Git bash setup rejecting global/ local parameters, can't set up user account

Question

OS: Win8.1 64bit; Git v 2.9.0

Git bash 2.9.0 set up rejecting user name & email configuration error messages.

• Installed -> exe'd -> no welcome message just computer name and $prompt.
• In command, I typed in the code provided by our TA: config [--local | --global] user.email "my email@etc.com"; rec'd error messages:: --global] user.email command not found
• Repeated for user.name "name" and rec'd these errors:: bash: -global] user.email command not found; error: key does not contain section [--local. These were the instructions by the TA left on group discussions.
• I then tried to bracket global by itself (git config [--global] and rec'd a fatal error: not in git directory.
• I uninstalled the program and want to reinstall but am worried the new d/load will just pick up the old settings from the 1st instance of the program. What do I need to do to set my git bash up? I have an assignment due in a couple of days. Thank you.

Answer 1

• There are no brackets around the local or global parameters.
• There are spaces between the defined parameters and arguments

• user.name is entered as:

  $ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
  $ git config --local user.name "Your Name"
  

• user.email is entered as:

  $ git config --global user.email "Your email"
  $ git config --local user.email "Your email
  

To verify user name and user email:

$ git config --list

Answer 2

In command, I typed in the code provided by our TA: config [--local | --global] user.email "my email@etc.com"; rec'd error messages:: --global] user.email command not found

The notation [--local | --global] is an optional OR choice. [-A|-B] means you shall use -A or -B as parameters to call the program. So, you want to:

$ git config --local user.email you@example.com

or

$ git config --global user.email you@example.com

From git help config: (bold is mine)

When reading, the values are read from the system, global and repository local configuration files by default, and options --system, --global, --local and --file can be used to tell the command to read from only that location (see the section called “FILES”).

• --local means repository only configuration.
• --global means all your git operations (user level)
• --system means system wide configuration (users defaults for those that has not set above levels)