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Author Topic: "Synchronizing" Lazarus installation across multiple computers/Windows versions  (Read 30966 times)

ARYLIOA

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.........I have not used fpcup myself because my tool-chain already works well, but I believe it is a good tool.
I feel you are still in a "write-only" mode. You do your own things and then write long storied about it, not paying attention to advice from other people.........

 

 I appreciate your interest, but feel your criticism is invalid.  I feel you are narrowly focused on each succeeding post and have lost sight of the real problem. I realize the original purpose of the thread is not the focus now, but that was a natural progression since the first was abandoned because of ensuing problems.  The only thing I have not tried which has been suggested until this morning is to use fpcup, and that is because I had a question pending on it.  Namely if I could edit the .ini file so the installation would reside on G: instead if C: which might add even more complications in this case.  I also plan to try his latest suggestion as soon as I finish this.

As to trying things on my own, sorry, that has been equally as effective as following any of the advice given here, at least until I try this morning's suggestion.  As to writing a lot, I keep hoping someone will follow the entire chain and have an "Eureka!" moment.  I have even admitted my errors and false starts when they have happened.  Do you know many folks who do that?

Also remember that the problem seems to be an installation problem, not a Lazarus/FPC problem.  The installs and the installed software has worked on three or the 4 systems.   Unless the installation mechanism is different for the SVC SVN, I suspect that would only result in another of my long progress reports......
« Last Edit: May 15, 2012, 02:31:14 pm by ARYLIOA »

BigChimp

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Don't edit fpcup.ini. Run fpcup --help and read the readme please (see https://bitbucket.org/reiniero/fpcup)
HOWEVER, if you don't have a c:\development directory, I'd suggest just running fpcup with standard settings first.
If it doesn't work (or even if it doess), you can always zap these directories. Your corresponding settings will be stored somewhere in c:\users\<username>\...<localsomething>\lazarusdevsettings\

Make sure you run fpcup under an elevated command prompt under Win Vista+ if you do this otherwise you won't get write access to those directories.

You mentioned you tried everything (except fpcup).
Did you do this:
Quote
delete the Lazarus settings dir from c:\users...bla, you are also removing info on which compiler to use etc. If you then use the IDE to recompile anything it probably won't work as you found out.
Do a
make distclean
make all
make bigide
(experts will tell me some of these can be combined)
to clean up old .ppu (package) files, build a clean Lazarus IDE and then build the IDE with some packages installed - the same set of packages you get when you install a snapshot or stable version.
... what happened? Error messages?

As I also indicated earlier, you could delete the primary config path directory (c:\users\<username>\....\lazarus and try a reinstall) as cleanging the registry and removing the c:\lazarus directory in itself is not enough to remove all traces. Then do a reinstall.
Have you tried that? Could you add your packages and recompile?

As for Juha's point: I do agree with him. Please try to read up on how to rebuild Lazarus etc in the wiki. If things aren't clear there, then we'll need to update the wiki.

I agree with you that the thread chenged to a different target, but I suspect the one that needs to get the eureka moment is you... in the sense that you understand how building Lazarus works.
(It took a while for that concept to sink in with me and it's still a bit unclear now and then - which is why I started fpcup so I didn't need to remember all of it).
Yes, your posts are comprehensive and you admit your mistakes which surely more people should do...  however, I don't get always get specific feedback on what suggestions you tried and what the results were. So for me it's starting to get a bit repetitive in my suggestions...

Anyway, hope we can get it working sooner rather than later so you can chalk this up to experience ;)

Anyway, hoping to hear good news from you,

BigChimp
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ARYLIOA

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I'd like to repeat a previous suggestion: try fpcup.

I asked a question about how to edit the .ini file to put the install n G: instead of C:.  You may have missed it.  (See #18 {and #29, sorry})  Can that be done, and if so, how?  I.e. what changes need to be made?

Also, if you delete the Lazarus settings dir from c:\users...bla, you are also removing info on which compiler to use etc. If you then use the IDE to recompile anything it probably won't work as you found out.

