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Encoding issue with GitPython and Aider Usage #2030
Description
Environment:
- OS: Windows 10.
- Python: 3.11.9
- Git: 2.46.1.windows.1
- Aider v0.83.2 (this is the current version)
- Git repository index version: 2 (verified with git update-index --show-index-version)
I’m encountering an issue when using Aider, a programming tool that relies on GitPython to interact with my Git repository. When starting Aider, I get the following error:
"Unable to read staged files: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xf5 in position 18: invalid start byte"
Because of this error, I’m forced to run Aider with the --no-git option to bypass Git integration.
My repository primarily contains legacy Delphi 7 code, with files encoded in Windows-1252.
If I understand correctly, GitPython assumes files are in UTF-8 by default, but this doesn’t match my files’ encoding. Given the legacy nature of the project and the large number of files, converting them all to UTF-8 is not a viable solution for me.
There are any solutions in this case?
Thank you.
Activity
Byron commentedon May 28, 2025
One would have to find out where the decoding happens, and try to fix it.
These UTF-8 issues usually occur with filenames, but not with content of files. Maybe the conversion happens on Aider's side?
In any case, without a stack-trace, I don't think this issue is actionable, maybe to allow a surgical fix.
cvjxendra commentedon May 28, 2025
Yes, I have filenames that use accented characteres. Will try to produce a stack trace.