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What is proper upgrade procedure?


qwert
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I've used AutoIt for about 5 years.  I've upgraded through several releases, so it's hard to believe I still get apprehensive.  And it's not due to "script-breaking changes".  I read the release notes and can't remember them ever being in a problem for me.

What I'm apprehensive about is disruption of my development environment.  For example, I always seem lose the changes I've made to the SciTE Configuration Settings.  A compounding problem is that I have an AutoIt development environment set up on three different PCs.  I would like them all to appear and operate the same.  In particular:

For AutoIt3, I don't want to lose the include files I've placed on AutoIt3Include

For SciTE, I don't want to lose the tailoring (fonts and colors) that I've done.

(I admit that I've never examined the difference between the install approach and the zip file approach.  I've never seen clear instructions on the zip method, so I always use Install.  And FWIW, searching for "upgrade" in the help file returns "No Topics Found".)

So, before I move to 3.3.10.0 from 3.3.8.1, I'd like to ask:  What is the proper upgrade procedure that will provide a smooth transition for my development environment?  Can specific files be replaced?  Or are there registry settings involved?  And specifically for SciTE, can I simply move a single config file (SciTEglobal.properties? ... or au3.properties?) onto another PC to clone my settings?

Thanks in advance for any help.  I apologize if this is a little rambling. 

 

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qwert,

AutoIt: I suggest you create a personal include folder as explained in the Adding UDFs to AutoIt and SciTE tutorial in the Wiki - then you never need worry about losing your personal include files ever again. ;)

SciTE: When upgrading, any SciTE config files created by you are not removed nor overwritten in my experience - I have never had a problem with losing any of my "tailoring" and I have a fair few mods in my setup. The various tool ini files will not be overwritten either.

As an added guarantee, I usually save a copy of the entire "AutoIt3 folder before upgrading so that I can easily restore the current status quo if anything does go wrong. I then delete the contents of the AutoIt3 folder (less the forlder containing my personal include and personal SciTE tools (I have a lot of my own in addition to the standard ones) of course) after uninstalling the old versions to remove any unwanted beta files (I test a lot of them for both AutoIt and SciTE). If you do this it is then a simple matter of copying back the ini files for various tools once the install is complete. Your personal SciTE editor settings are all in the root of your User folder so they should remain untouched by all this.

Basically, do not worry. I uninstall/install regularly to try out various test versions and I have never had a problem that was not of my own making. For interest, we are looking at changing the location of the SciTE tools ini files so that they will not be overwritten either which will make the whole process even easier. ;)

I hope that has cleared the air. Please ask if you have any questions. :)

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

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  • 4 months later...

 

If you do this it is then a simple matter of copying back the ini files for various tools once the install is complete. Your personal SciTE editor settings are all in the root of your User folder so they should remain untouched by all this.

I hate to have to bring this topic up again, but it's happened to me again.  I just upgraded to SciTE 3.4.1 and I no longer have my font and color settings.

What I did:

1. Renamed the SciTE directory to "SciTE Old"

2. Unzipped the contents of the download to a new SciTE directory.

3. Started SciTE and opened one of my scripts.  Everything displays with the editor's default font and colors.

I tried moving SciTEGlobal.Properties (the only file from Old that seemed to have changed) to no avail.

So, can we get this update procedure identified once and for all?  What should I have done?  What's the "low impact" way?

(BTW, the Au3 upgrade to 3.3.12 was no problem, whatsoever,)

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qwert,

What's the "low impact" way?

Why not just use the installer? I updated using it with no problems at all. ;)

The latest version of SciT4AutoIt3 now stores all of the user config files in "C:UsersUser_NameAppDataLocalAutoIt v3SciTE" and uses environment variables to tell SciTE where to look for them. Using the installer does all this for you automatically - perhaps one of the "portable" SciTE users can tell you how to do it manually. :)

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

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The low impact way is to leave the SciTEglobal.properties file alone and put all custom settings in the SciTEuser.properties file. That way nothing gets overwritten when doing an update.

