gnupg - Generating a GPG key for git tagging

Question

I'm trying to create signed tags in GitHub using the git command line. I generated a GPG key with a (sample) username Full Name (skytreader) <fullname@gmail.com>. Having done that, I try to create a signed tag. However I get the following error:

gpg: skipped "full <fullname@gmail.com>": secret key not available
gpg: signing failed: secret key not available
error: gpg failed to sign the data
error: unable to sign the tag

I figure that I just need to create another key with the indicated username. But then, entering the name "full", gpg complains that my name should be at least 5 characters long.

How do I use this key with git?

Do I change the username git uses for signing my tags with GPG so that I get a real name at least 5 chars long?

question from:https://stackoverflow.com/questions/12061645/generating-a-gpg-key-for-git-tagging

Answer 1

The committer name is located in your ~/.gitconfig file. Change that entry to a real name (which is how you want to be committing, anyway). You can edit the file in your favorite editor, or just issue:

git config --global user.name "<name>"