kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Rene Pöschl <poeschlr@xxxxxxxxx>]

I get the feeling there is a bit more panic than need be.

One of the reasons is that the v4 installer on windows did set operating 
system variables (environment variables) which can create problems when 
updating. So it might be a good idea for the v5 installer to clean up 
this mess. (or at least warn the user) These things should really be set 
in the kicad config files via the kicad main window -> preferences -> 
configure path. (If the reports on the forum are correct then 
environment variables overwrite the settings of that dialog. And as the 
v4 installer set them by default this can be a source of major confusion.)

Another reason for problems is that the sym lib table is created with a 
new install and points to v5 libs but the fp-lib-table will still point 
to the github v4 libraries. (The 3d models will be also from the v5 
libs. Resulting in a mixed setup.) So an option to clean up the 
fp-lib-table from within the installer or within kicad might help. Maybe 
a "reset to factory settings" button within the library managers? (With 
the warning that personal libs will need to be manually added after that 
operation.)
Or at least some info for the user that if v4 was installed previously 
the fp-lib-table needs updating. (Maybe a dialog with "do not show again 
tickmak" that tells the user that if they had v4 previosly they need to 
reset the fp-lib-table or they need to install the v4 lib and setup the 
sym-lib-table accordingly.)



On 14/07/18 06:13, Adam Wolf wrote:
> What options do we have?  Anything beyond "postpone V5" or "wait for 
> the next release"?
>
> Could we rebrand the V5 release as a "technical preview" or something 
> that is suitable for experts (and new users, actually) and make V5.1 V5?
>
> Adam
>
> On Fri, Jul 13, 2018, 10:10 PM Mark Roszko <mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx 
> <mailto:mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
>
>     Wayne,
>
>     Guess going to suggest it should be a priority to version the config
>     into folders.
>
>     This is a user made chart on how to install kicad 5 which honestly is
>     silly it has to even exist lol
>     https://kicad-info.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/2X/d/d6143659e9237fc358588bed761ef3e557454cde.png
>
>
>     On Wed, Jul 11, 2018 at 1:56 PM Wayne Stambaugh
>     <stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:stambaughw@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
>     >
>     > Mark,
>     >
>     > I agree with you in principal but this would require some major
>     changes
>     > to KiCad internally to handle the configuration data the
>     "windows" way.
>     > I really do not want to push the stable 5 release back any
>     further than
>     > it already has been.  I'm open to trying to accomplish this as
>     part of
>     > the 5.1 release if we can implement it soon enough to get some
>     testing
>     > on it.
>     >
>     > Cheers,
>     >
>     > Wayne
>     >
>     > On 7/8/2018 12:19 AM, Adam Wolf wrote:
>     > > Let's postpone this discussion maybe until the 10th when Wayne
>     is back
>     > > at it.
>     > >
>     > > On Sat, Jul 7, 2018, 10:33 PM Mark Roszko
>     <mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx>
>     > > <mailto:mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:mark.roszko@xxxxxxxxx>>>
>     wrote:
>     > >
>     > >     Hey guys,
>     > >
>     > >     So with 5.0 approaching theres something of an annoying
>     problem on
>     > >     windows (that many are complaining about). The install
>     location!
>     > >     Currently, even though you can install kicad into separate
>     folders if
>     > >     you wanted to, kicad still tries to write to the same
>     appdata folder!
>     > >
>     > >     Why would you want both the new and old? Because if you
>     want to tweak
>     > >     a old design, you don't want to risk opening it in newer
>     versions and
>     > >     having unforseen bugs. New designs sure, you really want
>     to use the
>     > >     latest and greatest, but the old is a risk not worth taking,
>     > >     especially in the commercial field ;)
>     > >
>     > >     Also there is a settings conflicts between 4.0 and 5.0
>     sharing appdata.
>     > >
>     > >     I've seen some kicad forum "workarounds" where they use
>     launcher
>     > >     scripts that set KICAD_CONFIG_HOME each time. While it
>     works, its
>     > >     completely against the windows way :3
>     > >
>     > >
>     > >     What I propose, is we patch KiCad a little to:
>     > >
>     > >     1. Write to appdata in a versioned manner (just minor and
>     maybe
>     > >     minor version)
>     > >     C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\kicad 4.0\
>     > >     C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\kicad 5.0\
>     > >     C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\kicad 6.0\
>     > >
>     > >     2. Potentially prompt the user on first-start to copy
>     settings.
>     > >     (Maybe? Might be too much work for the final 5.0)
>     > >
>     > >     Then we patch the installer to follow the convention of:
>     > >     C:\Program Files\KiCad 4.0\
>     > >     C:\Program Files\KiCad 5.0\
>     > >     C:\Program Files\KiCad 6.0\
>     > >
>     > >     This would do what every other CAD and IDE does on Windows
>     > >     (versioned installs).
>     > >
>     > >     But what if people want to install in crazier ways ?!
>     > >     Well then that should beyond the scope of the "standard"
>     installs and
>     > >     they are on their own. (Just like other tools)
>     > >
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>
>     -- 
>     Mark
>
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