Can't get past error message when trying to git global config username

[Kris Lyle]

Trying to configure global user name and email but keep getting the same error message:

• error: key does not contain a section: name
• error: key does not contain a section: email

What am I missing? 

I'm on a Macbook Air (Mojave) using Terminal. 

[Tyler T · Accepted solution]

Check the contents of the file:

cat ~/.gitconfig

The format should look something like:

[user]
    name = Firstname Lastname
    email = name@example.com
[core]
    etc....

As @Jobin Kuruvilla [Adaptavist] suggested, it might be malformed and need manual updating.

[Kris Lyle]

There were some lines that I had to delete in the gitconfig file (i.e. two empty, two with an outdated username and email).

Thank you!

[Jobin Kuruvilla [Adaptavist]]

It is possible that the existing git config was tampered with. Check this answer:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45174228/git-error-key-does-not-contain-a-section

[John Veber]

For me the similar problem had the next reason:

Right after installing git, I made a mistake in one of the initial commands I tried to run:

$ git config --global "my name"  /* incorrect command */

I just forgot to give one of parameter, so even the .gitconfig file at my home directory wasn't created. The following command produced no output:

$ git config --list 

Just to highlight: this was an error in my first configuration command since installing the program.

The problem was solved by correct command:

$ git config --global user.name "my name"

[xgqfrms]

[user] + [core]

# inner local project

$ vim .git/config

[core]
repositoryformatversion = 0
filemode = true
bare = false
logallrefupdates = true

[user]
name = xgqfrms
email = xgqfrms@ufo.com

$ cat .git/config

[xgqfrms]

$ vim ~/.gitconfig

# email = xgqfrms@ufo.com
# name = xgqfrms

[user]
  email = xxx@xxx.com
  name = xgqfrms

$ cat ~/.gitconfig