Request: restore MSYS2 install portability

chromebin
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2018 3:53 pm

Request: restore MSYS2 install portability

Postby chromebin » Fri May 11, 2018 11:30 am

Currently an ESP-IDF install is not portable. As usernames are inserted into the Home folder, every install is different because of this irrelevant detail. So I suggest that you mandate "db_home: /home/user" in "C:\msys32\etc\nsswitch.conf" before running mingw32.exe the first time, so paths no longer change from user to user (the username will be "user" always).

Now all of userspace can be zipped up and moved to another PC without error. So it also becomes possible to download an install or workspace directly from Expressif, with no tutorial to follow. This could include project templates (for example with default Eclipse or VSCode workspaces), which can just be copied to start a new project. It is also possible to copy the entire msys32 folder, drop it on another computer (at the same location), and it'll work right away.

The benefit of this simple change is immense. It results in ease of use very close to the Arduino.

It also means the removal of many totally irrelevant details in tutorials and a good percentage of posts on forums (along with support costs). Above all, this means much less pain for those who just want to "drive" the install, not be its mechanic.

Deal?

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