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Suggested amendment to www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#windows
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From: |
David Wardle |
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Subject: |
Suggested amendment to www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#windows |
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Date: |
Wed, 29 Nov 2017 10:24:27 +1300 |
Hi developers.
I have a suggested amendment to:
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#windows
I've put the suggested amendment and the reason I suggest it below (in
separate sections).
Sincerely,
David Wardle
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
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The amendment:
Append to the first paragraph (which currently ends
`...double-clicking on that shortcut's icon.'):
`Note that to use some tools, <a
href="http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/DMSwinAH.html";> additional
downloads are required</a>.'
...where the link is to a new webpage with content (this is just the
bare bones):
<body>
<h1>GNU Emacs</h1>
<h2>Download & installation --- MicroSoft Windows system ---
additional help</h2>
<p>Running <code>bin\runemacs.exe</code> should give:
<img class="teaser" src="images/teaser.png" alt=""/>
(or something similar).</p>
<p>Clicking on Tools gives the options:
<!-- A picture the same as the previous one, but with the Tools menu
dropped down -->
</p>
<p>Some of the options e.g. Compare (Ediff) will not work unless
additional packages are downloaded and correctly installed.</p>
<h3>An example solution</h3>
<p>Taking the case of Compare (Ediff), one solution (among several
possibilities) is to download the Setup program for <a
href="http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/diffutils.htm";>DiffUtils
for Windows</a> (which is created by the <a
href="http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/";>GnuWin project</a>). Running
the Setup program will create a directory on your computer e.g.
`C:\Program Files\GnuWin32' containing directories `bin' (which
contains programs `comp.exe', `diff.exe', etc.), `contrib' (which
contains a directory `diffutils'), etc.</p>
<p>In order for Compare (Ediff) to work, Emacs needs to be told about
the existence of `comp.exe', `diff.exe', etc. This is done by <a
href="https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000549.htm";>adding the
directory</a> `C:\Program Files\GnuWin32\bin' to your computer's PATH
(note that changing the PATH is serious and must be done with care ---
be sure to record the PATH <em>before</em> you change anything in case
you need to return the PATH to its original state).
</body>
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The reason I suggest it:
I'm not a computer expert. But I do have some knowledge. I have been
using a Mac but recently needed to organize some files on a Windows
machine. I went to Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_file_comparison_tools
Based on the Wikipedia page, Ediff seemed the most appealing option
(it could compare binary files, was available across the three major
operating systems, etc.). So I followed the Wikipedia links to the
Emacs Wikipedia page and then to:
https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#windows
I downloaded emacs-25.3-i686.zip from:
http://mirror.lagoon.nc/pub/gnu/emacs/windows/
When I ran bin\runemacs.exe, Emacs started fine and Tool -> Compare
(Ediff) worked fine comparing directories. But, when I tried to use
Ediff for comparing files, I just got the error `No such file or
directory, diff'. This had me completely mystified. I spent hours
trying to understand the error and did get there in the end with some
much appreciated help:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-emacs-windows/2017-11/msg00000.html
But it would have been much better if the download instructions were
supplemented with some additional information for less-expert users
(like me). Such information would have saved me hours of frustration
and the need to pester others. Hence the reason I make my suggestion.
- Suggested amendment to www.gnu.org/software/emacs/download.html#windows,
David Wardle <=