPadDemo -b development
at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI.clone(GitAPI.java:245)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM$2.invoke(GitSCM.java:1029)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM$2.invoke(GitSCM.java:970)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:784)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:766)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM.checkout(GitSCM.java:970)
at hudson.model.AbstractProject.checkout(AbstractProject.java:1195)
at hudson.model.AbstractBuild
$AbstractRunner.checkout(AbstractBuild.java:576)
at hudson.model.AbstractBuild$AbstractRunner.run(AbstractBuild.java:
465)
at hudson.model.Run.run(Run.java:1404)
at hudson.model.FreeStyleBuild.run(FreeStyleBuild.java:46)
at hudson.model.ResourceController.execute(ResourceController.java:
88)
at hudson.model.Executor.run(Executor.java:238)
Caused by: hudson.plugins.git.GitException: Error performing command: /
usr/bin/git clone --progress -o origin git@localhost:iPadDemo -b
development /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/workspace
Command "/usr/bin/git clone --progress -o origin
git@localhost:iPadDemo -b development /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/
iPadDemo/workspace" returned status code 128: Cloning into /Users/
Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/workspace...
Could not create directory '/var/root/.ssh'.
Host key verification failed.
fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI.launchCommandIn(GitAPI.java:776)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI.access$000(GitAPI.java:38)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI$1.invoke(GitAPI.java:241)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI$1.invoke(GitAPI.java:221)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:784)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:766)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI.clone(GitAPI.java:221)
... 12 more
Caused by: hudson.plugins.git.GitException: Command "/usr/bin/git
clone --progress -o origin git@localhost:iPadDemo -b development /
Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/workspace" returned status
code 128: Cloning into /Users/Shared/Jenkins/Home/jobs/iPadDemo/
workspace...
Could not create directory '/var/root/.ssh'.
Host key verification failed.
fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

at hudson.plugins.git.GitAPI.launchCommandIn(GitAPI.java:771)
... 18 more
Trying next repository
ERROR: Could not clone repository
FATAL: Could not clone
hudson.plugins.git.GitException: Could not clone
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM$2.invoke(GitSCM.java:1041)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM$2.invoke(GitSCM.java:970)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:784)
at hudson.FilePath.act(FilePath.java:766)
at hudson.plugins.git.GitSCM.checkout(GitSCM.java:970)
at hudson.model.AbstractProject.checkout(AbstractProject.java:1195)
at hudson.model.AbstractBuild
$AbstractRunner.checkout(AbstractBuild.java:576)
at hudson.model.AbstractBuild$AbstractRunner.run(AbstractBuild.java:
465)
at hudson.model.Run.run(Run.java:1404)
at hudson.model.FreeStyleBuild.run(FreeStyleBuild.java:46)
at hudson.model.ResourceController.execute(ResourceController.java:
88)
at hudson.model.Executor.run(Executor.java:238)

[Dat Nguyen]

I think I know what the problem is. Jankins is started by daemon, and
that's the reason why it is looking for rsa key of root user. I shut
down Jankins, remove the auto-start script in /Library/LaunchDaemons,
and start Jankins by my user. Then I can clone the repository with no
problem.
Dat

[Sami Tikka]

If you hit the Customize button in Jenkins installer, you can choose to create a new user, jenkins, and it will have a writable home directory.

-- Sami