Info: Complete XMetaL Author uninstall-reinstall

[Su-Laine Yeo]

The following procedure sometimes resolves problems in which XMetaL stops working as expected, e.g. the system gives error messages when running commands that previously worked. Use this procedure only if simpler methods - such as restarting XMetaL with the Ctrl key held down, restarting the computer, and reinstalling XMetaL - do not resolve the problem.

Note that the following folder paths are accurate for the default installation of XMetaL on Windows XP, but will be slightly different for Vista and for Windows 7.

1) Back up the following folders:

- C:\Program Files\Common Files\XMetaL Shared
- C:\Program Files\XMetaL x.x
- C:\Program Files\Corel\Shared\XMetaL\Writing Tools\10.0
- C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\SoftQuad

2) Uninstall XMetaL Author through the Windows Control Panel > Add Remove Programs feature.

3) Delete the following folders:

- C:\Program Files\Common Files\XMetaL Shared
- C:\Program Files\XMetaL x.x
- C:\Program Files\Corel\Shared\XMetaL\Writing Tools\10.0
- C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\SoftQuad

4) Reinstall XMetaL.

5) Reconfigure XMetaL by copying configuration files from your backup folders to the Program Files folder. For example, some commonly-used configuration folders are:
- DITA conditional text configuration in: C:\Program Files\XMetaL 5.x\Author\Conditional Text\configs
- DITA specialization folders in: C:\Program Files\XMetaL 5.x\Author\DITA\XACs
- Custom macros in C:\Program Files\XMetaL 5.x\Author\Macros
If you have never changed the configuration for XMetaL, you can skip this step.

[Phil Champ]

• C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\SoftQuad is a hidden folder.
• What do you do with the backed-up folders once you've reinstalled XMetaL?

[Su-Laine Yeo]

Good point. You'll have to show Hidden Folders for this procedure.
I'll add a note about what to do with the backed-up folders. Thanks for the suggestion!

Su-Laine