[REBOL] Re: Defect in Rebol/Core 2.5.6
From: maximo:meteorstudios at: 7-Aug-2003 10:07
Hi Andrew,
sorry for the lengthy reply, but this one isn't easy to explain. it might not be the
exact problem you have (I don't know), but it might help you and others anyways.
I've had the same problem in all versions, with view. now there may be some correlation
to the problem with core and view and although core should run without install, maybe
if you already have view installed, it uses some of view setup stuff (which should be
removed from view IMHO, explained below).
Basically, when you setup view, it COPIES a version of the user.r and rebol.exe inside
your home directory, then, it executes those INSTEAD of those in the same path as the
initial rebol install.
I REALLY HATE THIS!!!! I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED THIS A PROBLEM AND I STILL HATE IT.
The links to the desktop icon STILL point to the original rebol install, but in fact,
it uses those in your home directory instead :-(
if you find and replace the user.r in your home directory, your user.r stuff will be
visible everywhere.
the bad part is that is does not actually COPY the main user.r it creates a NEW one...
(and a /local dir too btw)
that's (only/usually?) done when the rebol setup window appears.
The home directory is different in MANY versions of windows. (YOU though there was none
;-) surprise! there is one, its just completely hidden and fudged by MS ... to get to
it do a search on your user.r file in C:\).
in win2000 and winXP I think they are the same, cause its the same basic kernel but with
more fluff in xp.
I do know that the default win home is different in win2000 and winNT...
I controled my home dir (for rebol at least) by explicitely defining a variable in the
system variables control panel. But still, I always end up with TWO OR MORE INSTALLS
AND I HAVE TO MAINTAIN EACH ONE WHICH IS A DAMN PAIN.
I -THINK- its a variable called HOME, but I'm not at my computer right now, so I can't
confirm.
I wish view did NOT install anything and did NOT copy itself to the user's local directory
each time it is run by a new user. I WISH view DID NOT INSTALL and that it was like
core. I think the user should simply have a copy of the rebol WHERE HE WANTS IT and
that's all. If I want to share my install with someone, then I just set my .r association
to his rebol directory and its DONE. If I have no rights to I won't be able to execute
it anyways, so its not a security issue.
Why should core and view behave differently WRT install ... ITS SO EASY with core...
copy the file and run it! user.r is ALWAYS local to the executable and that's that.
No surprises, no redundancy, nothing to remember 6 months later...
IT HAPPENED TO ME JUST THIS MORNING, I start my liquid tester application, and then boom!
a setup screen appears *for no reason*, cause I used it just fine before closing my computer
yesterday! I tell myself, oh no, I'm going to have fun (again, cause it took me 6 hours
to understand what was going on last time ;-) ... I say, run it here (pointing to the
original rebol install). it says ok, I save... and then kaplow! no more user.r setup,
everything is gone, my whole user setup is dead. rebol is telling me: "up yours, I don't
know what steel-library-path is!"
so after fiddling around I remember the user.r redundancy and realise that I have my
.r file association to %/c/rebol/rebol.exe ---BUT--- the user.r its trying to use is
in %/e/user/administrator/user.r (along with a COPY of rebol.exe, which it copies by
itself, the first time you run a rebol app. Even if you delete it, it comes back!)
deleting the user.r in the home directory DOES NOT enable the one local to the .r file
association, cause that's NOT the one it is running... IT actually executed the one in
my home, which has no user.r file anymore...
I possibly explained the problem with a wrong perspective, maybe something slightly different
is done within rebol, but this is as I see it. If there is a variable I am missing,
then will someone explain what I am missing.
again, could RT provide an INSTALL FREE setup which does only save out the user.r localy
to the rebol.exe being run and no registry being tampered! That used to be one of things
I prefered about core. multiple versions, multiple setups he ha! complete control!
I HOPE THIS was usefull to you or any others who have had trouble with their user.r
-max
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meteor Studios, T.D.
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Never Argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with
experience
