I'm collaborating using git on bitbucket (for a free private cloud repository) and SourceTree for Windows on an article in LyX (2.2.2). There are multiple image files (e.g., generated by R in SVG) and a big .bib file. For the record, I'm not really using LyX's built-in version control, as it doesn't recognize the other files that might change. SourceTree is very visual and saves you from memorizing the cryptic git command lines; although when you get stuck, you can still type them in a git bash window.
Yesterday, I had to merge some changes from another author, which took (too) much of my time using the git-oriented way. We had both (somewhat simultaneously) updated the same section of the article, and that section got moved in one version. But resolving merge conflicts is also harder because LyX source is not really meant to be human readable (and I use LyX for the precise reason that I don't want to look at typesetting source). I wonder, too, if git doesn't use syntax hints to help identify blocks of code (e.g., balanced parentheses and brackets, which are used in many programming languages but not so much in .lyx files). When I pulled the changes (my local branch was out of sync by half a day), there were conflicts. I'm not new to merging, but it's the first time I've done it with a LyX file. I have configured SourceTree to use the kdiff3 tool, which did a great job to help me out (it resolved most of the conflicts, but about 20% required manual intervention, where you basically have to decide between version A, B or C in three separate windows for each conflict). In the end, I was very conservative and wound up with some duplication in the final document (the section that was moved). Finally, I met with the co-author in person and was able to resolve some conflicts that were redundant. I was actually just happy the LyX file wasn't corrupt after the merge! I suppose this same problem would occur in source code, but given that code has to function to pass tests, it's not quite the same work flow. Editing academic publications is different than writing software in this way. But I digress... Alternatively, I could have cloned the head origin version before I merged and and just resolved the differences in separate LyX windows using copy/paste by hand, But with no tool to show differences, that is also not ideal. The other strategy is to agree ahead of time not to touch the same parts of the document in parallel. But these just seems counterproductive when you're using source code control! Related humor: https://xkcd.com/1597/ What's your preferred way to merge changes and manage conflicts in LyX files under git?