If I posted any code, assume that code was written using the latest release version unless stated otherwise. Also, if it doesn't work on XP I can't help with that because I don't have access to XP, and I'm not going to.
Give a programmer the correct code and he can do his work for a day. Teach a programmer to debug and he can do his work for a lifetime - by Chirag Gude
How to ask questions the smart way!

I hereby grant any person the right to use any code I post, that I am the original author of, on the autoitscript.com forums, unless I've specifically stated otherwise in the code or the thread post. If you do use my code all I ask, as a courtesy, is to make note of where you got it from.

Back up and restore Windows user files _Array.au3 - Modified array functions that include support for 2D arrays.  -  ColorChooser - An add-on for SciTE that pops up a color dialog so you can select and paste a color code into a script.  -  Customizable Splashscreen GUI w/Progress Bar - Create a custom "splash screen" GUI with a progress bar and custom label.  -  _FileGetProperty - Retrieve the properties of a file  -  SciTE Toolbar - A toolbar demo for use with the SciTE editor  -  GUIRegisterMsg demo - Demo script to show how to use the Windows messages to interact with controls and your GUI.  -   Latin Square password generator

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uses environment variables to tell SciTE where to look for them

I think we're getting to the root of the problem.  I don't have a SciTE subdirectory on that LocalAutoIt v3 path.  That's why I could never find any SciTE properties file anywhere on my User directory.  Yet, my SciTE v3.3 runs fine.

Regarding the reason I didn't use the installer, it's the reason I gave in my original post: apprehension that my settings will evaporate.  Plus, the lack of any clear instructions of how to get from one version to the next ... or worse, how to get from a couple of versions back to the current version.

Sorry if I appear confused by these simple issues.  It's because I am.  Is there a page that explains these things?  I can't find one.  And the SciTE site is really confusing.

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qwert,

All I did to upgrade was (as I explained before) copy my current SciTE folder in case of problems, uninstall the installed version, delete all the additional Beta files I had lying around (because I do a lot of testing for Jos) while making sure that my personal SciTEUtils folder remained in place, and then install using the latest installer from here. All my personal config files remained intact - as BrewManNH mentioned above, storing any property changes in the Global Options file will lose them for sure - best add them to the user Options file which is not touched by any upgrade. :)

If you are upgrading from a version where the user files were stored in the other than the folder I mentioned, the current installer will automatically move them to the correct location - no need for you to do anything at all. ;)

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

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Saved! (for now)

I found a copy of SciTEuser.properties on my main User directory (not on the Local subdir).  I copied it to the main AutoIt3SciTE directory and all my settings are back.

So, thanks, BrewMan, for that tip.

But, how did it get on my main directory?  And what if the definition of SciTEuser.properties changes from one version to the next?

I'm good, for now ... but my apprehension about future upgrades remains.  I hope someone will clarify the instructions on the download page.

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Older versions stored your settings file in the root of the C:Users<yourusername> folder, unless you had an environment variable set (SciTE_Home) to point it somewhere else. The latest version changes that due to security in Win7/8 that might have prevented it from writing the files or updating them correctly. If you didn't use the installer for AutoIt, SciTE4AutoIt3 will use default to where SciTE is installed, if I remember right. I never use the installer for either so I can't say for sure where the default is written to.

If I posted any code, assume that code was written using the latest release version unless stated otherwise. Also, if it doesn't work on XP I can't help with that because I don't have access to XP, and I'm not going to.
Give a programmer the correct code and he can do his work for a day. Teach a programmer to debug and he can do his work for a lifetime - by Chirag Gude
How to ask questions the smart way!

I hereby grant any person the right to use any code I post, that I am the original author of, on the autoitscript.com forums, unless I've specifically stated otherwise in the code or the thread post. If you do use my code all I ask, as a courtesy, is to make note of where you got it from.

