[Chimera-users] installing chimera over an older chimera install?

[Tom Goddard]

Hi Sabuj,

  Installing Chimera over an existing Chimera (i.e. specifying the same 
installation directory) is asking for trouble.  I'm not sure the Chimera 
installer will even allow it, and if it does it may first delete the 
entire contents of that directory.

  I realize though that updating Chimera and keeping your separately 
installed plug-ins is a pain.  The solution I use is to not put those 
plug-ins in the chimera/share directory.  I use a separate directory 
outside the installed Chimera tree called "chimera-plugins" in my home 
directory.  I put all Chimera plugins in there.  I added this directory 
to the Chimera search path using menu entry

    Favorites / Preferences

category Tools, then press the "Add..." button an the bottom under the 
"Locations" panel and add this chimera-plugins directory, then press the 
"Save" button so that this search path is saved for all future Chimera 
sessions.  It is saved in your Chimera preferences file 
(~/.chimera/preferences on Linux) so it is not deleted if you update 
Chimera.

  This a good solution for individual users, though not so good for a 
Chimera installation used by multiple users since then each one of them 
has to add the chimera-plugins directory.

  I'll add this advice to the Chimera Experimental Features (plug-ins) 
web page installation instructions.

    Tom