External Diff does not work.

Question

External Diff does not work, any ideas why? Is this a bug?

I'm using SourceTree 3.4.13 on Windows 10 Pro.

On my .gitconfig I have:

[difftool "sourcetree"]
cmd = 'D:/Program Files (x86)/WinMerge/WinMergeU.exe' "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"

The path to WinMerge is correct.

And here is the GetExternalDiffProcess process log:

{
"Command": "git-c diff.mnemonicprefix=false -c core.quotepath=false --no-optional-locks difftool -y --tool=sourcetree --Assets/DrestPrototype/Prefabs/UI/Tasks/Game Task.prefab",
"Directory": "D:\Documents\Projects\Droid\Unity_Prototype",
"Status": "Finished",
"Duration": "00:00:00.0651253",
"CallerContext": "GetExternalDiffProcess",
"Output": "warning: LF will be replaced by CRLF in Assets/DroidPrototype/Prefabs/UI/Tasks/Game Task.prefab.
The file will have its original line endings in your working directory
"
}

The command has break lines and it looks completely wrong.

fredzvt · Answer

I just found out this other question and I tried to change the single quotes for escaped double quotes on .gitconfig and it worked!

So, instead of

[difftool "sourcetree"]
cmd = 'D:/Program Files (x86)/WinMerge/WinMergeU.exe' \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"

I have now

[difftool "sourcetree"]
cmd = \"d:/Program Files (x86)/WinMerge/WinMergeU.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"

But I have the same problem as Jason in his question. If I open Tools > Options it rewrites .gitconfig and the External Diff command doesn't anymore again. Really annoying!

fredzvt · Answer

Hi, Stew!

No, it never worked for me, but I'd love to make this work.

Regarding defining the tool at the git level. The log shows up --tool=sourcetree. Isn't it correct?

What I think is the problem are those weird break lines in the command. I don't know if there is a way to remove these break lines in some configuration file.

"Command": "git-c diff.mnemonicprefix=false -c core.quotepath=false --no-optional-locks difftool -y --tool=sourcetree --Assets/DrestPrototype/Prefabs/UI/Tasks/Game Task.prefab"

Stew Stryker · Answer

That's why I said it had worked for me since Day 2. I should have also included this definition:

[difftool "sourcetree"]
cmd = 'C:/Program Files (x86)/Beyond Compare 3/BComp.exe' \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"

I don't see that it's any different from yours, except a different tool.

Looking at your Process Log, the "--tool=" reference makes me think you need to define your compare tool at the Git level???

I don't remember doing that and I don't use the command line much, so just a WAG.

Good luck.