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Can't launch external merge tool (WinMerge) on Windows

Joakim Johansso1

I've set the external merge tool to be WinMerge, and I've also tried using the Custom option and pointing it to the exe-file, but I'm having trouble launching either, and I can't find any information on what the custom option needs to work.

When trying to launch external merge tool, a window pops up and disappears really quickly, and no application starts.

Accepted answers

stevestreeting

You can only use WinMerge as an external diff tool, not as an external merge tool (that's why it's not in the list of merge tools).

Ironically despite its name, WinMerge is not a proper merge tool, it only does 2-way comparisons rather than the 3-way merge that Git uses.

All comments

stevestreeting

You can only use WinMerge as an external diff tool, not as an external merge tool (that's why it's not in the list of merge tools).

Ironically despite its name, WinMerge is not a proper merge tool, it only does 2-way comparisons rather than the 3-way merge that Git uses.

Joakim Johansso1

Right! Ended up using Beyond Compare. I don't know how I managed to miss the "Merge tool" part and only see the "External diff tool", figures why I couldn't get any merge going. Thanks!

Shawn Murphy_e2p4pr

I guess I need to look into 3-way merge more that Steve Streetling mentions but I have setup WinMerge as an external tool. Here are the settings needed. It sets the display so your local file is on the right site.

The setting location: Tools->Options->Diff
  External Diff Tool: Custom
   Diff Command: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
   Arguments: $LOCAL $REMOTE
  External Merge Tool: Custom
   Merge Command: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
   Arguments: /w1 $LOCAL $REMOTE $MERGED

Jonathan Demeyer

Since 2.16.0 (released 4 days ago), it supports 3-way merges !

Francois du Plessis_02rupu

@Jonathan Demeyerdo you have a working config example?

Shawn Murphy_e2p4pr

Update: WinMerge can now do 3 files. So now you can include the base file.

External Diff Tool: WinMerge
Diff Command: C:\Program Files\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
Arguments:

-wl -dl Remote -dr Local \"$REMOTE\" \"$LOCAL\"

  External Merge Tool: WinMerge
   Merge Command: C:\Program Files\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
   Arguments:

-wl -wr -dl Remote -dm Base -dr Local \"$REMOTE\" \"$BASE\" \"$LOCAL\" -o \"$MERGED\"

To explain the arguments:

"-wl" makes left file ($Remote) read only so you don't accidentally start editing the wrong file.

"-wr" read only for the right ($Local) file

"-dl Remote" Naming the $Remote file "Remote"

"-dm Base" Naming the $Base file "Base"

"-dr Local" Naming the $Local file "Local"

"-o" sets up $Merged as the output file as your result of the merge.

source: http://manual.winmerge.org/Command_line.html

EDIT:20211028 Fix arguments to maintain conventional naming and make the middle file the merge file for a 3 way merge.

Guillaume Tong

@Shawn Murphy Thank you very much for sharing these settings, but I found that there were some parts of your merge arguments that could be improved upon:

"-wm" makes the middle file read only, but the middle file is the one we actually want to edit, and this flag therefore disables the very useful auto-merge feature from WinMerge. I replace that with "-wr" to make the right ($Local) file protected instead
$LOCAL $BASE $REMOTE $MERGED : These all lack surrounding quotes which are there in other versions of the arguments posed here. I assume these serve to ensure the file names can still work even if they contain spaces and special characters, so I am putting them in.
This one is just down to personal preference, but you are naming the Base file as "Base", and the Local file as "Local"... but the Remote file as "PreviousVersion". I personally prefer to follow the simplest convention and name the Remote file as "Remote". (This one does NOT affect functionality, feel free not to include this one)

Please correct me if I am wrong.

This results in the following arguments for merge:

-wl -wr -dl Remote -dm Base -dr Local \"$LOCAL\" \"$BASE\" \"$REMOTE\" -o \"$MERGED\"

Shawn Murphy_bt6cm4

Thanks @Guillaume Tong . I missed the quotes. Good catch. I'll have to look more into the auto-merge function of WinMerge. I did not know about it.

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