KDiff3 under cygwin git will not invoke

Question

In keeping with a number of solutions posted on the internet I have installed KDiff3 and modified .gitconfig as below to make use of it. Nonetheless, when I run git diff HEAD^ HEAD within a repository to test it I get a diff performed by the default tool. I'm running cygwin git on Windows7-64. Can anyone explain why KDiff3 is not invoked?

[diff]
    tool = kdiff3
[merge]
    tool = kdiff3

[difftool "kdiff3"]
    path = \"D:/Program Files (x86)/KDiff3/kdiff3.exe\"
    keepBackup = false
    trustExitCode = false

[mergetool "kdiff3"]
    path = \"D:/Program Files (x86)/KDiff3/kdiff3.exe\"
    keepBackup = false
    trustExitCode = false

Stipitate

Where are the various pieces running? Is this all (I hope!) in Cygwin? Are parts native windows applications and if so, which? – Giraldo

Yes, its running in cygwin, see jturney's response for where I've got to. – Stipitate

Answer 1

Use git difftool to invoke the configured diff tool, not git diff.

Since you seem to be using cygwin git, but a native kdiff3, you'll probably also need to invoke a wrapper script, rather than kdiff3 directly, to use cygpath convert paths from cygwin form to native form.

Pledget

... and Google quickly finds an example of such a script – Pledget

Doing so results in: Viewing: 'file.py' Launch 'kdiff3' [Y/n]: Y After which the tool doesn't launch, I take it the wrapper will resolve this? – Stipitate

Using the windows form of the path to kdiff3 seems unlikely to work. Have you tried using the wrapper script? – Pledget

OK, I've tried this with the wrapper script. I still get the Launch 'kdiff3' prompt. I respond with Y. Once I do so the response is: "The diff tool kdiff3 is not available as '~/bin/kdiff3.sh'". Note that calling ~/bin/kdiff3.sh successfully starts Kdiff when called on the command line. – Stipitate

Hmm.. it seems that page isn't quite right, you can't put ~ in a .gitconfig file, so replace that with /home/jon or whatever your $HOME directory is. – Pledget

I made two significant changes to the linked kdiff3.sh script. First to handle embedded spaces in file name: OUT="'!cygpath -wa \"$arg\"!'" (backticks written as ! here...). And secondly avoid making kdiff3 complain when looking at an added/removed file: if [[ "$arg" = "/dev/null" ]]; then arg="/cygdrive/c/some_zero_byte_file"; fi right in front of the OUT=... line. – Mast

Adding home directory instead of ~ did not work for me. Am I missing something ? [mergetool "kdiff3"] path = /home/stadikon/kdiff3.sh keepBackup = false trustExitCode = false – Bogeyman

Answer 2

Actually, the wrapper script is not needed. If kdiff3.exe is not in your path, you need to give the full path in cmd as cmd = /cygdrive/c/apps/KDiff3/kdiff3 ...

My .gitconfit

[diff]
    tool = kdiff3
[merge]
    tool = kdiff3
[difftool "kdiff3"]
    cmd = kdiff3 \"$(cygpath -wla $LOCAL)\" \"$(cygpath -wla $REMOTE)\"
    trustExitCode = false
[mergetool "kdiff3"]
    cmd = kdiff3 \"$(cygpath -wla $BASE)\" \"$(cygpath -wla $LOCAL)\" \"$(cygpath -wla $REMOTE)\" -o \"$(cygpath -wla $MERGED)\"
    keepBackup = false
    trustExitCode = false
[mergetool]
    prompt = false
[difftool]
    prompt = false

Ploy

Answer 3

git config --global merge.tool kdiff3
git config --global mergetool.kdiff3.path "C:/Program Files/KDiff3/kdiff3.exe"
git config --global mergetool.kdiff3.keepbackup=false
git config --global mergetool.kdiff3.trustexitcode=false

please check config : git config --global -l

this work fine on cywin 64bit

Orchestra