Getting Beyond Compare to Diff 2 Branches Simultaneously

Question

>>git difftool branch1 branch2 opens my difftool (Beyond Compare:BC) with every file that has a diff between the branches. I have to close BC after each file just for it to reopen with the next file.

BC can diff whole directories and multiple files.

Is there a way to get git difftool to open all files simultaneously, or diff the whole tree simultaneously?

Gorcock

Are you using version 3.0? I only ask because that has a tabbed interface. – Chronology

Yes I am. I want it to show all diff-ed files in the tabs for example, or in the compared directory structure mode. – Gorcock

Answer 1

Starting with git v1.7.11, you can use git difftool --dir-diff to perform a directory diff.

The answer that follows applies to git installations older than v1.7.11.

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This issue is not related to BC, but to the way git works. Fortunately, there is a solution at this URL - git-diffall

Birnbaum

Indeed, it is a Git issue. I tried, but I couldn't get it to work properly on Windows. The script ran fine (in the Bash shell) and BC opens in the right place, but the tmp files don't seem to exist. – Gorcock

In the end, I settled for this goo.gl/YPd2s. It was linked from the link you sent. So thanks! – Gorcock

funny it runs fine for me on windows and osx – Birnbaum

Answer 2

I used these commands to set Beyond Compare 4 (despite the bc3 you see in them) as the diff / merge tools:

git config --global diff.tool bc3
git config --global difftool.bc3.path "C:/Program Files/Beyond Compare 4/bcomp.exe"

git config --global merge.tool bc3
git config --global mergetool.bc3.path "C:/Program Files/Beyond Compare 4/bcomp.exe"

Then I compared two branches like this, where "oldbranchname" and "newbranchname" are the names of the two branches I wanted to compare.

git difftool -d --tool=bc3 oldbranchname newbranchname

I get the folder view as if I compared two folders with beyond compare. The only thing of note is that it will not show identical files in the comparison, but that has not bothered me.

Morgue

Yes, the -d option does the the trick, is it equivalent to --dir-diff which works. – Gorcock

On a Mac I found I had to change the option to follow symlinks – Eachern

The option to follow symlinks on the Mac with Beyond Compare 4 is not in the usual preferences area. BC4 staff note how to set it on their forum: scootersoftware.com/vbulletin/… – Baryram