BC4 and GitHub for Windows integration

[blackdwarf]

I've recently installed BC4 to use with git, mostly from console. I've used the directions in the KB to register it as a merge tool in Git. However, it doesn't work.

What seems to be happening is that git doesn't seem to be taking the overrides that are specified by using git config --global mergetool.bc3.path. It is accepted, the .gitconfig file has the proper values, however every time I try to use git mergetool it keeps complaining that the "C:/Program Files (x86)/Beyond Compare 3/bcomp.exe" path doesn't exist.

I'm using GitHub for Windows 2.14.7.1 and the git CLI version 1.9.5.github.0.

What is the proper way to set BC4 as a merge tool in git? I've nearly pulled my hair out today trying to make it work, had to install BC3 trial to get a tough merge done.

Thanks!

[Aaron]

Git's configuration and support is often in flux. The first thing to try is make sure you are editing --global and that a user specific profile is not overriding this.

For your specific version and setup, if you use the keyphrase "bc" instead of "bc3", does this work for you?

If you are still having trouble, could you email in your current .gitconfig file to [email protected]? Please include a link back to this thread for our reference.

[Aaron]

It appears this is a bug with GitHub. The latest release of Git for Windows still works as expected with "bc3" using 1.9.5, and the changelog for later versions of Git should support "bc".

[blackdwarf]

Thanks for the reply Aaron. I've tried with "bc", doesn't work. So, I guess I wait for GitHub to sort all of this out?

[Aaron]

If you install the official Git for Windows client, that terminal can also call the difftool (and uses the same .gitconfig, so you don't even need to set anything up). If there's a place to report bugs, it would be good to open a tracker entry, which you can also include us in as a contact if they would need any help tracking this down.

[Aaron]

Hello,

We found a workaround for GitHub for Windows specifically. If you edit c:\users\<username>\.gitconfig directly using a Text Editor like BC4, enter the following:

[diff]
    tool = bc4
[difftool "bc4"]
    cmd = \"c:/program files (x86)/beyond compare 4/bcomp.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"
[merge]
    tool = bc4
[mergetool "bc4"]
    cmd = \"c:/program files (x86)/beyond compare 4/bcomp.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\" \"$BASE\" \"$MERGED\"
    trustExitCode = true

This configuration will work for GitHub for Windows, but only sometimes work for Git for Windows. It's still a bug with GitHub, but hopefully they get it fixed when Git for Windows rolls out the "bc" variable that replaces the "bc3" variable.