LyX ⇒ How to move Lyx from one computer to another

[jobardu]

I just installed LyX on a Windows 7 laptop. It took me a little while to get it configured so it does what i need. I absolutely love the program. I may even replace MS Word with it.

My question:
Can I move LyX from one Windows 7 computer to another Windows 7 computer?

It took a while to install some MikTeX repository items and reconfigure a few times, so I would like not to have to do that again since I didn't log all the changes I made. So my question is whether I can copy the various folders (LyX, MikTeX, JabRef and user information etc) from one computer to another. I am concerned about it not being portable, but LyX is mostly portable and is, to my knowledge, not one with many hooks into the Windows OS. Perhaps I'm wrong?

Any and all comments and advice is appreciated.

all the best
Joe

[jobardu]

A detail or two. I have Lyx 2.2 installed, downloaded from the LyX site and it also has MikTeX 2.9. My computer is a quad core with 8 GB Ram and 500 GB hard drive. The computer I want to transfer it to is also Windows 7, a newer version quad core I5 with 16 GB Ram and 1TB hard drive, so I expect no performance problems.
Thanks

[scottkosty]

I don't know enough about how Windows works. For LyX, make sure you also copy your user folder (this contains your preferences, keyboard shortcuts, etc.). You can find the location in Help > About.

My advice might be the following: don't copy over MiKTeX or JabRef. Just use their installers like normal. But do copy over your LyX preferences and then do a Tools > Reconfigure.

[jobardu]

Thanks ScottKosky:
That sounds like good advice. Another question:
Why did you think it wasn't a good idea to copy MikTeX?
I have enabled a number of plugins from the repository. If I could get a list of installed plugins then I could simply replicate it. Do you know if I can download the with the appropriate installation dates noted?
I'm beginning to think I may have to bite the bullet and reinstall everything but LyX. I'm also going to check and see if there are any migration programs that can selectively transfer applications from one computer to another. I remember seeing some of them a few years ago. The big issue was maintaining Windows registry compatibility. If I find one I'll post it here.

Any and all other input is welcome.

[Johannes_B]

Software is usually installed, the chance to just download a folder with stuff and the software working is near to nill. Installing means, that some files are moved to special places, the operating system is informed by special commands that the installer issues. And not every operating system is the same, that's why there are different binary files for different windows versions, and Linux, and Mac OS. It is really a bit more complicated than just copying.

I think by just (re)intalling on the other machine, you are using a safe path.

[Stefan Kottwitz]

As software creates shortcuts, start menu entries, sets system variables (path information), and makes registry entries (that can be complex and at many places) it can be hard to copy it onto another computer even if you know the file locations.

Installing is a safer way.

Stefan

[scottkosty]

Installing software, especially free software, should not be so painful. In Ubuntu, you can just do

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install lyx

In addition to downloading and installing LyX, any dependency will also be downloaded and installed (e.g. a LaTeX installation, the analog of MiKTeX).

I'm not suggesting you switch to Ubuntu, and I know things (in this respect, at least) are more complicated on Windows, but my guess is that there must exist some solution (perhaps third-party) for Windows that offers similar ease? I think it is worth your time to search for such a system. I think Mac Ports might do something similar for Macs (but I don't really know). If you find a solution for Windows, in addition to making issues like the one you posted here trivial, it will reduce your stress and make using a computer fun. Even if your laptop is stolen and you have to start from scratch, it should be fast and easy to install all of the programs you use with just a few commands.

That's my unsolicited advice