Platform R: Accessing Gitlab Projects
If your lab does not already have a Gitlab subgroup under SMPH, you can request one through the SMPH Application Development Portal. Individual users may create up to four personal Gitlab projects.
Set up Git Configuration
If you plan to make git commits, either locally or to push back to Gitlab, you must first set your identity. In a Platform R account, run the following two commands, substituting your own NetID and email:
git config --global user.name <NetID>
git config --global user.email <NetID@wisc.edu>
Create SSH Key
From your Platform R account, run ssh-keygen. Accept the defaults, with no passphrase.
Your public key is in ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub — this can be shared with Gitlab.
Never share your private key. That file begins with -----BEGIN OPEN SSH PRIVATE KEY-----
Configure Gitlab Account with SSH Key
UW Gitlab is reachable from the Edge browser within the Platform R Azure Virtual Desktop. It will be easier to copy-and-paste your SSH key from your Platform R Slurm account into Gitlab using the AVD Edge browser.
- Log into UW Gitlab: https://git.doit.wisc.edu/
- Go to your account menu (the circle icon at the top left), and select "Preferences."
- Click the three-line "hamburger" icon at the top left and select "SSH Keys" from the menu
- Click "Add new key" at the right.
- Copy the contents of
~/.ssh/id_rsa.pubfrom your Platform R account into the "key" text area. - Give a helpful title, such as "Platform R"
- Leave the "Usage type" as is.
- You can delete the date to have it never expire, but a one or two-year expiry is better.
Cloning a Project
- Go to a project on GitLab via the Edge browser.
- Click the "Code" button just under the project name, to the right.
- Select the double-page icon in the "Clone with SSH" menu item, to copy the URL.
- From your Platform R account, run this command, pasting the Git URL you just copied:
git clone <copied-URL>
Related Documentation
- UW Madison Gitlab
- DoIT Shared Tools - GitLab - Service Overview
- GitLab for SMPH FAQ
- UW Research Cyberinfrastructure training videos: