Software Update Process needs to get "state of the art"

[rpt007]

Hi,

I am a very satisfied user of VCarce Pro.
After some absence I started the software today and realized there is a new major update to v8.5 which meant a complete new installation.

Ok, that's fine with me. But, what I don't like at all:
Today's software processes allow for installing new updates by keeping your pre-installed preferences, keyes etc. AND: additions and/or optional installations.

What totally failed in this update was the post-installation (maybe just keeping the old ones as is) of all cliparts. This is not state of the art and annoying for the user as it is causing inproductive time spending in something which could have been automated. I hope this will be gone for the next major upgrade.

For a fast PC it's no major issue, but a step which could be done by a machine better and faster than by a user who might wonder after having updated the software, that all cliparts were gone, but all additions/gadgets still are there - that's not logical at all.

Raimund

[BArnold]

I've been frustrated with the responses from Vectric Tech Support about similar factors. When I inquired about user-defined application data folders, all I received is a ho-hum no answer. This is great software with great support but there are factors that make it clunky when it should be easy to make changes like user-defined folders. Specifically, if things like the Tool Database and My PostPP were in user-defined folders, any change in either would be available to other PCs used my the same person; i.e., I have PCs in my shop, home office and my laptop. Having a common data folder for all would be real convenient.

[Adrian]

Not sure what you mean by the clipart. The clipart installs to a central folder in Public Documents and so is still there when you install a new version of the software. There's no need to download and install the clipart again apart from any new clipart that might come as part of the new release.

[BArnold]

... The clipart installs to a central folder in Public Documents and so is still there when you install a new version of the software. There's no need to download and install the clipart again apart from any new clipart that might come as part of the new release.

Adrian,

I think the question is why can't Vectric allow user-defined folders for things like clipart, tool database, MyPP, etc. In my case, I use Dropbox for all of my data files. That way I can open a drawing on any one of my three PCs and I'm always seeing the same file. If the Vectric files I mentioned were in user-defined folders, I could create them in Dropbox and set the same definitions on all of my PCs.

Thanks!

[sylvan356]

I would love to be able to keep all of my relevant files in user defined folders so I could use them like Bill says. I use dropbox daily. To be able to easily carry my Vectric files from one computer to the other without using a flash drive would be terrific!

[ger21]

Copying files to a flash drive is easier than copying from dropbox to the local drive?

[sylvan356]

Dropbox creates a folder on each computer owned by the user. When a file is added to one computer it is immediately uploaded and added to all others. Therefore, you can literally be sitting at the desktop and a laptop and, when one is changed or updated, the other is too! Very handy and much easier to control that carrying flash drives! All machines are always up to date.

[Adrian]

You can do it with the way the software works now. Use symbolic links. I used to have my office machine and workshop machine setup like that across my network so everything was in a central place.

[Phil]

When you open the Clipart tab there are two options: Library Browser and Local Files. I have a lot of clipart from sources other than Vectric and they are all accessible from the Local Files tab. Hope this is helpful.

Phil

[BArnold]

You can do it with the way the software works now. Use symbolic links. I used to have my office machine and workshop machine setup like that across my network so everything was in a central place.

Adrian,

Please give an example of how to set up a symbolic link for this application.

Thanks!

[NathanD]

You can do it with the way the software works now. Use symbolic links. I used to have my office machine and workshop machine setup like that across my network so everything was in a central place.

Adrian,

Please give an example of how to set up a symbolic link for this application.

Thanks!

Bill,

Here's a guide from the dropbox wiki which may help you. It describes how to both use symlinks and some handy software that other people have developed to make the task easier for you. I definitely recommend "Boxifier" if you're running Windows.

http://www.dropboxwiki.com/tips-and-tri ... er-folders

This describes it platform independently, so it does not matter which operating system you use, it will guide you through regardless.

Thanks,

Nathan.

[BArnold]

Here's a guide from the dropbox wiki which may help you. ... Thanks, Nathan.

Nathan,

Thanks for the education. I was unaware of the ability to set up links like that.

First, I tried "junction" but got a message that the command didn't exist. Then, I tried mklink and got it done

C:\Users\BArnold>mklink /j "c:/ProgramData/Vectric" "c:/Dropbox/ProgramData/Vectric"
Junction created for c:/ProgramData/Vectric <<===>> c:/Dropbox/ProgramData/Vectric

[BArnold]

UPDATE:

After setting up the symlink on my laptop and making sure it worked, I went to my shop where I have a desktop PC. I renamed the ProgramData/Vectric folder to ProgramData/Vectric_Hold, then ran the mklink command. It set up the symlink, but VCarve will not recognize the symlink.

Help!?!?!

[NathanD]

Here's a guide from the dropbox wiki which may help you. ... Thanks, Nathan.

Nathan,

Thanks for the education. I was unaware of the ability to set up links like that.

First, I tried "junction" but got a message that the command didn't exist. Then, I tried mklink and got it done

C:\Users\BArnold>mklink /j "c:/ProgramData/Vectric" "c:/Dropbox/ProgramData/Vectric"
Junction created for c:/ProgramData/Vectric <<===>> c:/Dropbox/ProgramData/Vectric

Bill,

From a little research, Junctions was the pre-Vista method of doing things, mklink was introduced in vista. It seems mklink superseded junctions due to lack of development on the junctions codebase. If you're interested further reading can be found here (http://superuser.com/questions/752538/m ... nction-exe), but past a little bit of technology reading it isn't essential to applying these methods. Glad you got this working though, very useful when applied correctly!

Thanks,

Nathan.


EDIT: Was typing up a response as you posted - sorry!

Bill,

If I'm understanding your problem correctly, the problem should not be with VCarve or Vectric - but this is an assumption. This is my understanding of the process (between two computers):

Computer A has your folder (in this case, Vectric/VCarve related folders) symlinked (or mklinked) and Dropbox should upload the required files.

Computer B should download from dropbox and the symlink should make these available in your Vectric/VCarve folders.

Is this the case you're currently working with?

[BArnold]

No, It's not a Vectric issue. Most likely an MS issue of some sort. the only Vectric issue is not having user-defined data folder locations so symlink isn't necessary.

Yes, what you outlined is correct.

Computer A is the first one I set up using mklink and it works fine.

Computer B allows me to run mklink and appears to have set up a link correctly. I can see both the Dropbox folder and the Vectric folder on the local drive. But, although the local drive version is visible, the system pops up an error when I try to drill into it.

I'll look at the link you posted now.