Installation on Windows doesn't "symlink" iojs to node

[tgarbiak]

I've just installed io.js v1.0.3 on my machine and it didn't create symlinks to node.
When I now run node -v I get v0.10.33 and when iojs -v I get v1.0.3.
Now, this might be because:

• windows doesn't have symlinks (so I thought, but I was just told on #io.js that it indeed has)
• I haven't run installer as an admin (but then it should ask me for elevation)
• it was never intended on Windows to do it (but then it creates inconsistency between platforms, not good IMO)

On a side note, I think installer should provide some info about what's gonna happen with the current node and npm installations.

Some additional info:

Installer file: *iojs-v1.0.3-x64*
System: *Win8.1x64*

[gyandeeps]

I think the idea is to have them as individual entities on the machine.
#398

[tgarbiak]

Yeah, that'd be the point 3 then. But that, as I've wrote, would be inconsistent with what happens on other platforms.

In any case, the least installer should do is to tell the user what will happen with his/her installations of node and npm.

[silverwind]

I think it should be consistent too. How about an default-on option in the windows installer to symlink?

[piscisaureus]

By default the installer creates a hard link. But the installer inserts the iojs directory at the end of the PATH environment variable, so if you already have node installed when you install iojs then iojs' node.exe doesn't "replace" node.

[silverwind]

@piscisaureus Ah, that's one elegant way of solving this.

Is the Windows installer code on GitHub? I'd like to have a look.

[piscisaureus]

@silverwind https://github.com/iojs/io.js/blob/3143d732f6efd82da76e9c53ad192ac14071bf70/tools/msvs/msi/product.wxs#L265-L270

[silverwind]

@piscisaureus: Thanks!

So as a solution for this issue: Should we insert our path at the start of %PATH% for consistency so node goes to iojs? I think that's what most people would expect when they install io.js.

[dougwilson]

Injecting your path at the beginning of %PATH% is not a friendly installation.

[silverwind]

How about parsing the path for node and inserting before that? Is that possible with MSI?

[piscisaureus]

So as a solution for this issue: Should we insert our path at the start of %PATH% ?

That's easy to do, if we want it. I'm in the @dougwilson camp here - it's friendlier to put yourself at the end. But make a good case and I may change my opinion.

[silverwind]

How about this (pseudocode):

Run where node. If found, insert io.js's path before dirname($(where node)) inside the PATH string, otherwise insert at the end.

[cosmosgenius]

I think its better to provide a message to the user about an existing node installation on the path. Modifying path string, other than at the end, doesn't go with the usual windows installation way.

[tgarbiak]

Providing a message/explanation what's gonna happen would be fine by me. Just to not leave an user in the unknown.

[radum]

I would rather have this info in the docs (that you can move it to be first fixing everything and keeping both versions), or in the installer somewhere easy to find. Putting this in front of everything else is not a good practice and as @cosmosgenius said is not the Windows way.

I think the ruby installer does this and it causes lots of issues for some.

[Fishrock123]

See #751 (comment)