How to configure Visual Studio to use Beyond compare for TFS GIT?

Question

Is there a way to use Beyond Compare as the default comparison tool when doing "Compare with Unmodified" in Visual Studio 2015/2017 when using Git?

I don't find the "Configure User tools" option as described in How to configure Visual Studio to use Beyond Compare.

Helminthology

Duplicate: How to configure Visual Studio to use Beyond Compare – Bassist

@GertArnold, That is an old posting. We are dealing with VS 2019 now. – Auberta

Answer 1

One option is to follow edit .git/config to configure the diff tool as described here: http://www.scootersoftware.com/support.php?zz=kb_vcs#visualstudio-git

Seesaw

I had to make some adjustments but got it working: First, steps 1..4 did not match my VS 2017 Enterprise w/ "Git" as my "Plug-in Selection". I was able to skip/ignore these steps. When editing "the config file in the .git folder...", had to correct the paths. My BComp.exe is in "Program Files" not "Program Files (x86)". – Gusgusba

That's .git\config for those of us on Windows whose morning brains see forward slash and read it as "or" instead of a directory separator. – Grecoroman

I'll note that the link you provided also has instructions for other source control systems, besides git, and how to navigate the convoluted Visual Studio UI, which seems designed to make this hard.. – Palatable

Answer 2

The Configure User tools is only work with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server source control plug-in. Not available with GIT source control plug-in.

Since Visual Studio Git Plugin uses standard git configuration, your local repository probably does not have any specific tools for diff and merge (unless you configured them), so global settings are honored.

To verify actual settings you can open a Git Bash on the repository, issue a git config –list command and look at merge.tool and diff.tool settings

Try to change it here, more ways please take a look at this blog: How to configure diff and Merge tool in Visual Studio Git Tools

Madness

This doesn't really answer the question. the question "answer" should actually contain an answer. Not just a bunch of directions towards the answer.. I have to use the link to actually get an answer :( – Hypso

Erik, it does answer one of the OP's questions ("I don't find the "Configure User tools" option as described in "), and goes on to provide a screenshot, and link, on how to fix, which seems to have resolved your issue (perhaps different from the OP's). Though there is the 'edit' button, feel free to improve. – Palatable

Answer 3

follow the instructions there (the answer with header Visual Studio with Git for Windows) How to configure Visual Studio to use Beyond Compare

one important piece on information i can add: change .gitconfig in your windows \user\ folder and not in one of the gitconfig files lying around in repos or VS. This will prevent from overriding when VS is updated.

[diff]
        tool = bc4
[difftool "bc4"]
        cmd = \"C:\\Program Files\\Beyond Compare 4\\BCompare.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"
[merge]
        tool = bc4
[mergetool "bc4"]
        cmd = \"C:\\Program Files\\Beyond Compare 4\\BCompare.exe\" \"$REMOTE\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$BASE\" \"$MERGED\"

Peba

I have trouble with BCompare.exe, using BComp.exe worked. BC website also uses BComp.exe: scootersoftware.com/support.php?zz=kb_vcs#visualstudio-git – Lynx