[texworks] storage of user-edited engines (was: new binaries (Windows & Mac))

[Daniel Becker]

Am 01.08.2009 um 13:53 schrieb Bruno Voisin:

>>
>> Related Question: When I add a new tool in the preferences ("engine"
>> in TeXShop-Speak), where is it saved?
>
> In the preference file, ie ~/Library/Preferences/ 
> org.tug.TeXworks.plist

I see, thanks. I was looking in ~/Library/TeXworks/...

Isn't this setup likely to produce confusion? Consider this:

1) A user adds a new tool/engine, for example MyProjectTeX

2) The developers to decide to add a new engine to the defaults, i.e.  
luatex (just a name). They announce that in the release notes.

3) The user is happy about that and tries to find the new engine. But  
he can't as he still has its old preference file.

4) He is semi-clever and moves the preference file to another folder  
and restarts TeXWorks. Now he has the new engine added by the  
developers, but its own additions are lost. So he starts to add them  
again.

In general, I think it would be easier for users (and for those asked  
for advice) if preferences & templates added to TeXWorks by the  
developers and those added by the user would be stored separately, for  
example in
~/Library/Preferences/org.tug.TeXworks.plist
~/Library/Preferences/org.tug.TeXworks-user.plist
and if the two would be "merged" by TeXWorks internally. The latter  
contains the user additions. When in doubt (name conflicts?), one  
takes precedence over the other.

I have no idea how difficult this would be. However, something like  
this could help to avoid frustration by the not-so-advanced users, IMO.

Best,
Daniel