Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Hi, I just installed rc2 using LyXWin150svnSmall-3-17.exe (after uninstalling rc1). Usually I have MikTeX set to nag me about uninstalled packages, but this time I set it to simply skip them automatically. I mention this for completeness, although I don't think it's the source of the problem. When the installer got around to running the configuration script, it took easily ten times the normal time (normal time being about a minute or so, this go around being upwards of 10 minutes). During that time, fc-cache.exe (which I gather is a font caching utility that's part of XFree) ran intermittently and hammered my CPU, although I'm not sure it accounts for all the extra time spent. Don't know if anyone else experienced this, or if anything can be done about it, but I figured I'd pass it along. /Paul
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Paul A. Rubin schrieb: When the installer got around to running the configuration script, it took easily ten times the normal time (normal time being about a minute or so, this go around being upwards of 10 minutes). During that time, fc-cache.exe (which I gather is a font caching utility that's part of XFree) ran intermittently and hammered my CPU, although I'm not sure it accounts for all the extra time spent. This is the a problem of the used MiKTeX package repository or your internet connection. Does it go faster when you manually select another package repository in MiKTeX's options and then reconfigure LyX? regards Uwe
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Hi, Uwe, Uwe Stöhr wrote: Paul A. Rubin schrieb: When the installer got around to running the configuration script, it took easily ten times the normal time (normal time being about a minute or so, this go around being upwards of 10 minutes). During that time, fc-cache.exe (which I gather is a font caching utility that's part of XFree) ran intermittently and hammered my CPU, although I'm not sure it accounts for all the extra time spent. This is the a problem of the used MiKTeX package repository or your internet connection. Does it go faster when you manually select another package repository in MiKTeX's options and then reconfigure LyX? I can't test this without uninstalling/reinstalling LyX. When I run reconfigure from inside LyX, it either does not look for all the missing LaTeX packages or else does so by a method other than trying to compile a test document using that class. So reconfigure from inside LyX no longer causes MikTeX to look for missing classes. Please note, though, that when I ran the installer I had MikTeX's "Install missing packages on-the-fly" option set to 'No'. So latex should have failed on the test documents using missing classes without any attempt to go to the Internet. The configuration script ran in spurts -- several lines of output regarding packages, long pause, repeat -- and the pauses did not necessarily coincide with missing packages. In some cases, the next output line after a pause was a 'yes' (found), and in some cases a 'no' (not found). So I don't think this is tied to MikTeX trying to download packages. Does the installation script generate (or more likely use MikTeX to generate) font files when it discovers new fonts or font packages? Cheers, Paul
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Paul A. Rubin schrieb: This is the a problem of the used MiKTeX package repository or your internet connection. Does it go faster when you manually select another package repository in MiKTeX's options and then reconfigure LyX? What about my question? I can't test this without uninstalling/reinstalling LyX. When I run reconfigure from inside LyX, it either does not look for all the missing LaTeX packages or else does so by a method other than trying to compile a test document using that class. No, it doesn't matter from where you run the script. When the "Install missing packages on the fly" option is set to "ask me" or "yes", MiKTeX will get active. Please note, though, that when I ran the installer I had MikTeX's "Install missing packages on-the-fly" option set to 'No'. The installer sets it back to "yes" while installing to assure that the first configuration installs all packages needed by LyX. You can reset this later. So latex should have failed on the test documents using missing classes without any attempt to go to the Internet. There won't be a fail, the configure script still prints out if a package could be found or not. So the only thing I could help you is to recommand to update your MiKTeX using its update manager. If this doesn't help, chosse another package repository, if this doesn't help, turn off the internet and try if the needed time is now shorter. If also the offline test isn't successfull, there must be a problem with MiKTeX 2.6 - but for me it works as fast as always. regards Uwe
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Uwe Stöhr wrote: I can't test this without uninstalling/reinstalling LyX. When I run reconfigure from inside LyX, it either does not look for all the missing LaTeX packages or else does so by a method other than trying to compile a test document using that class. No, it doesn't matter from where you run the script. When the "Install missing packages on the fly" option is set to "ask me" or "yes", MiKTeX will get active. That used to be true, but I just ran reconfigure from inside rc2 (twice, in fact) with MikTeX set to "ask me", and I got no pop-ups from MikTeX. It only took 10 seconds. Please note, though, that when I ran the installer I had MikTeX's "Install missing packages on-the-fly" option set to 'No'. The installer sets it back to "yes" while installing to assure that the first configuration installs all packages needed by LyX. You can reset this later. I didn't need to reset it -- it was still set to 'no' after installation. Does the installer automatically reset it to its previous value? I just checked my LaTeX configuration page in LyX. It shows a number of missing document classes (none of which I use) in section 4, but every font package (section 2), every standard