Microsoft Word three-way merge

The bundled Word merge adapter ports the modern branch of TortoiseGit's merge-doc.js for .doc, .docx and .docm conflicts. Microsoft Word must be installed separately. It prepares a Word document with tracked merge changes; TurtleGit does not flatten document content into a text editor.

New unsaved Merge Tool defaults include these associations. Existing saved configuration remains authoritative. To restore them, use Settings → Diff Viewer → Merge Tool → Advanced → Restore Defaults, accept Advanced and Apply Settings. Other associations remain. The program editor also offers Microsoft Word document merge. Shift reverses the selected association/program's enabled state, as for other merge tools. ZIP, binary-report and Mathematica adapters remain diff-only.

Review and save

After the conflict inputs are prepared, an owned TurtleGit Word Merge sheet explains the workflow and shows the full original conflicting path. OK creates the Word merge; Cancel leaves the conflict unresolved. Word compares base against theirs and mine with the source's selected-target, formatting and author options, then merges theirs into the private mine document. Reject or accept changes in Word and use Save As to save the result to the original conflicting path shown in the instructions. Saving only the private mine document does not update Git's working file. TurtleGit does not save over that original automatically.

With Block while merging, TurtleGit offers Mark Resolved / No after the Word operation returns. No is the default. Complete the Word review and save first, then explicitly choose Mark Resolved. TurtleGit revalidates the captured conflict stages and stages the current original working file. No leaves the index alone. Nonblocking mode leaves resolution to the normal Resolve workflow. Word supplies no usable process exit status, so Trust the exit code cannot resolve a Word merge. Saved stale settings requesting trusted Word status produce an error.

Ownership and private files

Base/theirs/mine bytes are captured through the existing conflict preparation, including rebase-side orientation and stage validation. Copies live in a private folder, with distinct role-prefixed names so Word can open all three together. They are editable for Word's tracked-revision operations; the repository's stage blobs and real result remain independent. Arguments arrive as Apple-event string descriptors. A filename never becomes AppleScript or shell syntax.

Word's automatic macro execution is suppressed while documents open, as in both upstream Word scripts. Both comparison and merge handlers verify the disabled macro setting before opening inputs and read back the prior automation-security setting after restoration on success/failure; their worker is serialized. An unconfirmed restoration fails the handoff and retains uncertain files. Only exact owned private input references are closed, including captured base/theirs inputs on errors. Once revision editing starts, the possible edited mine result is retained for review, even when a later step fails. Word and unrelated user documents are not terminated by TurtleGit cancellation.

Closing/cancelling before dispatch rejects late instruction answers and prevents another Word operation. A private cancellation marker stops the handler between Word commands and still allows owned cleanup/security restoration. An already dispatched Word command cannot be rolled back; Quit remains blocked until its worker settles. Retired owners do not present a resolution question or stage anything. Successful or uncertain Word receipts keep private files through normal app cleanup, while confirmed unopened/denied failure removes them. Saved Data's Temp files or OS cleanup can remove retained copies.

The existing Word Automation usage description/targeted AppStore exception also covers this operation. Permission denial provides the System Settings recovery hint. Word's own format, protected-document and file-access prompts still apply. See Word comparison for the target declaration and distribution acceptance boundary.

Acceptance still open

Core checks cover private editable stage bytes, distinct names, original-file independence, defaults/Shift and invalid diff-only merge kinds. Native checks use real local Git conflicts and the shipping dispatcher/questions, with an intercepted Word executor to verify No, explicit saved-result staging, stale/closed replies and worker/Quit lifetime. The optional terminology check compiles both fixed handlers against the installed Word dictionary without executing Word operations.

Live Word output and exact tracked-change direction, macro suppression/restoration, Save As interaction, all document formats, actual TCC/file grants, physical native questions, signed Finder/AppStore and full source parity remain unverified. Word merge requires Word and has no automatic LibreOffice fallback, matching merge-doc.js. LibreOffice/OpenDocument merge is a separate adapter. PowerPoint has Open XML revision decisions and editable-copy output; binary PPT editing and complete Windows revision parity remain open. See Excel comparison for its separate adapter/acceptance scope.