quick install instruction fails if .emacs.d already exists

[jwaldmann]

README says:

**Quick Install:**

    git clone https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs ~/.emacs.d

which gives

fatal: destination path '/home/me/.emacs.d' already exists and is not an empty directory.

Then what? I can clone to someplace else and move some of the subdirs (from browsing init.el, at least core/ is needed) but that does not look right - spacemacs then sits in .emacs.d/core/ ? This path should be one level deeper, and contain the "spacemacs" name?

[d12frosted]

If it fails for you check full installation instructions. Besides, you are talking about init.el file which makes me conclude that you already know a bit about Emacs. So you should know what to do with .emacs.d :)

[jwaldmann]

Thanks for the quick response. I see. Perhaps it'd have been more clear to me when I read very early in the docs (for new users) that this is intended as a full replacement for emacs (it is?) -- and not just another emacs lisp package, to be installed alongside.

[StreakyCobra]

PR welcome (read CONTRIBUTING.org first ;-) )

[CarlQLange]

Recommend this is marked as 'fixed in develop' since 6c68694

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Please let us know if this issue is still valid!

[harishvishwakarma]

I had the same issue today

[duianto]

@harishvishwakarma The develop branch readme quick install instructions:
https://github.com/syl20bnr/spacemacs/tree/develop
describes how to avoid this issue:

This assumes you don't have an existing Emacs setup and want to run Spacemacs as your config. If you do have one, look at the full installation instructions for other options.

The master branch readme will be updated when next version is released.