[OS X TeX] Keeping TeX installations synchronized between machines

[Herbert Schulz]

On Jan 5, 2010, at 9:19 PM, Alain Schremmer wrote:

> 
> On Jan 5, 2010, at 6:30 PM, Herbert Schulz wrote:
> 
>> 
>> On Jan 5, 2010, at 5:24 PM, Chris Goedde wrote:
>> 
>>> On Jan 5, 2010, at 5:15 PM, M. Tamer Özsu wrote:
>>> 
>>>> But you are assuming that everyone is using TeXShop as their front-end for latex processing and Bibtex for managing their bibliographies. This is not the case; there are many who use emacs or other front-ends and for them, ~/Library/TeXShop or ~/Library/Application Support/BibDesk. What you are proposing would require all tex and related software developers to agree to a single location, which is unlikely.
>>> 
>>> Actually, I'm assuming the opposite, which is why I think it would be great for the user if the MacTeX people and the developers of various tex-related apps agreed on a common location for support files. Do people really think the current situation is better than having all the support files in subfolders of ~/Library/Application Support/TeX? Why?
>>> 
>>> Anyway, it's not worth arguing about, it's just a suggestion.
>>> 
>>> Chris
>> 
>> Howdy,
>> 
>> I'd assume that folks would take their cue from Apple's behavior and that is totally inconsistent!
> 
> 1) Back when the Mac came out, people said that it didn't conform to the general idea of what a computer ought to be. I well remember people saying that it was a "nice toy".
> 
> 2) Apple has not always been consistent or smart or nice. I remember someone saying Apple ought to have a clock in the menu bar. Apple derided the idea and he made one. Eventually, Apple did it themselves---rather than buy the existing one. What were they saying? Something like "If it has not been invented at Apple it doesn't exist"?
> 
> So, I still think that when someone wants to move her/his stuff from a desktop to a laptop and be able to work, it should be a one-button click matter. And, eventually, it will be.
> 
> Best regards
> --schremmer

Howdy,

And it can be... it's a matter of doing an initial setup for your special needs (what exactly should be synced and where is it) and then it becomes ``one click''. Given the diversity of the way folks handle things I think this is the only way this can happen.

There are multiple pieces of software out there that synchronize folders between two systems. I don't use any of them so I can't make a recommendation. As far as I know they will all require an initial setup.

Good Luck,

Herb Schulz
(herbs at wideopenwest dot com)