Context menu does nothing after pushing "Compare..." on the second file

[crystalfp]

WinMerge is a fantastic and useful tool, but in the latest version (2.16.24 on Windows 11) the context menu does not work anymore.

From the Windows file explore I right click on the first file to compare. The WinMerge context menu shows "Select left" and "Compare...". I select "Select left". Then right click on the second file to compare and push "Compare..." but nothing happens.

Besides downgrade WinMerge to a previous version, is there anything I missed in this version? Or is it a genuine regression?

Thanks for helping!
mario

WinMerge Configuration Log
--------------------------

Log Saved to:         C:\Users\mvalle\Documents\WinMerge\WinMerge.txt
                >> >> Please add this information (or attach this file) when reporting bugs << <<

Windows Info:         Windows 11 Enterprise
 Processor:           Intel64, 12 Logical Processors, 32535 MB Memory

WinMerge Info:
 Code File:           C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge\WinMergeU.exe
 Version:             2.16.24.0
 Code File Modified:  27/10/2022 01:01:26
 Build Config:        WIN32  UNICODE 
 Build Software:      VS.2017 (15.9) - C/C++ Compiler 19.16.27048.0

Command Line:         none

Current Directory:    C:\Program Files (x86)\WinMerge

Module Names:         '~' prefix indicates module is loaded into the WinMerge process.
 Windows:
  ~kernel32.dll       version=10.00 build=22621
  ~shell32.dll        dllversion=10.00 dllbuild=10586
  ~shlwapi.dll        dllversion=10.00 dllbuild=10586
  ~COMCTL32.dll       dllversion=6.16 dllbuild=10586
  ~msvcrt.dll         version=7.00 build=22621
 WinMerge:            Path names are relative to the Code File's directory.
   ShellExtensionU.dll version=0.00 build=0000 path=.\ShellExtensionU.dll
   ShellExtensionX64.dll version=1.18 build=0005 path=.\ShellExtensionX64.dll  [23/05/2022 23:06:10]
   ShellExtensionARM.dll version=0.00 build=0000 path=.\ShellExtensionARM.dll
   ShellExtensionARM64.dll version=0.00 build=0000 path=.\ShellExtensionARM64.dll
   WinMergeContextMenu.dll version=1.00 build=0005 path=.\WinMergeContextMenu.dll  [23/05/2022 23:06:12]
   hekseditU.dll      version=0.10904 build=2017 path=.\Frhed\hekseditU.dll  [26/04/2022 09:09:06]
   WinIMergeLib.dll   version=1.00 build=0037 path=.\WinIMerge\WinIMergeLib.dll  [13/10/2022 23:12:56]
   WinWebDiffLib.dll  version=1.00 build=0004 path=.\WinWebDiff\WinWebDiffLib.dll  [25/09/2022 11:57:20]
   7z.dll             version=22.01 build=0000 path=.\Merge7z\7z.dll  [16/07/2022 00:00:00]

System Settings:
 Codepage Settings:
  ANSI codepage: 1252
  OEM codepage: 437
 Locale (Thread):
  Def ANSI codepage: 1252
  Def OEM codepage: 437
  Country: United States
  Language: English
  Language code: 0409
  ISO Language code: en
 Locale (User):
  Def ANSI codepage: 0
  Def OEM codepage: 1
  Country: Switzerland
  Language: English
  Language code: 2000
  ISO Language code: en
 Locale (System):
  Def ANSI codepage: 1252
  Def OEM codepage: 437
  Country: United States
  Language: English
  Language code: 0409
  ISO Language code: en

Plugins:                                '!' Prefix indicates the plugin is Disabled.
 Unpackers:                             Path names are relative to the Code File's directory.
   HandleSchemeHTTP                    
   HandleSchemeReg                     
   ExecFilterCommand                   
   MakeUpper                           
   MakeLower                           
   RemoveDuplicates                    
   CountDuplicates                     
   SortAscending                       
   SortDescending                      
   ReverseColumns                      
   ReverseLines                        
   SelectColumns                       
   SelectLines                         
   Replace                             
   Tokenize                            
   Trim                                
   PrettifyHTML                        
   PrettifyXML                         
   PrettifyJSON                        
   PrettifyYAML                        
   QueryCSV                            
   QueryTSV                            
   QueryJSON                           
   QueryYAML                           
   ValidateHTML                        
   VisualizeGraphviz                   
   ApacheTika                          
   DisassembleJVM                      
   DisassembleIL                       
   DisassembleNative                   
   ApplyPatch                           path=.\MergePlugins\ApplyPatch.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   CompareMSExcelFiles                  path=.\MergePlugins\CompareMSExcelFiles.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   CompareMSPowerPointFiles             path=.\MergePlugins\CompareMSPowerPointFiles.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   CompareMSVisioFiles                  path=.\MergePlugins\CompareMSVisioFiles.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   CompareMSWordFiles                   path=.\MergePlugins\CompareMSWordFiles.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
 Prediffers: 
   PrediffLineFilter                    path=.\MergePlugins\PrediffLineFilter.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   IgnoreColumns                        path=.\MergePlugins\IgnoreColumns.dll  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   IgnoreCommentsC                      path=.\MergePlugins\IgnoreCommentsC.dll  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   IgnoreFieldsComma                    path=.\MergePlugins\IgnoreFieldsComma.dll  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   IgnoreFieldsTab                      path=.\MergePlugins\IgnoreFieldsTab.dll  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   IgnoreLeadingLineNumbers             path=.\MergePlugins\IgnoreLeadingLineNumbers.dll  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
 Editor scripts: 
   editor addin                         path=.\MergePlugins\editor addin.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   insert datetime                      path=.\MergePlugins\insert datetime.sct  [27/10/2022 00:56:08]
   PrettifyHTML                        
   PrettifyXML                         
   PrettifyJSON                        
   PrettifyYAML                        
   ApacheTika                          


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[sdottaka]

I have experienced this problem several times and do not know the conditions under which it occurs.
I think a restart of Windows or a restart of the Explorer process should get it working again.

[crystalfp]

Well, I unregistered/registered the menu from WinMerge, reinstalled and rebooted. Now the menu has different entries: "Compare", "Select middle", "Select left", but again the Compare does nothing.

[sdottaka]

This problem seems to occur with Explorer started with explorer /separate.

Applying the fix at the following URL appears to work fine.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/74226129/why-is-iexplorercommandinvoke-no-longer-being-called

The fixed WinMergeContextMenu.dll can be downloaded from
https://github.com/WinMerge/winmerge/releases/tag/ShellExtension-1.18.7.0

[crystalfp]

Thanks a lot! Seems that changing WinMergeContextMenu.dll and WinMergeContextMenuPackage.msix (just in case) solved the problem. Thanks!