Update
To update from version 6 or earlier: if you own a previous version of WordSmith, please contact sales (at) lexically (dot) net giving details of your earlier purchase and you may be entitled to a 50% discount. Or simply purchase from the link at the top of this page.
To update your versionto the very latest build, Choose File | Web version check in WordSmith.
Reset to default settings
In Advanced settings in the Controller, look for a restore defaults button.
Re-Install
To re-install, simply re-run setup.exe, allowing it to overwrite any previous installation. That is best in 99% of cases.
Or visit https://www.lexically.net/downloads/version8/wordsmith_versions.htm where there's a detailed list of the WordSmith component files; you can easily download the whole lot from there.
Fresh Install (Standalone PC)
Naturally a defective download would cause trouble... or possibly changes to your Windows installation or anti-virus software might affect one or more of the component files.
How to re-install genuinely afresh?
You will have two places where your current installation has saved different parts of WordSmith. By default unless you chose elsewhere they will be
- c:\Program Files\wordsmith_64_8 or c:\Program Files (x86)\wsmith8
- My Documents\wsmith8 or wordsmith_64_8
You need to clear these while keeping anything useful.
1) re-boot your PC. That ensures nothing is lingering in any parts of Windows' memory.
2) rename c:\Program Files\wordsmith_64_8 for example as c:\Program Files\wsmith_64_8_OLD
3) rename My Documents\wsmith8 as My Documents\wsmith8OLD.
4) download and install again using the exact same folder-name where you installed originally (e.g. c:\Program Files\wordsmith_64_8)
5) In My Documents\wsmith8OLD there may be some useful saved settings (wordsmith8.ini, language_choices.ini, history_list.txt, Concord_recent_chosen_text_files.dat, recent_search_words.txt) which can simply be copied or moved to the newly re-created My Documents\wsmith8, but you really don't need to keep the old settings and should not copy them back unless you're sure they are OK.
6. (64bit version) There will also be stuff in c:\users\YOURNAME\Appdata\Roaming\WordSmith_64_8. That folder may or may not be visible depending on your settings. Google how to make a hidden folder visible, then rename that folder WordSmith_64_8_OLD too.
After you have finished doing this you have your new version at c:\Program Files\wsmith_64_8 and your old one still there at c:\Program Files\wsmith_64_8_OLD. So you don't need to worry about losing anything in the older version.
Fresh Install (Network version)
If N: is your network drive. (eg. N:\wsmith8,
a) rename N:\wsmith8 for example as N:\wsmith8OLD
b) download and install again using the folder-name where you installed originally (e.g. N:\wsmith8)
c) copy N:\wsmith8OLD\wordsmith.ini (default settings) into N:\wsmith8.
If you have lost N:\wsmith8OLD\wordsmith8.ini, edit N:\wsmith8\wordsmith8.ini in the [Network] section as explained in the Help file wordsmith.chm, or online here; look at "network" in the index.
If you want to return to a previous version
Here is the link to previous versions at my site.