Swapping versions of !StrongED

Sometimes it can be useful to be able to swap between two versions of StrongED, for example the stable version and the latest development version. I needed to do this when writing these instructions. There are two methods:

• Swapping by a script
• By clicking on different versions

Swapping by a script

This method means that both versions are in the default directories so get looked at during Boot. But you cannot run both versions at the same time with this system.

Here is a script to do this version swapping:

TaskKill StrongED

IfThere SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.469!StrED_cfg then Set SE$next 469 else set SE$next 470
IfThere SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.469!StrED_cfg then Set SE$this 470 else set SE$this 469

Filer_openDir SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices
Filer_openDir SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities

Rename SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.!StrED_cfg  SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.<SE$this>!StrED_cfg
Rename SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.!StrongED SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.<SE$this>!StrongED
Rename SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.<SE$next>!StrED_cfg SCSI::SSD.$.!Boot.Choices.!StrED_cfg
Rename SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.<SE$next>!StrongED SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.!StrongED

Filer_Run SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.!StrongED

How to install StrongEDs so the script works

1. Check where your copy of StrongED is installed. Open a TaskWindow (Ctrl-F12) and type Show StrongED$dir. If that does not return StrongED$Dir : SCSI::SSD.$.Utilities.!StrongED then you will need to alter the script as appropriate. Similarly, alter the path to point to where !StrED_cfg lives if required.
2. Instal the other version of StrongED: so if you are running 4.7 then install StrongED 4.69 in the same directory as !StrongED, but named 469!StrongED.
3. Instal the other version of !StrED_cfg: if you are running 4.7 then install !StrED_cfg 4.69 in the same directory as !StrED_cfg but named 469!StrED_cfg.
4. The Script should now work. But best test it, one line at a time, by opening a TaskWindow and dragging and dropping one line of the script at a time into the TaskWindow. Clearly do not do this with the first line TaskKill StrongED as this will kill the TaskWindow!
5. If you do not have the utility TaskKill, it may be obtained from Steven Fryatt's web site. You can test for this utility by typing Taskkill in a TaskWindow. It is best to use this (or an equivalent) since running the full script with StrongED sill working may well be confusing as the running StrongED will then save any configuration changes to the wrong place.

Swapping by clicking on different versions

This method is possibly simpler to set up and has the advantage that you can run two (or more!) versions of !StrongEd at the same time. This may (or may not!) make it more confusing for you to use.

If you have !StrED_cfg next to !StrongED in the same directory, then you can simple install another version of !StrongED along with its own !StrED_cfg in a different directory. You can then run either version (or even both versions at the same) simply by clicking on the version or !StrongED that you want. However, unless one of these directories is seen during Boot, !StrongED won't run automatically.

If you want to keep a version of !StrED_cfg in Boot:Choices then you will need to be very careful. Each extra version of !StrongED will need to put in its own directory with its own !StrED_cfg next to it. Your main version can start normally but when you want to run any other version you must do a Ctrl-doubleclick to force the it to use its local !StrED_cfg.