Encoding issue with GitPython and Aider Usage

[cvjxendra]

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.

[Byron]

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]

Yes, I have filenames that use accented characteres. Will try to produce a stack trace.