Right.  I was out of ideas.  I looked at deleting the .ppu and the .o files but had a question about that since using a search so many were found that I started to wonder if you wanted only the ones in a given directory (e.g. maybe \Lazarus) or all.

Do a
make distclean
make all
make bigide
(experts will tell me some of these can be combined)

No joy on that.  The install was intact (but richmemopackage was flagged for install, should it have been after running all three of those makes?)  When I attemped a Build IDE with Pachages, I get the same error in the same part of process.  SQLDBLaz is the last success.  There is no indication of what is being attempted, just the persistent error.

to clean up old .ppu (package) files, build a clean Lazarus IDE and then build the IDE with some packages installed - the same set of packages you get when you install a snapshot or stable version.

All instances in all directories?  Then do the three makes listed above?

At this point, you're better off reading the documentation on getting an SVN version as you are basically rebuilding Lazarus from scratch.

As I mentioned, I would give fpcup a go to see if it gets you to a working separate Lazarus install where you can install your packages again.

BigChimp

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Hi ARYLIOA,

Re fpcup.ini: don't edit it as it isn't used for setting these options. Please see the readme etc.


Also, if you delete the Lazarus settings dir from c:\users...bla, you are also removing info on which compiler to use etc. If you then use the IDE to recompile anything it probably won't work as you found out.

Right.  I was out of ideas.  I looked at deleting the .ppu and the .o files but had a question about that since using a search so many were found that I started to wonder if you wanted only the ones in a given directory (e.g. maybe \Lazarus) or all.
Deleting the settings is different from deleting ppu files. PPU files are compiled packages that get linked later on.
If somebody is talking about deleting ppu files he probably means deleting those in a certain install e.g. c:\lazarus\ and lower

Do a
make distclean
make all
make bigide
(experts will tell me some of these can be combined)

No joy on that.  The install was intact (but richmemopackage was flagged for install, should it have been after running all three of those makes?)  When I attemped a Build IDE with Pachages, I get the same error in the same part of process.  SQLDBLaz is the last success.  There is no indication of what is being attempted, just the persistent error.
After the make bigide, when starting Lazarus, unmark richmemo for install, then rebuild Lazarus to see if that works.
Then mark richmemo package for installation, rebuild.
There is a way to show hidden errors showing up in messages, but haven't used it and don't know. Perhaps it's documented somewhere.
Also, you can specify a log in your startlazarus (IIRC) command that should capture all problems, something like --debug-log=. Once again, have no experience with that myself.

to clean up old .ppu (package) files, build a clean Lazarus IDE and then build the IDE with some packages installed - the same set of packages you get when you install a snapshot or stable version.

All instances in all directories?  Then do the three makes listed above?
Huh? How many Lazarus installs do you have on that computer? I thought you had one that rested somewhere on the system drive which was G:
Perhaps you could confirm that...

Good luck...
Want quicker answers to your questions? Read http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Lazarus_Faq#What_is_the_correct_way_to_ask_questions_in_the_forum.3F

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ARYLIOA

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Don't edit fpcup.ini. Run fpcup --help and read the readme please (see https://bitbucket.org/reiniero/fpcup)..................

Will do.  I am quite busy today but will do it ASAP.

You mentioned you tried everything (except fpcup).
Did you do this................ what happened? Error messages?

I indicated that was next as soon as I was done with that message.  You have probably already read the results of that.  Again, it did not seem to change anything.

As I also indicated earlier, you could delete the primary config path directory (c:\users\<username>\....\lazarus and try a reinstall) as cleanging the registry and removing the c:\lazarus directory in itself is not enough to remove all traces. Then do a reinstall.
Have you tried that? Could you add your packages and recompile?

Is that not what I did as reported in #19.  I thought what I did was what you suggested.  Was it not?  That was when I had only 5 or 6 packages in place after the installation.

As for Juha's point: I do agree with him. Please try to read up on how to rebuild Lazarus etc in the wiki. If things aren't clear there, then we'll need to update the wiki.

