Am 23.03.2014 um 23:44 schrieb Uwe Stöhr <uwesto...@web.de>: > Am 23.03.2014 10:18, schrieb Stephan Witt: > >> It's correct to leave user preferences intact on software uninstall. >> >> If a change in utility software installation is a common scenario >> the user should be able to solve it by LyX's "Reconfigure", IMHO. > > But this is then not possible. For example th user uses once LyX 2.0.3 and > Python was on > E:\Programs\Python > He did not use LyX for a year or so and now installs LyX 2.1.0. Since LyX > 2.0.6 the LyX Win installer comes ALWAYS with its own stripped down Python so > that the preferences created by the installer has the right part to the > stripped down Python. If you now copy the preferences of the former LyX 2.0.3 > to LyX 2.1.0 you cannot reconfigure LyX anymore if Python is no longer under > E:\Programs\Python > (maybe it is now on another network drive or whatever)
Python detection is not the task of the installer. With a correct implementation of lookup in LyX python should always be found. If no appropriate python is available LyX is unusable indeed. If on Windows an usable alternate is distributed within the package the LyX binary should be able to use it without mangling the user preferences. > In the future Python will not be an issue because LyX has now always its own > version, but the problem will stand for Ghostscript and ImageMagick. > So if you insist to have a feature to copy the preferences I will have to > change the installer that it installs always its own ImageMagick and > Ghostscript, no matter if this already installed on the PC. (Some users > complained about this when I once did so.) I do not understand this dependency. > You feature can then nevertheless first be added for LyX 2.2 because I have > to assure that old and error-prone LyX 2.0.x preferences are taken for the > automatic upgrade. Why are 2.0.x preferences error-prone? Please list the possible errors then. AFAICS you're talking about path_prefix. Do you expect other problems and why? >> I don't like the "Uninstall and reinstall" mantra. > > What do you mean? I have seen companies where programs that were not used > during a time period is listed and the admin will uninstall them. If you need > them again, you must ask the admin. This is very strange in my eyes but > reality. I've seen the hint "Try an uninstall and reinstall of LyX" on LyX users list many times. Usually it is given to Windows users using your installer. This I'm calling the "Uninstall and reinstall" mantra. >>> Come on. Do you really expect an average user to know where the preferences >>> are stored, that they are a text file, how he can move and copy it etc.? >>> I repeat myself, the vast majority expect things just to work without >>> knowing the details in the background. If a program does not work just >>> after the installation, it will not be used. Only very few take the time to >>> report back and try to fix the problem. >> >> You're giving an example for a fresh installation. But we're talking about >> upgrading. > > My example shows that your feature makes a fresh installation impossible. > Users don't care about things they had installed a year ago. They think they > install a fresh new version and therefore don't expect that old traces are > taken into account. A fresh installation is the very first installation on a given system, IMO. Now you're talking of re-installations. >>> See my various mails in this thread. To start with a clean LyX and to >>> assure that LyX is working in every case. >> >> You'll have the chance to start with a "clean LyX" every 2-5 years then. >> I cannot see how this can assure that LyX is working in every case. > > Of course it can only assure that for a major release. It's is a question of > probability. I think is is more probable that a user who once used LyX 2.0.3 > gives LyX a new try when a new major release is out. > >>>> Do you remember all your LyX >>>> settings and do you want to replay all the changes? >>> >>> Sure. I open an existing document and make its setting the default. Maybe I >>> change the menu language and that's it. Everything else is done by the >>> installer (converter for LilyPond, InkScape etc.). >>> I don't the see the inconvenience. Do we ever received a complain about >>> this in the past? I cannot remember any. >> >> I can see the inconvenience. I don't know if there were complaints. >> >> I don't want you to put any line of code to copy user preferences >> into the Windows installer. I never spoke of installer code. > > I know and I won't do this because this is technically impossible at > installation time. I don't understand why you mention the installer all the time then. >> If you think the current work flow on Windows is fine it's fine with me too. > > Well, other software projects make user surveys about such issue. We could do > the same and hear what the users say. If many say it would be useful to > automatically copy the preferences, then I will change the installer so that > it will always install its own IM and GS and then your feature can go in for > LyX 2.2. Would that be OK for you. You can do a user survey if you like. But you have to choose the audience carefully. This question is relevant for Windows and Mac users only. Stephan
