fatal: Not a valid object name

[eXcuvator]

Trying in my repository:

$ git latexdiff draft.tex --main draft.tex
/usr/bin/latexpand
fatal: Not a valid object name
tar: This does not look like a tar archive
tar: Exiting with failure status due to previous errors

This error really doesn't help too much - what can I do, what's wrong?

[rkdarst]

Hi,

This message really is strange (tar archive?), but it could be the arguments passed. The format of the command line should be the same as diff - if you run "git latexdiff draft.tex --main draft.tex", what do you see? git diff --help can show the excepted option there. I see the filename twice, and I'm not sure what --main does.

I'd say first replace git latexdiff with git diff and see if it's comparing the right two versions of the file. I usually do either git latexdiff draft.tex, git latexdiff OLDVERSION draft.tex, or git latexdiff V1..V2 draft.tex

Then, you can run like V=1 git latexdiff ... (or even V=2) and it will echo all commands it is running (V=2 is latex output too), to check exactly what files it is operating on and what the errors are.

[jonsterling]

I'm having this problem now too.

[rkdarst]

Try running with the environment variable V=1 to get a longer debug log.

But on the other hand, --main isn't an option for this utility. Are you sure you are filing the issue on the right repository?

[rafaelmds]

Check the manual (Chapter 5) for some issues.

Try with -t CFONT

git latexdiff -t CFONT draft.tex --main draft.tex

[rkdarst]

Those really don't look like valid options for this tool so I still think you are talking about something else that is not from this repository.

Can someone confirm if you are actually using this tool?

[rafaelmds]

@rkdarst Thanks for point it out. In fact, -t CFONT might solve this problem, but it is a option for latexdiff.

[dalanicolai]

Those really don't look like valid options for this tool so I still think you are talking about something else that is not from this repository.

Can someone confirm if you are actually using this tool?

For documentation purposes...

That message comes from another git-latexdiff, namely from https://gitlab.com/git-latexdiff/git-latexdiff, which can be installed e.g. via texlive.

Look for how to use that tool by using the help: git latexdiff --help-examples