Back up and restore Windows user files _Array.au3 - Modified array functions that include support for 2D arrays.  -  ColorChooser - An add-on for SciTE that pops up a color dialog so you can select and paste a color code into a script.  -  Customizable Splashscreen GUI w/Progress Bar - Create a custom "splash screen" GUI with a progress bar and custom label.  -  _FileGetProperty - Retrieve the properties of a file  -  SciTE Toolbar - A toolbar demo for use with the SciTE editor  -  GUIRegisterMsg demo - Demo script to show how to use the Windows messages to interact with controls and your GUI.  -   Latin Square password generator

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qwert,

 

found a copy of SciTEuser.properties on my main User directory

But, how did it get on my main directory?

Do you actually read what we post? In posts #2 and #4 above I mentioned that the location of these files had changed with this version - the User root was where these files used to be stored. ;)

 

what if the definition of SciTEuser.properties changes from one version to the next?

Once again you have been told what to do - make any changes to the User Options file. ;)

 

but my apprehension about future upgrades remains

You seem to be the only one who has problems. Just do what the vast majority do successfully, download the installer and run it! :D

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

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Melba23, maybe I do deserve a little dress down on this.  My posts do reveal a degree of exasperation. 

Do you actually read what we post? In posts #2 and #4 above I mentioned that the location of these files had changed with this version - the User root was where these files used to be stored.

 

That assumes that I can recall what files my settings are in.  They're not anything I look at very often.  I do try to look things up.  But it's times like these that I find myself in a "house of mirrors", not knowing what, exactly, to look for or even which direction to look.  The SciTE site, for example, was sufficiently intimidating to keep me from even looking there.

You seem to be the only one who has problems.

 

Maybe.  But if you take a look at the download offerings, I think there's great potential for people to fall into the same hole and waste time ... so needlessly.

 

For those who want to run their own SciTE installation:

Version Date updated Notes

SciTE4AutoIt3.zip

6/3/2014 All files from the installer but now just as ZIP file.

Sounds simple, to me.

Anyway, maybe someone will add to the instructions.  Or maybe this thread will help others.  I hope so.

Thanks for helping.

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qwert,

All I want is you to feel able to update SciTE4AutoIt3 when required without the apprehension you currently experience. The best way to do that is to use the installer that Jos provides and which does everything for you. Unzipping files means that you have decide how to set it all up - fine if you want everything portable, but for the vast majority of users not to be recommended. ;)

M23

Public_Domain.png.2d871819fcb9957cf44f4514551a2935.png Any of my own code posted anywhere on the forum is available for use by others without any restriction of any kind

Open spoiler to see my UDFs:

Spoiler

ArrayMultiColSort ---- Sort arrays on multiple columns
ChooseFileFolder ---- Single and multiple selections from specified path treeview listing
Date_Time_Convert -- Easily convert date/time formats, including the language used
ExtMsgBox --------- A highly customisable replacement for MsgBox
GUIExtender -------- Extend and retract multiple sections within a GUI
GUIFrame ---------- Subdivide GUIs into many adjustable frames
GUIListViewEx ------- Insert, delete, move, drag, sort, edit and colour ListView items
GUITreeViewEx ------ Check/clear parent and child checkboxes in a TreeView
Marquee ----------- Scrolling tickertape GUIs
NoFocusLines ------- Remove the dotted focus lines from buttons, sliders, radios and checkboxes
Notify ------------- Small notifications on the edge of the display
Scrollbars ----------Automatically sized scrollbars with a single command
StringSize ---------- Automatically size controls to fit text
Toast -------------- Small GUIs which pop out of the notification area

 

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Older versions stored your settings file in the root of the C:Users<yourusername> folder, unless you had an environment variable set (SciTE_Home) to point it somewhere else. The latest version changes that due to security in Win7/8 that might have prevented it from writing the files or updating them correctly. If you didn't use the installer for AutoIt, SciTE4AutoIt3 will use default to where SciTE is installed, if I remember right. I never use the installer for either so I can't say for sure where the default is written to.

Correct and the reason is that this change makes SciTE portable and can now be ran from any drive/directory.

In general, Just put all your user specific changes in the files that is intended for that: SciTEUser.properties for generic changes and SciTE.properties in Script directories for Scriptdirectory specific settings. 

