Re: Context and Windows7

[Thomas Floeren <tomfloeren@me.com>]

On 01.02.2010 12:51, Keith McKay wrote:
> I want to install ConText on my Windows7 computer.  I thought that it 
> would be a good idea if I checked the mailing list archive first, to 
> see if there had been any problems with Windows7.  I didn't find any 
> messages related to Windows7, but I don't know if this is a good or 
> bad thing.  There is 1 page on the wiki regarding a problem with the 
> complete configuration of Context in Windows7 and Scite which a user has.
>

No problems at all with Windows7 (64bit).

> I was going to go ahead and download the mswin zip file from the 
> pragma web site, but, the zip file just seems to exist there now as 
> the minimals distribution, rather than the 'big' distribution I had on 
> my old computer (which has gone to that great scrap heap in the sky 
> due to a catastrophic failure).
>
> So, I'm looking for advice before I go any further. Should I download 
> the minimals and look into an editor other than Scite, which I never 
> felt totally comfortable with anyway. 

A good Windows editor is Notepad++. I started out with Scite, then used 
TeXworks for some time also. TeXworks is nice with the integrated pdf 
view and synctex, but is not really comfortable as editor. Notepad++ has 
the same editing comfort as Scite (both on Scintilla) plus a 'friendly' 
gui and some nice features like double editor windows, a very good 
"search in all open files", and some very handy plugins (compare, 
explorer, NPPexec ...). Do a search on the list and you will find a 
context-npp package made by one of the list members. It's a bit dated 
(you have to tweak some things) but it will help you greatly to get an 
idea how to set up the editor for context.

> Should I just go straight to luatex and MKIV? Are there other options 
> available?
>

 From my personal experience: For small quick projects - where you 
immediately see if the needed things work or not - I use mkiv, but for 
longer, format rich, meandering projects its safer (better for the 
nerves) to use mkii . I already started two longer projects with mkiv 
and always had to retreat to mkii because in the course of the work I 
stumbled upon some (for me) unsolvable problems that were crucial for my 
project, and not solved by the development of mkiv within my time frame.
But anyway, also the next big project I will fearlessly begin giving 
mkiv a try, and with a bit of luck I will not fall into a mkiv pit hole ;)


Best wishes

Thomas
___________________________________________________________________________________
If your question is of interest to others as well, please add an entry to the Wiki!

maillist : ntg-context@ntg.nl / http://www.ntg.nl/mailman/listinfo/ntg-context
webpage  : http://www.pragma-ade.nl / http://tex.aanhet.net
archive  : http://foundry.supelec.fr/projects/contextrev/
wiki     : http://contextgarden.net
___________________________________________________________________________________