Kira,
Your computer will care. Some operating systems "register" installed
applications to open certain kinds of files (or files with specific
extensions; e.g., Adobe Acrobat is registered to open files with .pdf
extensions so that one can double-click on the file in the File Explorer
and the application will run and open the file).
By default Lilypond opens files with the .ly extension. When you install
Frescobaldi there is usually a step where the installer specifically
asks if you want it to open .ly files.
Having more than one version of a program installed requires that *you*
keep track of which versions are registered and also where they are
installed. For example, if Version X of ProgramA is installed and you
then install Version Y, typically the installers are written to install
files into the same path/folder. Thus Version Y will overwrite Version
X. To prevent that, many installers give you the option to explicitly
say where to install the application. That's what you'll have to do here.
It is possible to do this with both Lilypond and Frescobaldi. If I may,
choose installation folders that have names relevant to your use for
them. For example, since "work" requires LP 2.16.2, create a folder in
your Home directory ~/<home>/Work/Programs and install LP 2.16.2 and an
appropriate version of Frescobaldi (one that "knows" about LP 2.16.2
rather than LP 2.20.*) there. Then you can install the latest and
greatest LP and Frescobaldi in their default locations. Updates to
Frescobaldi and LP go to their defaults as they are released and the
World folder remains constant and unaffected by those changes.
Many years ago I was the support triage agent for my IT group at a large
mid-western public university. I had 3-4 different versions of MS
Office, Corel Office, Adobe (everything) on the same computer (because
there was no IT standardization across the university that that's what
it took to support the many possible versions). It worked with due
diligence (but no one, ever, was allowed to touch that computer LOL).
Hope I've helped a little.
Regards.
On Sat, Oct 23, 2021, 5:58 PM Kira Garvie <kgar...@gmail.com
<mailto:kgar...@gmail.com>> wrote:
What I was told is that there are some features on the back-end of
the program that turns the Lilypond scores into manipulatable scores
for the company that doesn't play well with some of the newer
updates to Lilypond. So I can have more than one Lilypond program
downloaded, my computer won't care?
On Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 6:50 PM David Kastrup <d...@gnu.org
<mailto:d...@gnu.org>> wrote:
Kira Garvie <kgar...@gmail.com <mailto:kgar...@gmail.com>> writes:
> Hi all,
> I saw this referenced in the Frescobaldi manual, but is it
possible to have
> multiple versions of Lilypond installed on my computer at
once? Many of you
> know I have to use version 2.16.2 for my work (don't ask me
why, I honestly
> don't know),
That's more than 8 years old. Does _anybody_ actually know?
> but I would like to use a more recent version for some other
engraving
> jobs. And can I use an older version of Frescobaldi with a newer
> version of Lilypond? Thank you! Best, Kira
As far as I understand, Frescobaldi supported using multiple
versions of
LilyPond for a long time now. Of course, an older version of
Frescobaldi will not know about newer syntax features (like
pitchless
music for percussion entry and a number of other things).
--
David Kastrup