 

That assumes that I can recall what files my settings are in.  They're not anything I look at very often.  I do try to look things up.  But it's times like these that I find myself in a "house of mirrors", not knowing what, exactly, to l

Maybe.  But if you take a look at the download offerings, I think there's great potential for people to fall into the same hole and waste time ... so needlessly.

Open for suggestions but like to understand if you are proposing to put some sort of disclaimer next to the ZIP file not to use it unless you know what you are doing?

Doubt if anything put there will help as it takes time to learn how SciTE works and reading of the change log to see what is changed, like this last change of the default directory for config files.

Jos

Edited by Jos

SciTE4AutoIt3 Full installer Download page   - Beta files       Read before posting     How to post scriptsource   Forum etiquette  Forum Rules 
 
Live for the present,
Dream of the future,
Learn from the past.
  :)

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some sort of disclaimer next to the ZIP file

 

I think something simple would suffice ... like "(not recommended)".  It seems that's a standard phrase for a lot of installation options.  Right now, the installer method and the zip method sound equivalent.

 

Just put all your user specific changes in the files that is intended for that: SciTEUser.properties for generic changes and SciTE.properties in Script directories for Scriptdirectory specific settings.

 

I think this is the root cause of my apprehension.  I think I edited my parameter files 3 or 4 years back ... and then moved them to some "safe" location and pointed SciTE to them.  But, I've long since forgotten how that pointing works.  And SciTE didn't find them a couple of versions ago ... which led to my—drum roll—apprehension.

So, my two remaining questions are: where in SciTE are the pointers to my parameter files? and 2) will the next upgrade (an install) honor those pointers if I keep the files in a non-standard location?

Thanks, again, for help.

 

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Pointers? Do you mean Environment variables?

Anyway, have you seen the description in the Helpfile of the file locations?

Jos

SciTE4AutoIt3 Full installer Download page   - Beta files       Read before posting     How to post scriptsource   Forum etiquette  Forum Rules 
 
Live for the present,
Dream of the future,
Learn from the past.
  :)

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Jos, I had seen that help file.  And now I've read it word for word.  But a search of my C: drive for any file containing %SCITE_HOME% or %SCITE_USERHOME% didn't find anything.  Yet, SciTE works with my properties file located on C:AutoIT3SciTE.  Where are the environmental variables kept? ... the "pointer" to my file?

 

SciTE4Autoit3 looks for the %SCITE_HOME% environmental variable

 

I'd like to relocate my file to the standard location so that future updates will preserve it, as Melba23 indicates.  But to where?  And what if I did want to keep it on one of my own working directories?  Where do I specify that so it "sticks"?

I'm feeling pretty dense, right now (and tired from the "mirrors").  In the old days, there would be a tree diagram showing how the entire set of the application files are linked in (i.e., SciTE's parameter files).  All I've found is a linear tabulation.

I'll look further, tomorrow.  I'm grateful for the help, thus far.  And SciTE is working for me, so there's no rush.

 

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Environment variables are not files, you won't find them anywhere on your hard drive(s). They're Windows variables that programs can set and read and then use for certain things.

If I posted any code, assume that code was written using the latest release version unless stated otherwise. Also, if it doesn't work on XP I can't help with that because I don't have access to XP, and I'm not going to.
Give a programmer the correct code and he can do his work for a day. Teach a programmer to debug and he can do his work for a lifetime - by Chirag Gude
How to ask questions the smart way!

I hereby grant any person the right to use any code I post, that I am the original author of, on the autoitscript.com forums, unless I've specifically stated otherwise in the code or the thread post. If you do use my code all I ask, as a courtesy, is to make note of where you got it from.

Back up and restore Windows user files _Array.au3 - Modified array functions that include support for 2D arrays.  -  ColorChooser - An add-on for SciTE that pops up a color dialog so you can select and paste a color code into a script.  -  Customizable Splashscreen GUI w/Progress Bar - Create a custom "splash screen" GUI with a progress bar and custom label.  -  _FileGetProperty - Retrieve the properties of a file  -  SciTE Toolbar - A toolbar demo for use with the SciTE editor  -  GUIRegisterMsg demo - Demo script to show how to use the Windows messages to interact with controls and your GUI.  -   Latin Square password generator

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