Re: $LILYHOME as $TEXMFHOME with LaTeX

[Xavier Scheuer]

On 5 December 2011 17:21, Denis Bitouzé <address@hidden> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> thanks a lot for developing and maintaining LilyPond!
>
> I read the way of including LilyPond files here:
>
> http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/notation/including-lilypond-files.html
>
> especially the way where one can avoid to specify the (relative or absolute)
> path of the included file:
>
>  1. either with the --include command line option
>
>  2. or with the LilyPond directory ‘../ly’.
>
> IMHO, none of these method is very handy:
>
>  1. with the 1st one, one has to remember the option and configure his editor
> for each project where "parts" files have to be included. Moreover, one could
> need to include files from different locations: a configuration file in some
> directory, part files in another directory,
>
>  2. with the 2nd one, the 'ly' directory could be removed/replaced/overwritten
> when LilyPond is upgraded or reinstalled.
>
> So I suggest that LilyPond lets us have our own 'ly' directory, located in our
> personal area (/home/<name>/ with Linux, /Users/<name>/Library/ with Mac OS,
> C:\Users\<name>\ with Windows Vista or Seven) where we can put files (parts
> files but, more interesting, configuration files) that can be included in
> LilyPond files without their path.
>
> If you are familiar with LaTeX, this 'ly' directory could be the $LILYHOME
> equivalent to $TEXMFHOME.
>
> What is opinion about this suggestion?

I am surprised no developer replied to this message.
This is a wise suggestion and would be very helpful for many users.

IIRC this feature has been asked a few times already (no, I am not
going to make some digging just to "prove" this statement).
A similar request was also made a few days ago on lilypond-user:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/lilypond-user/2011-12/msg00117.html
"Advanced users" are used to have such file containing their own
definitions, predefined settings, that they include for every of their
score.  This would be so simple with such wind of "lilyhome" directory
in  /home/<name>/.lilypond/ !

What do you, dear developers, think of it?

Cheers,
Xavier

-- 
Xavier Scheuer <address@hidden>