[Tex/LaTex] Updating MiKTeX package – newest not found, directory incorrect

miktexpackages

I'm using TeXnicCenter 2.02 and MiKTeX 2.9, and I'm trying to update the 'glossaries' package to the latest version, 4.14. Currently it seems to be 4.12.

First, the 'MiKTeX Update' program does not detect any packages that need updating. Although CTAN lists glossaries v4.14, the update does not seem to recognize this is newer than 4.12. I have no idea which directory the updater looks at (because MiKTeX seems to install packages at 2 different locations).

Second, the 'MiKTeX Package Manager' program uses (somehow) a completely different directory than where most packages are actually installed. The manager seems to detect and install packages at C:\Program Files (x86)\MiKTeX 2.9\tex\latex\, while the glossaries package seems to be stored at C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MiKTeX\2.9\tex\latex. The compilation log however uses both directories, but seems to prefer the 'Roaming' folder over the 'Program Files' folder (if packages are installed at both locations).

Third, if I run 'Update Wizard…' from the 'Package Manager' it mentions 'The update helper could not be found.'

So, my questions are:

  1. How can I set up MiKTeX that it installs ALL packages only in ONE directory, and not in two?
  2. How can I modify the directory the MiKTeX Package Manager investigates?
  3. How do I know which directory the MiKTeX Updater looks at (an possibly modify that as well)?

Best Answer

Probably, glossaries was installed ‘on the fly’ when you compile a file which required glossaries and the latter wasn't installed. In such a case, it is installed in the user's personal directory, and the user's directory takes precedence over the administrator directory.

What you should do is launching MiKTeX Updater and MiKTeX Package Manager both in administrator mode and in user mode. A priori, if you install the latest version as administrator, you can delete the user version (with MPM in user mode!).

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