Directory is not empty error when installing Spyder 6 using its Windows installer

[LINAK-thlu]

Issue Report Checklist

• [ x] Searched the issues page for similar reports
• [ x] Completed the Problem Description, Steps to Reproduce and Version sections below

Problem Description

When installing version 6.0.1 on top of 6.0.0 using the Windows installer this error Directory is not empty shows:

What steps reproduce the problem?

1. Install 6.0.0
2. Install 6.0.1

[ccordoba12]

Hey @LINAK-thlu, thanks for reporting. I'm not so sure if there's something we could do about this. For now, you need to manually remove Spyder 6.0.0 before installing 6.0.1. However, Spyder will offer you to automatically update to 6.0.1 a few minutes after you start it, so you wouldn't need to do that.

@mrclary, what do you think about this one?

[mrclary]

Hey @LINAK-thlu, thanks for reporting. I'm not so sure if there's something we could do about this. For now, you need to manually remove Spyder 6.0.0 before installing 6.0.1. However, Spyder will offer you to automatically update to 6.0.1 a few minutes after you start it, so you wouldn't need to do that.

That is correct. Our installer will not install over an existing Spyder installation. Your options are (in preferential order):

1. If you have used our installer already to install Spyder 6.0.0, then Spyder may check for updates on startup or you can manually check for updates from the menubar: Help -> Check for updates... which will lead to Spyder doing an in-place update.
2. You can uninstall Spyder 6.0.0 using the Windows program uninstaller, delete the spyder-6 directory if it is not fully removed, and install Spyder 6.0.1.

[ccordoba12]

Our installer will not install over an existing Spyder installation.

But is it possible to switch something in Constructor to do that?

[mrclary]

Our installer will not install over an existing Spyder installation.

But is it possible to switch something in Constructor to do that?

Not at this time. conda/constructor#679