Git difftool with beyond compare returning 'fatal: cannot create directory at '': No such file or directory'

Question

Occasionally when working on my repo I am getting this error

fatal: cannot create directory at '': No such file or directory

When I attempt to do a diff like below using Beyond Compare 4

'git difftool master head --dir-diff'

Here is my .gitconfig file with personal information removed

[difftool "beyondcompare"]
        cmd = c:\\program files\\beyond compare 4\\bcompare.exe
[core]
        autocrlf = true
[difftool "bc4"]
        cmd = C:/Program\\ Files/Beyond\\ Compare\\ 4/BCompare.exe \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"
[diff]
        tool = bc3
[difftool]
        prompt = false
[user]
        name = <REMOVED>
        email = <REMOVED>
[credential "<REMOVED>"]
        authority = <REMOVED>
[difftool "bc3"]
        path = c:/Program Files/Beyond Compare 4/bcomp.exe
[diff]
tool = bc4
[difftool "bc4"]
cmd = \"c:/program files/beyond compare 4/bcomp.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\"
[merge]
tool = bc4
[mergetool "bc4"]
cmd = \"c:/program files/beyond compare 4/bcomp.exe\" \"$LOCAL\" \"$REMOTE\" \"$BASE\" \"$MERGED\"
trustExitCode = true

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 21 '17 at 18:17

This has to do with the macros you have defined. $local points to a/old_file, while remote points to b/new_file in the diff context.

Also another thing to keep in mind is that git will only use the last value it finds for a config unless it can include all the keys, so the other values you have are not being used and are cluttering your config file.

Git difftool with beyond compare returning 'fatal: cannot create directory at '': No such file or directory'

1 Answers1