I did that and thought I had done everything correctly.  After all, the other three installations went just fine.  This one seems to be unique.

I agree with you that the thread chenged to a different target, but I suspect the one that needs to get the eureka moment is you... in the sense that you understand how building Lazarus works.
(It took a while for that concept to sink in with me and it's still a bit unclear now and then - which is why I started fpcup so I didn't need to remember all of it).

Yes, your posts are comprehensive and you admit your mistakes which surely more people should do...  however, I don't get always get specific feedback on what suggestions you tried and what the results were. So for me it's starting to get a bit repetitive in my suggestions...

Anyway, hope we can get it working sooner rather than later so you can chalk this up to experience ;)

Me, too.

Anyway, hoping to hear good news from you,

Me too. %)

BigChimp

ARYLIOA

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Your next came in while I was answering the previous.

I think the big problem is probably related to the fact that I am using a dual-boot computer.  I have Vista and Windows 7 installed.  I sometimes wind up on those at random depending on what I am doing at any given time.  (E.g. due to Microsoft's planned obsolescence, my perfectly adequate version of Access will not run under Windows 7.)  That is why I would like to have Lazarus on both systems.  (And why I am interested in converting my thousands of lines of Delphi code to Lazarus since I consider Linux the next step in telling Microsoft I do not need them any longer.)

I have successfully installed, with no significant problems, on two computers running only XP and on the Vista side of the dual-boot computer.  All these problems are specific to trying to get an installation on the Windows 7 side.  Whether the dual-boot is the problem or something else, so far nothing that has been suggested (and I have tried all but the fpcup now and installing from the SVN) has worked.  And that is why I was concerned about using fpcup to put something on C:, the Vista systems partition, because the results might not be definitive.

I did start another thread specifically concerning dual-boot, but so far no one has indicated he has done that.  In theory, it should work.  But so should have the initial installation and all the suggestions to date.   Lacking an answer to that, I asked if anyone had installed on Windows 7.  No one has replied.

BigChimp

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Ok. So
Vista: C:=system partition?
Windows 7: G:=system partition?

Just to confirm: in a standard install, fpcup will place the Lazarus settings (primary config path) on in localappdata folder (or whatever it's called).
Standard Windows non-dual-boot install would be on a C:-drive, giving this path (on Vista at least):
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\lazarusdevsettings\
If your system drive is different, fpcup will however correctly place it wherever your local app data is stored.

This leaves the fpcbootstrap, binutils, lazarus and fpc dir.

Yes, you could then use something like (air code - untested!!!) - adjust as required:
Code: [Select]
mkdir g:\development
rem bootstrap and binutils dirs can be the same
fpcup --binutilsdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcbootstrapdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcdir=g:\development\fpc --lazdir=g:\development\lazarus
Want quicker answers to your questions? Read http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Lazarus_Faq#What_is_the_correct_way_to_ask_questions_in_the_forum.3F

Open source including papertiger OCR/PDF scanning:
https://bitbucket.org/reiniero

Lazarus trunk+FPC trunk x86, Windows x64 unless otherwise specified

JuhaManninen

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I did start another thread specifically concerning dual-boot, but so far no one has indicated he has done that.  In theory, it should work.  But so should have the initial installation and all the suggestions to date. 

I have done that, yes!
Just install Lazarus to all the systems you want to use. What is the problem?
Dual-booting makes no difference for the OS after it has been booted.
You can use your projects from a shared drive but install Lazarus to every OS you use. Simple, right?


Quote
Lacking an answer to that, I asked if anyone had installed on Windows 7.  No one has replied.

I have done that. It is easy.

Juha
Mostly Lazarus trunk and FPC 3.2 on Manjaro Linux 64-bit.

ARYLIOA

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I did start another thread specifically concerning dual-boot, but so far no one has indicated he has done that.  In theory, it should work.  But so should have the initial installation and all the suggestions to date. 