document class (section 3) and every "other" package (section 7) are marked present, and I know I did not have all those installed before installing rc2. So I guess MikTeX really was operating in automatic-install mode (even though I looked at the setting _while the script was running_ and it said 'no'), and that must account for the delay. Given the number of packages it must have installed, the script's run time would not be unusual. So latex should have failed on the test documents using missing classes without any attempt to go to the Internet. There won't be a fail, the configure script still prints out if a package could be found or not. No, but if the installer is compiling a test document looking for abc.sty and abc.sty is not installed (and MikTeX is set to "no"), latex will report an error compiling the file (this is what I meant by "failed") and the configuration script interprets the error as package not installed. Incidentally, when the installer ran the configuration script, some packages got a 'yes', some got a 'no', and some got neither one -- the space where 'yes' or 'no' should be was just blank. It didn't seem to bother the configuration script, so I did not mention it before. For the future, I vote for letting the user, not the installer, decide about on-the-fly installation. It's not just a matter of the time and bandwidth. I'm installing on a laptop with a fairly modest hard drive, and while I currently have space for all those packages (many of which I will not use in this lifetime), down the road I may end up having to uninstall some to free space. Actually, given the problems some users have when installing with no Internet connection or an unfortunate choice of repository, my vote would be for the installer to set MikTeX to 'no' (and reset to the user's setting afterward). Any functional MikTeX installation should have basic classes such as article installed. I think it's less painful to have the installer display a message (or have LyX open up with a default message) explaining that the user may need to install additional packages than to have the installation script risk connection problems by automatically installing things. Incidentally, in case I forgot to mention it in the first message, thanks as always for providing the Windows compilations and installers. Cheers, Paul
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
On Mon, 2 Jul 2007, Paul A. Rubin wrote: Actually, given the problems some users have when installing with no Internet connection or an unfortunate choice of repository, my vote would be for the installer to set MikTeX to 'no' (and reset to the user's setting afterward). Or at least give the user a choice about this? (I agree that it'd be very frustrating) /Christian -- Christian Ridderström, +46-8-768 39 44 http://www.md.kth.se/~chr
Re: Really s-l-o-w configuration of rc2 on XP
Paul A. Rubin schrieb: I didn't need to reset it -- it was still set to 'no' after installation. Does the installer automatically reset it to its previous value? Not that I know. I just checked my LaTeX configuration page in LyX. It shows a number of missing document classes (none of which I use) in section 4, but every font package (section 2), every standard document class (section 3) and every "other" package (section 7) are marked present, Fine, so all packages needed by LyX are present. Once they are present configure runs very fast. The installer informs you about the long time for the first configuration, therefore also a console Windows is shown, showing you the efforts. The missing classes in section 4 are non-free classes that are therefore not on MiKTeX's package repository. So latex should have failed on the test documents using missing classes without any attempt to go to the Internet. There won't be a fail, the configure script still prints out if a package could be found or not. No, but if the installer is compiling a test document looking for abc.sty and abc.sty is not installed (and MikTeX is set to "no"), latex will report an error compiling the file (this is what I meant by "failed") and the configuration script interprets the error as package not installed. The installer doesn't compile anything, it only installs LyX. When LyX is started the first time, its job is over. Setting the package installation to "no" is your personal decision, so you know know what you are doing. There is also no error: configure asks LaTeX for a package and MiKTeX returns just "no" and onfigure interprets this as not installed. So this is the expected behaviour. Incidentally, when the installer ran the configuration script, some packages got a 'yes', some got a 'no', and some got neither one -- the space where 'yes' or 'no' should be was just blank. It didn't seem to bother the configuration script, so I did not mention it before. When you see "..." instead of yes or no, MiKTeX is trying to download and instll this package. For the future, I vote for letting the user, not the installer, decide about on-the-fly installation. It's not just a matter of the time and bandwidth. I'm installing on a laptop with a fairly modest hard drive, and while I currently have space for all those packages (many of which I will not use in this lifetime), down the road I may end up having to uninstall some to free space. Then just don't open an internet connection. Automatic package installation is needed for average users that don't know anything about LaTeX-packages and its handling, and that is the majority. You see this from the many posts to this list where people asking why some features are not working for them. This way it is assured that everybody uses a working installation with all LyX features enabled. (With the basic packages deliverd by MiKTeX you cannot fully use LyX.) You are an experienced user so you can decide what you want. Actually, given the problems some users have when installing with no Internet connection or an unfortunate choice of repository, Then the result will be the same as setting to "no". There was a bug in this field which we could fix some months ago, so these problems are gone. regards Uwe
