On Sun, Mar 16, 2008 at 8:40 AM, Paul A. Rubin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Bob, > > > Bob Lounsbury wrote: > > > So selecting to install 'for all users' doesn't create the userconfig > > file structure in a user account, but 'for me only' does? Even in my > > 'all users' commonconfig folder there is no 'latex' folder, only a > > 'tex' folder. Easy enough to create though. > > Two disclaimers here: first, I'm going from personal experience, not > from any study of the MiKTeX documentation; and second, I'm still on > 2.6, so if anything relevant changed in 2.7 I'm unaware of it. > > It's not that installing for 'all users' will not create the localtexmf > stuff in the individual user account. I have one machine where I > installed for 'all users', and I have localtexmf trees under both 'all > users' and my personal login. Apparently, going by William's post, > MiKTeX will assign the respective paths to UserConfig and CommonData > (and I guess create the base for both trees) but won't add directories > underneath until they are needed. It seems that 2.7 has changed the setup. I installed for 'all users' and the directory structure was only created in the CommonData/CommonConfig directory under the Roots settings. As William mentioned there isn't even a MiKTeX folder at all under the UserConfig directory. > At some point, you might end up with UserConfig set up, and I have no > idea what the trigger might be. I don't either. I have 2.6 installed on another computer and the UserConfig was already setup. I tried opening my thesis in LyX and generating a pdf so that MiKTeX would have to grab a bunch of extra packages 'on-the-fly', but this still didn't generate a MiKTeX folder under UserConfig or a latex folder under CommonConfig. It seems that the packages are being placed in Program Files for MiKTeX 2.7. > > It's funny that you say that the userconfig or commonconfig directory > > is 'safe' because if you mouse over these Root directories in the > > MiKTeX settings is says something like, "... this directory is > > maintained by MiKTeX and should not be used to store your own files as > > they could be lost in an upgrade ..." . > > I assume you're referring to the Roots tab in the settings application. > Is this in 2.7? In 2.6, the tool tip just says something like "This > is the per-user configuration directory. User-specific configuration > file will be installed here." If a warning has been added, perhaps that > means MiKTeX's behavior has changed. Yes, this is for 2.7 and it seems the behavior has changed as it now has a warning message to not install your own files here. > The other open > question is whether UserConfig survives a reinstallation of the same > version, or whether it gets reset. My guess would be that it survives > (i.e., that the installer will not delete existing files), but that is > just a guess. Well, I was bored so I tested it out. When you 'Add/Remove Programs' for MiKTeX there is an option to 'Tidy up thoroughly' which deletes all folders including: Program Files, UserConfig, CommonConfig. So removing the program and reinstalling will definitely delete your custom files, but that wasn't your question. And if you choose not to tidy up then it doesn't remove any of them only registry items. You've mentioned that you have various folders for tex and even MiKTeX 2.5, but I guess I'm to much of a 'neat freak :-}' I can't stand having various extra folders around. So, if I were to upgrade MiKTeX I would remove the previous version and doing so would delete my UserConfig directory; hence, my preference to have my own localtexmf directory. So, then I tried to reinstall MiKTeX (same version) using the LyX-1.5.4-1-Installer-Bundle.exe and when it came time to install MiKTeX I received a message saying that 'C:\Program Files\MiKTeX 2.7 already exists' or something like that and I could not continue. Anyways, it seems you cannot reinstall the program in this manner. Then I forced the reinstall by deleting the MiKTeX 2.7 folder and you're right doing this maintains the files you have placed in UserConfig. Just thought I'd share the information. Bob