I have done that, yes!
Just install Lazarus to all the systems you want to use. What is the problem?
Dual-booting makes no difference for the OS after it has been booted.
You can use your projects from a shared drive but install Lazarus to every OS you use. Simple, right?

Quote
Lacking an answer to that, I asked if anyone had installed on Windows 7.  No one has replied.

I have done that. It is easy.

Juha


At least we know it will work on Windows 7, and I thank you for that, but:

It is not always easy or this thread would have ended at post #8.  It was easy on 2 computers running XP.  It was easy on the dual-boot computer on the Vista OS.  It has yet to work, in spite of all the things tried both on my own and in accordance with suggestions on here, on the Windows 7 side of the dual-boot computer.

I just tried fpcup, and it did not work as expected.  Next post has questions about that.

ARYLIOA

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Ok. So
Vista: C:=system partition?
Windows 7: G:=system partition?

Yes.

Just to confirm: in a standard install, fpcup will place the Lazarus settings (primary config path) on in localappdata folder (or whatever it's called).
Standard Windows non-dual-boot install would be on a C:-drive, giving this path (on Vista at least):
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\lazarusdevsettings\
If your system drive is different, fpcup will however correctly place it wherever your local app data is stored.

Confirming my steps:  the fpcup was run from the cmd line while running under the Windows 7 OS on G:.

The development directory was installed on C:

The fpcup icon was installed on the Windows 7 desktop

lazarusdevsettings was installed nowhere!

Any ideas what happened with it?


This leaves the fpcbootstrap, binutils, lazarus and fpc dir.

Yes, you could then use something like (air code - untested!!!) - adjust as required:
Code: [Select]
mkdir g:\development
rem bootstrap and binutils dirs can be the same
fpcup --binutilsdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcbootstrapdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcdir=g:\development\fpc --lazdir=g:\development\lazarus

I will try this but I am going to do a system restore before I do.  A full system restore of both OSs from backup full-disk images.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2012, 03:12:12 pm by ARYLIOA »

BigChimp

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Quote
It has yet to work, in spite of all the things tried both on my own and in accordance with suggestions on here, on the Windows 7 side of the dual-boot computer.
If a removal of your settings dir, uninstall of Lazarus, reinstall of stable Lazarus setup leads to problems installing a package, you should really raise a bug report against the package (or Lazarus if it happens with multiple packages).
Because that just shouldn't happen.

Quote
Confirming my steps:  the fpcup was run from the cmd line
... assuming without any other arguments/parameters?

Please post fpcup.log that should have been generated; that also tells you where things should be installed.

Did fpcup output include any warnings/errors? Did it report success? Please post the screen output... or at least tell us what it said.

Quote
lazarusdevsettings was installed nowhere!

Any ideas what happened with it?
See earlier post on where it should end up. Somewhere on G, I suspect.
Once again: if this directory doesn't get created, fpcup should very probably have reported an error. Please post relevant info.

Quote
The development directory was installed on C:
And what was in that development directory? fpcbootstrap? lazarus? fpc? nothing?

BTW, why are you going to try and fiddle with
Quote
mkdir g:\development
rem bootstrap and binutils dirs can be the same
fpcup --binutilsdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcbootstrapdir=g:\development\bootstrap --fpcdir=g:\development\fpc --lazdir=g:\development\lazarus
when the first run didn't work as you expected? I'd suggest first finding out what's wrong there.
Doing another fpcup run with default settings after a full backup from image is fine - it lessens the chances of something else influencing things, but just willy-nilly trying something else without understanding its effects isn't going to help.

I've been trying to help for a lot of posts but if you keep changing things while we are still trying to guide you through troubleshooting the previous situation, it's a bit of a waste of time.
Want quicker answers to your questions? Read http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Lazarus_Faq#What_is_the_correct_way_to_ask_questions_in_the_forum.3F

Open source including papertiger OCR/PDF scanning:
https://bitbucket.org/reiniero

Lazarus trunk+FPC trunk x86, Windows x64 unless otherwise specified

 

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