"Configure path" does not apply on startup

[Dominik B]

I am using prebuild KiCad nightly dc66b73a2 from the 02.02.2018 on Windows 10

I have no KiCad environment variables set on my system (Windows).
I want to use the "Configure path" option to set the locations of my library's. To apply them I need to open the dialog and press ok, they get not applied automatically on startup ok KiCAD.

[Oivind Toien (otoien)]

Seems related to Bug #1743823 and Bug #1740022.
If System environment variables have not been installed at any point (they must be *actively ticked off* on install) the Configure path definitions are obeyed on startup (windows version 2018-02-05 revision d1a45d147, assuming they have previously been correctly configured).

Otherwise the system environment variables will take precedence.

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

Can someone tell me if unchecking the system environment variables option in the windows installer will remove any existing system environment variables set be previous installs? If it doesn't, we may want to consider doing so or we will have lots of bug reports due to this issue.

[Wayne Stambaugh (stambaughw)]

On 2/8/2018 2:32 PM, Wayne Stambaugh wrote:
> Can someone tell me if unchecking the system environment variables
> option in the windows installer will remove any existing system
> environment variables set be previous installs? If it doesn't, we may
                         ^^ by ^^
> want to consider doing so or we will have lots of bug reports due to
> this issue.
>

[Jeff Young (jeyjey)]

@Dominik, I made some changes to the logic here today. When you get a chance could you re-test this and see if it's fixed for you?

[Dominik B (matyro)]

I have no error currently but all my symboles got replaces with questionmarks. I will try to fix this and retest it

[Oivind Toien (otoien)]

>Can someone tell me if unchecking the system environment variables option in the windows installer will >remove any existing system environment variables set be previous installs? If it doesn't, we may want to >consider doing so or we will have lots of bug reports due to this issue.

They will not, if they have previously been installed they need to be removed actively in Windows:
Start->(right-click)Computer->Properties->Advanced System Settings->Environment Variables

However I think that if the installer got the option to install system environment variables ticked off by default opposed to the current situation, a lot fewer users that keep the libraries in their home directory will fall into the trap of installing this option that overrides the custom path settings in KiCad. (Of course it would be even better if this setting this option to the off state would also do the work of removing existing system environment variables on install.)

There is an ongoing thread in forum on this problem:
https://forum.kicad.info/t/setting-path-variables/10365

[David Pearce (halzia)]

Non-administrator level users won't be able to disable the Windows Path settings.
As the defaults make 3D model downloads go to a directory that is read only for non-admins, the logic is broken here

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for KiCad because there has been no activity for 60 days.]