LyX ⇒ Improper Installation of LyX 2.0.4-1 on Windows 7

[Ganymede]

i download the LyX-2.0.4-1-Installer.exe from the http://www.lyx.org/Download, i use all the default install settings, telling it to download miktex. after the main bulk of the lyx install completes, it downloads miktex and starts the installer for that. i choose all default options, with 1 exception: for install missing packages on-the-fly i tried 'yes', 'no' and 'ask me first' because i read that there was an issue there for some reason.

when i open the application it hangs for a minute, then a window pops up that says lyx: no text class is found, giving the options of reconfigure, without latex or to just continue. if i try reconfiguring, another pop-up says lyx: document class not found, saying the layout file article couldn't be found. reconfiguring from the tools menu gives a failure pop-up. when i look at tools->tex info it shows all class files (i.e. it knows where the miktex installation is, at least in some respect).

i read that after installation you may want to change the on-the-fly settings, so i execute mo.exe in miktex/bin and i get a pop up saying miktext is not correctly configured: the location of the miktex executables is not known to the operating system. click ok to repair. i do so then try everything all over again with the same result.

i've had this problem in the past and i know it has something to do with my miktex settings, but i forget what i did to make it work before.

[scottkosty]

Ganymede,

I'm sorry you're having troubles. You did an excellent job of providing the details of your problem.

You could try using a different installer of LyX for Windows. Uwe Stöhr has been working hard to improve it but for now his installer is separate from the main one. From what I've followed, it is considered stable and has been well tested so I think it would be worth a shot if you're willing to take the time to do it.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/lyxwininstaller/

I would recommend uninstalling LyX and MiKTeX before using that installer.

If you have a chance, please post back here whether it works or not for you.

[Ganymede]

the exact same thing happened. should i just not bother with the installer and try to build the source?

[scottkosty]

the exact same thing happened. should i just not bother with the installer and try to build the source?

Sorry that didn't work. I have no idea how difficult building from source on Windows is.

I found a bug that you reported a couple of months ago:
http://www.lyx.org/trac/ticket/8268
Maybe that will jog your memory for how you fixed the issue? If so, can you post the solution on that bug report?

Also note that there is a LyX mailing list that might be able to help you:
lyx-users@lists.lyx.org

[Ganymede]

Thank you for finding that, it worked perfectly. I have no idea how my LyX installation broke after having done that already. I've also updated the bug ticket.

[scottkosty]

Thank you for finding that, it worked perfectly. I have no idea how my LyX installation broke after having done that already. I've also updated the bug ticket.

Great! Thanks for taking the time to post the workaround there. That will help get things fixed sooner, hopefully.

[LKB]

Other way around it:

During MiKTeX installation choose option installing missing packages on-the-fly=NO. This prevents problem from happening.

[Ganymede]

i tried that and it still didn't work.

[scottkosty]

The maintainer of the Windows Installer, Uwe, is asking if you can try with LyX 2.0.5 and post feedback here:
http://www.lyx.org/trac/ticket/8268#comment:5