Usually there is no need to uninstall 3D Topicscape before re-installing it - the installation process will uninstall the old version first automatically, if it needs to.
You will be informed if you need to do a separate uninstall first, in which case, please use the Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs facility.
At the beginning of the first run after a re-install, you will be given the choice of retaining your old settings or starting afresh. We recommend retaining the old settings, unless you are experiencing problems that a previous re-installation did not overcome.
If you have problems with the re-installation, such as a complaint from Windows that a file to be copied is in use, you may try uninstalling in Windows Safe Mode first.
Overwriting the old settings will not affect the following:
Any user's Topicscapes including databases and occurrence files;
any user's Topicscape Box files (added information may be affected - see below);
any user's Log files from recent runs of 3D Topicscape.
Overwriting the old settings will reset the following:
This user's "Favorites";
this user's Noiseword definitions (which will revert to the default set);
this user's Topicscape Box added information (like descriptions, sources, etc.). This may be cleared, but you will be asked first and you can choose to preserve this information; Files in the Topicscape Box will be kept in any event.
flying speed options;
the Details Panel position;
the records of this user's nine previously-opened Topicscapes (File menu history);
the record of any problem with the last run of 3D Topicscape;
Moving Topicscape's default location for Topicscape data
The Topicscape data location is not set up during install, but in the first run after install. This is because Topicscape data on a PC can either be shared by all users, or each user can have their own separate location (and protect it from being read by other admin users by encrypting it if they wish).
On the first run after installation, you will be asked if you want to "keep you old settings". If you want to change where the data will be held, you need to say "No", click through the decision about clearing Topicscape Box and then specify a new location (choose the first radio button which tells you that you can browse to a new location). Topicscape will not copy your old data to the new location - we feel that is something the user should make an explicit decision to do - but it will use that as its default location from then on.
Step by step the procedure is:
reinstall Topicscape (telling it to put the programs on C:, D: or E: as you wish)
start Topicscape
reply No to question about keeping old settings
reply No to question about clearing metadata describing files in Topicscape Box
leave first radio button selected in the "default location" panel that appears next and click through
key in the path of the new location for you Topicscape data (no need to make a folder, it will do that for you)
let Topicscape open and then close it normally
copy all folders and files from your previous Topicscape data folder to the new one just specified.
